Paper Stories blog Sketch Challenge

I've decided to enter this layout I did of my daughter Emily( the short one !) and her friend Hannah ( the tall one !) when we visited the Harry Potter Studio Tour in July...............they love Dobbie the house Elf.......into the www.paperstoriesstore.blogspot.com  December sketch challenge. I very rarely enter challenges but thought I'd have a go this time.


               Janina x

My baby is 18 today.....

Yes Emily is 18 today, I just don't know where those years have gone. Here's a photo I took of her during the summer..................she'll have a shock instore when they go to football this afternoon as this pic should be in the Fan Zone section in the programme( her and Andy have season tickets at Ipswich Town FC). This evening she'll be out bowling with about 30 Gang Show members and then several are off clubbing! Told her she has a 9pm curfew, to which she laughed!! She's a mix of her two brothers Aaron and Tim.....will be a party animal like Aaron and is laid back like Tim, so laid back she's almost horizontal.
Well Christmas is almost here. I've now caught up, all cards done last lot being delivered today, presents are wrapped. I can now sit back and wait for the big day to arrive, so on that score I'll wish you all a very Happy Christmas.

                      Janina xx

Christmas....ba humbug!

Well yesterday Andy and I did our yearly trip to Lakeside to do our Christmas Shopping, we got all bar 3 presents. I've just been online and can pick two of them up tomorrow from Argos this way. I managed to drag him into Ikea, oh how painful we were only in there less than 20 minutes but he moaned non stop! I've now got loads to wrap, picture of what we came home with and I've another lot in the cupboard. I'm still writing Christmas cards which I must finish today so I'll take them to work with me tonight. My tree is up, I did that last week as I knew this week would be a no go.
Hasn't it turned cold? I intend going no where today until I go to work tonight. I've the ironing to do so I shall watch the weather through the patio doors.
Papermaze Christmas crop on Saturday really looking forward to that.


                Janina xx

Gus and his advent calendar!

Our cat Gus love the cat treat Dreamies, shake the packet and he goes like a rocket! Have you seen the advert on TV, yes that does it to him. He has radar ears even when you only pick the packet up.......anyway shopping in Asda we found a Dreamies advent calendar so we just had to buy Gus one. Well yesterday he had door No 1 contents which he gobbled up in record time and the look on his face when they had gone. Today I took pictures of him with door No 2 and here they are.......................the kids reckon the cat is spoilt.
How are your Christmas arrangements going? Mine well I'm only now starting. Later I hope to start writing my Christmas cards so I can get those that need posting, posted this week. Christmas shopping we'll be off to Lakeside next week. Got two works Christmas meals coming up, Andy's this coming Friday and mine next Monday. If I can get Christmas wrapped up by next Friday( I mean by having all the pressies wrapped!) I'll be happy.

Well have a great week..............Bramford Christmas crop on Saturday.

                    Janina xx

Whoop, Whoop I've finished my Diploma.

Yes today I cracked on and have finished it....all done and dusted no more study for me EVER! I can now sit back and relax with a smug expression on my face as we had until next March to get it done, my work mates are still ploughing through it. I can now concentrate on christmas, my cards need writing and getting them posted next week. Christmas shopping we'll be going to Lakeside in a couple of weeks time. I'm on holiday again next week so hopefully I can do some crafting, after turning round my craft room a couple of weeks ago, there's still a few bits left to sort.
On Saturday 8th December it's the Bramford Christmas crop, should be a good day and the places are filling up fast. Doesn't seem possible we're now at the last crop of the year. hopefully as we're going on until 8pm I'll get something done.

Well time to go and chill out. Have a great week.

                    Janina xx

A bright Sunday morning.

It's Sunday already, where do the weekends go. I've had a busy, busy week. Spent several hours on that blasted Diploma, the optional units on Dementia. There's 7 units and this week I managed to get done 4...whoop whoop, I cracked on while I was 'in the mood' to study.

Wednesday I took time out and went to one of Lou's workshops at Papermaze, it was a great morning spent with some lovely ladies and to top that we did a fab layout, which I will post here to show you. If you get the chance to go to one of Lou's workshops do go, you'll learn different techniques and come away with a fab layout to boot. Next workshop is on Wednesday 5th December.
I'm at work tonight, 12 hour wake night shift. Work this coming week then I'm on holiday the following week, nought planned hopefully I can get some crafting done, or I'll finish that diploma......crafting, diploma, crafting, diploma....................such a hard choice!!!!

Anyway, hope you have a lovely week.

                Janina xx

TV addict!

For some unknown reason our cat Guss has taken to watching tv, he gets quite engrossed at times and will sit watching for ages! This is him watching BBC's breakfast time.

Doing a little happy dance......

Yes I'm doing a happy dance as I've just spent 4 long hours typing up and printing out my last mandatory unit of my Diploma. YIPEEEEE.  Assessor will be in work on Sunday night to assess me bathing someone and then I can start on my optional Dementia units, more joy! I'm all studied out for a couple of weeks now so I intend catching up on some crafting. I've 3 crop page kits to get done so they're top of my list. I've stash I've bought which include from Ally Pally in September I haven't even looked at so I've some playing to do.
Right tea to sort, liver is in the oven veg to go peel!

               Janina xx

And it's only Monday!

Yay it's only Monday and I've only got 1/2 a unit of my diploma to get done before the weekend..............surprising  what you can get done when you put your mind to it!!!!I might crack on with it today or finish it tomorrow.
Went to Papermaze crop on Saturday and had a lovely day. I only managed to complete the page kit of the month which was designed by Lou, a lovely page it was too. Lou's next Wednesday workshop at Papermaze is on 7th November, which I promptly booked myself on as I so enjoyed the last one she did. I thoroughly recommend going if you can make it.
Nothing to show at the mo as I haven't photographed what I've done, hopefully next time.

Have a good week.

             Janina xx

My head wants to explode!

It's now 7pm and I've just finished writing out a couple of units of my Diploma which I have been sat at my table since 11.30am this morning...........hence my head now feels like it wants to explode! I've still to type them up and print them out, which'll take me an age and then I've a part unit left to do all by next Sunday evening when the assessor is due to come into work to see me to assess me assisting a resident with a bath.All 9 units will then be finished and it will be on to the optional 6 units on dementia. I'm hoping to have finished by January and then I should get my level 2 certificate in Health and Social Care in adults. Yippee do! That'll be it as far as I'm concerned with studying, it's flaming hard work getting your brain back into study mode when it's been away for so long. LOL
Tomorrow I'm having a chill out crafting day trying to put together some layouts to take with me to Papermaze on Saturday. I'm going to try and be prepared for once and only take with me what I need, instead of a car full of stuff I don't need! I need to go see Di at Crafts and Candlelight as she now has the papers in for the December and January Bramford crop kits, so I need to do that sometime tomorrow.
Looks like next week I've a busy one what with all this typing I've to do and as I'm the one fingered typer you can imagine how long it will take me!!!! I'm so looking forward to it...NOT.


Well have a good weekend.

         Janina xx

What I created at the weekend....

Saturday I went to a crop and managed to complete two layouts which I'm quite pleased with. My brain wouldn't let me do anymore as I'd been on a 12hr night shift on Friday night and by 3pm all I wanted to do was sleep!
Today I've been to a fab workshop at Papermaze(www.papermaze.co.uk) run by Lou Collins. We had a great time creating a gorgeous layout using mists and getting messy.....great fun. She'll be doing regular monthly workshop at Papermaze on a Wednesday morning do check out their web site for more info. Will have to take a pic of my effort and post another time.
It's the Bramford monthly crop this Saturday, so another fun day though I don't normally get anything done, I just chat to the ladies all day. Friday I've an all day course at work on Challenging Behaviour then I'm at work at night as the sleep in carer.................sadly it doesn't mean you always sleep!!!

              Janina xx

Shattered but had a Lovely day at Ally Pally...

Well we set off at 7am yesterday morning, I picked Liz and Beryl up en-route and off we headed to London for our second visit of the year to Ally Pally. They'd moved into the Great Hall this time so you had so much more room to move around and lots more places to sit and chill as well. I got everything on my list and a few extra bits. There were bargins to be had but you had to look and compare prices. By the time we left at 5pm my car boot and part of the back seat were full of all of our goodies. My best buy of the day was some thin Jute string. Liz and I went halves on it though we did laugh and wonder whether we needed a reel each, look at the photo! I got it from the Ludiec stand for only £5.50............I couldn't believe how cheap it was and had to look twice at the price. The other photo is of my purchases. Tomorrow I hope to have a little play with some of the new stamps and dies. The next Craft Show I'll visit will be The Suffolk Papercraft Show in Bury St Edmunds on 4th November.

Well Sunday lunch to sort, have a great day.

                Janina xx

Ally Pally here we come!

Well it's that time of year again when on Saturday Liz, Beryl and myself will be going to Ally Pally.......The Big Stamp and Scrapbooking Show in London. Soooo excited, got my shopping list of things I hope to get and anything extra will be a bonus. I'll post a pic on here to show you my purchases. I really look forward to this show in April and September each year, in my opinion it's one of the best in the country. I've actually been crafting this week on and off making cards as my stock has dwindled due to selling lots at the Bramford crop.
Have you checked out the Papermaze blog? Classes and workshops will be starting up again as from October. It's been nearly a year since the fire and I have missed going to the workshops. Lou will be taking workshops on the first Wednesday morning of each month and Wendy will be taking classes on Wednesday evenings, I think twice per month.

Well hope you all have a lovely weekend, I certainly will!

              Janina xx

Look where we're going for our hols next year......

Well we've booked our holiday for next year to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary, this time next year we'll be on our way home after spending 8 days on a Nile Cruise Egypt. We've said for years we'd love to go to Egypt but having 3 children it would be just too expensive, so now they are older and we can leave them at home Andy and I are off on our dream holiday...............pic taken from brochure. Sooo excited.We fly out on 28th August 2013. We haven't had a holiday since we went to Florida in 2005, so we will certainly look forward to this one, oh the photos to be taken and the pages to be scrapped!
Got a busy week work wise this week. I've typed and printed out one unit of my diploma, got another unit to do by tomorrow night. Will have worked 4 nights this week by Friday and I've training tomorrow morning and assessor to see Friday morning. Glad I'm going no where over the weekend so I can just chill.

Hope you have a good weekend.

             Janina xx

A fruitful weekend!

Went to a crop on Saturday and completed 5, yes you did read that right layouts. The first one is a kit I got from Papermaze crop last weekend and was designed by Lou Collins........gorgeous design and considering Lou is not a 'pink girl' didn't she do well. The next layout is based on an idea from one of my favourite designers Rachel Elliott, it was featured in the August Scrap 365 mag (I think it was that issue). Third layout was also based on one featured in Scrap 365 . The others are just mine!

This week I have to get my bum into gear and work on two modules for the Health & Social Diploma I'm doing for work................not my idea of fun. I've put it off for a month now but as the assessor is coming to check them next Friday I need to get a shift on. Going back to studying in your 40's is hard work my brain just can not cope!!!! Yesterday I got as far as getting my folder etc out and shuffling the pages. Oh the joys.I might need to craft in between studying just to give my poor brain a break and as I've some new Stampin-Up goodies I want to try out.................well it's time for lunch.
It's the Bramford Crop this Saturday 9am-5pm everyone welcome.

     Have a good week..

                Janina xx

Son's new car.

Well we've just got back from picking up DS1 Aaron's first car. He's a right poser, but hey it was his choice and it does look nice and drives good too. Just called round to show the grandparents too. He's pleased it isn't raining so he can have the soft top down. He's chuffed as monkeys so that's what matters and I've some pics to scrap at Papermaze on Saturday.

         Janina xx

Scrap 365 August Sketch Challenge

I've never entered the Scrap365 Sketch challenge before, but this month I thought why not so here is my take on their sketch. Old American Crafts papers. I'm trying to use up papers I've had for more than a year and of late am managing to do so. This is a picture of Emily age 2.5yrs on a summer visit to Eastern Farm Park in Suffolk., doesn't seem possible she'll be 18yrs at Christmas.
Well tomorrow is a big day for DS 1 Aaron, as I'm taking him to pick up his first car. The poser that he is he decided on a KA Street car, sport convertible! Must say it is a nice looking car and drives ok (will post photos later in the week) I had a test drive when I took him to look at it last week. So we're off to Brentwood tomorrow morning. I'll have something to scrap when I go to the Papermaze crop on Saturday.
Still got loads of pics to scrap about our visit to Harry Potter Studio Tours. It's nice to have recent photos to scrap rather than ones that are a few years old. Now the kids are older (21, 19 and 17) I don't get the photo opportunities I used too.

Well have a good week.

              Janina xx

The August Ipswich Crop

Yesterday was the monthly crop in Bramford I have run for over 4 years now. We've always had good support from day one with several of our ladies coming from day one. Yesterday we had 29 turn up for a lovely day of scrapping, cardmaking, lots of chat, free prize draws throughout the day and a Stampin-Up demo by Karen which the ladies enjoyed. We also had lots of cake and nibbles to eat, which our ladies kindly brought along, Pebby's home made chocolate cakes and her gorgeous rock cakes soon disappeared!

I took my camera along and managed to remember to take a couple of photos, so here they are......the baby in the background (we start them young  LOL), is 9 week old little Accacia. Sue her mum is one of our long time members and called in for a coffee and chat, though it's Tracey who's holding her.
I scrapped nothing all day, I did chat nearly non-stop though! Our September crop will be on the 1st.

  Have a lovely week, I'll be glad when it's 8am tomorrow morning as I'll be then finishing my 12hr wake night shift!

                 Janina xx

Scrapping Harry Potter.......

Went to a crop yesterday and managed to scrap some of the many photos me and Emily took at the Harry Potter Studio Tour a couple of weeks ago. I was pleased with my results and I've used up some Bo Bunny papers that I bought early last year, thought they were quite suitable.
Did you watch the opening ceremony for the Olympics on Friday night? I did and thought it brilliant, Danny Boyle and Co did Great Britain proud, it showed Britain at it's best. Now all we need are some medals.
After yesterday I feel a little disheartened. Why do some people like to use others as scapgoats for their own misdeamenours, blaming them for their decisions and making it sound like they themselves are oh so innocent..if only others knew the whole truth and the history that goes with it.................they might think differently. Afraid at this moment in time I can not enlighten you more, but some who read my blog will know what I am on about.
Have my great niece Elizabeth's 6th birthday tea to go to later. I'm looking forward to a buffet day aswell as seeing my young niece open her pressies.
Bramford Crop this coming Saturday 9am - 8pm....all welcome. We have a bunch of lovely ladies that attend and always have a good number each month too., anything from 20-35 turn up to scrap and card make. I've my challenge to complete too, 6 of us set a challenge each month, altered art. Tracey gave us all a mouse trap to alter...............yes we all looked at it rather strange and thought she'd well and truely lost the plot(it's normally Carol who gives us something to do that taxes our brains LOL). Nancy googled it and hey presto, altered mouse traps and very nice they look too. You try googling altered mouse traps you'd be surprised.
Well hope you all have a good week, I've lots to get done on the crafting front.

               Janina x

Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio Tour

On Wednesday we took a trip to the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio Tour at the Leavesden, just off junction20 on the M25. Well what can I say just that for any Harry Potter fans out there it's a must visit. It's actually where all the films were made. The sets they actually used, which were amazing, the clothes the actors wore. We had a great time, some photos to follow. We took Emily's friend Hannah with us. On Friday night to get into HP mode the girls had a HP filmathon! They watched all 8 films one after the other!!! Mad I say. On the tour you get the chance to go into the 'green screens' to ride a broomstick and fly in the Ford Anglia, the girls did this the offical photos are really good, this is the only place you can't take photos yourself but can everywhere else throughout the tour.This is just a selection on the photos I took, at least I've lots to scrap!
Talking of scrapping I'm off to the Papermaze crop tomorrow, which I'm looking forward to. Got to sort out my stash and what I'm going to take as I'm working a wake shift tonight so won't have time when I get home in the morning. I need to buy an album from the shop tomorrow as I think I'll fill one just with our HP tour photos.
Well must go washing to put out.....the sun has started to shine! and stash to sort.
Have a great weekend.

              Janina xx

July already, where has this year gone!

Can't believe it's July already........downward slippery slope to Christmas now.LOL Soon be time to start on making Christmas cards.
Went to the Create and Crop last Saturday and managed to do 4 layouts, two still need their titles though. One of the completed ones I'll post on here, it's of Emily and her friends at their Prom last year, the other is a DT piece for Scrapbook Sisters so that'll have to go on hold. The Bliss layout is the one I did for the Bramford crop kit based on an idea by Lou Collins, it's of my god-daughter and her new husband. The other two layouts are ones I did for the recent DT ideas scrapbook challenge at Scrapbook Sisters.............see my sidebar.
Two weeks today and we're off to the Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour, can't wait as I've heard it's fab................great photo opportunity too, which I can't wait to scrap.

The monthly Bramford Crop is next Saturday 14th July 9am-5pm. Had to move a week as the church has got their Fete and Fun Day from 2pm if you're interested in coming along. I've been busy cardmaking as I'll have a table.
Well I need a coffee so must dash, enjoy the rest of your week.

         Janina xx

A weekend of Scrapping

Saturday I went to the monthly Papermaze crop in Otley and for once was quite productive. I managed 3 layouts only needed to add titles so I did that today. I've also done 3 layouts today which are the crop kits for the Bramford August crop........I'm getting ahead of myself. I've also done 2 shadow boxes today, I think I've mentioned before I was asked to make up shadow/memory boxes for residents at a local care home, I've now done 10.................probably got that amount if not more still to do.So today has been a very productive day, I intend spending time every day this week in my craft room as I'm on holiday.

I've got a few layouts to show you that I've done over the weekend. The one of Aaron (has a windmill on) is the Papermaze crop kit designed by Vanessa, I really like this layout and was pleased with my result.

Bloggers playing silly devils with me and won't let me load more photos......................ah it's just let me load this one now to see if 'it'll let me do one more.............well after all that it's played ball.
Don't forget to check out Scrapbook Sisters blog and join in with their monthly scrapbook challenge, they also have a cardmaking challenge so check them out http/:scrapbooksisters.blogspot.com        they also have an online and B&M shop  www.scrapbooksisters.co.uk

Well lots still to do.

               Janina xx