Catch up Week

Been out to Papermaze today helping to pick orders in their 50% off sale, after the fire they had at the beginning of November. It's amazing how much some crafters are spending, especially so close to christmas! There has been some great bargins to be had like the Martha Stewart punches, Tim Holtz sizzix dies.............as you can imagine these were the first things to be snapped up. I've treated myself to a couple of American Craft Albums and some thickers, so been very reserved.LOL. Tuesday it took me TWO hours to pick a 4 page order!
Had a catch up week this week as I'm on holiday from work and don't go back until Tuesday night.
I've made some special christmas cards for my crafty friends, made my secret santa pressie, started on my challenge pieces which myself a 5 crop friends set each other each month, done the layout for the Bramford January crop kit and helped at Papermaze for two days aswell.............so all in all I've had a productive week. Tomorrow I need to get some housework done then I'll spend some time getting things ready to take to the Scrapagogo crop on Saturday. I'm going to be organised for once and only take what I intend doing.
I'm also intending to get all my christmas cards written over the weekend, so I can get those that need sending sent. We're off to Lakeside on the 7th December to get the christmas shopping done, it's a nice day out and they have a nice Range store on the retail park.

Janina xx

Cropping Tomorrow

It's the monthly Bramford Crop tomorrow, only one more left to go for 2011. This year has flown by. Is it 7 or 8 weeks 'til Christmas this weekend.?! I've started my Christmas shopping, got a few bits for my 3 kids stockings and ordered Aaron's main pressie online as it was so much cheaper that way.
Sold my old Digi SLR camera on ebay last weekend, I'd never used it properly...............did'nt understand the instructions..LOL so have now bought myself a new Nikon Coolpix digi camera from Argos which was half-price, it came today, is alot smaller and so much lighter. I had a quick play snapping pics of my craft room. Instructions look alot easier too.
I've also ordered a sewing machine to be used at the crop, I like to see sewing on layouts and cards, Karen does some lovely examples so I'm hoping she'll give our croppers a demo!
Next Saturday I'm doing a tabletop sale so hope to sell some of my handmade cards, then the next Saturday I'm doing the local WI's Christmas Fayre, so hope to sell a few more.
Well must go get things sorted for tomorrows crop, not sure what I'm going to take to do, never normally get much if anything done...........just chatting!

Have a great weekend.
Janina x

Stash Sorting

Over the past month I've been having a good sort out of my stash in my craftroom, which I might add is packed to the rafters! Shamefully I might add, you know the stuff you bought because you might use it! I've managed to sell bits on via ebay, UKS and the Bramford crop. I'm off to Create and Crop on Saturday so hoping to sell a bit more. I've made lots of cards of late as I've got two table top sales I'm doing in November. This has meant I've managed to use up papers, embellishments etc that I've had for awhile...............still has'nt made much of a dent in my stash hoard though. one card I made last week is the photo I'm showing with this posting. It's made from the left over scraps from the Bramford crop November kit Graphic 45 Magic of Oz, I must say I am quite pleased with the result and just proves what you can do with left over scraps.
I had a sad email earlier to say that Papermaze in Otley had a massive fire yesterday which looking at the local papers web site has destroyed a lot of the building and stock. My heart goes out to Vanessa as she definately does not deserve this, thankfully no one was hurt.
Well I've tea to start and a pile of ironing sitting there looking at me.LOL If I get it done today I can then spend some of tomorrow crafting.

Hope you all have a good weekend, I will as I'm scrapping all day Saturday.

Janina x

Sneaky Peek.

Over the weekend I have been working on two layouts for the Bramford Crop December kits.
Di from Crafts and Candlelight gave me the new Prima Printery collection and the very latest Kaisercraft Bonjour collection to work with. I had a good look at both lots of papers and decided that in each set there was a sheet that could be used to make your own embellishments, so out came my scissors and I set to work on lots of cutting. That'll keep the ladies busy for awhile at the crop on 10th December.LOL................some won't thank me! So apart from the papers the only other thing I used was glue and 3D foam pads to give some dimension to the layouts. I was quite pleased with both results, though the photos don't do them justice even if I do say so myself. Kaisercraft is the fisrt photo.
This afternoon I've also finished off 3 layouts that just needed titles, so all in all I've been quite productive. I'm more pleased I've got the crop layouts done well in advance so I'm not chasing my tail.
It's a night of telly tonight, Strictly Come Dancing is on at 7.25, then at 8 it's the X-Factor(just want to see who's going home), then it's Downton Abbey.

Janina x

Scrapbook Sisters Design Team

Last month I entered a monthly challenge on the Scrapbook Sisters blog, well what a surprise when I was contacted and asked to join their design team! What an honour, did'nt take long for me to reply and say YES PLEASE. This months challenge is One Shape, so I chose Rectangles, check out their blog to see my L/O's and Jeannie@s the other DT members L/O's. Check out the Scrapbook Sisters shop while you are at it, see link at the side of my blog. Why not join in the monthly challenges.............
As you can see I'm slowly trying to sort out my blog, it's trial and error as I'm not sure what I'm doing.LOL I'll get it sorted properly one day.
Been card making today. Made a couple of christmas cards and a couple of birthday cards. Have'nt done much craft wise this week, though I have been in my craftroom every day................tried tidying it up, moved a few bits around and it still looks just as bad. Will try again tomorrow.

Well hope you all have a lovely weekend. It's my weekend off so I'm hoping to do some crafting.

Janina xx

The aftermath of a visit to Ally Pally.

Well yesterday I was up nice and early as it was our September trip to Ally Pally. I picked Liz up at 6.30am then it was onto Karen's to pick her and Nancy up. We had a good drive down to Wood Green London arriving just after 8.30am. We get there early so to get a good parking place, infact we were right outside the front entrance due to having Liz's disabled badge. I'm glad I did park there as I went back to the car 3 times during the day to unload what I'd bought. I stocked up on card stock which is flipping heavy! We had a fab day as usual, bumped into Janet and Ang who went by coach. We ended the day in the park opposite AP eating cupcakes with Shimelle, SJ and several other crafters. The cupcakes made by Shimelle were scrummy.
On the way home we made our customary stop at Mcdonalds in Chelmsford. Got back into Ipswich around 8.15pm. I'll post a couple on photos of my stash purchases, looks like I spent loads, but I did'nt and managed to get some good buys. I also made a beeline for the Craft Stamper stand as I wanted to take up the subscription offer of their new Scrapbook mag hitting the shops 18th November, see photo. It's called Scrap 365.
Well I've new stash to go stroke.LOL several Rubbernecker stamps to mount, I love that stand as you get unmounted sentiment stamps for 50p each, what a bargin! I've amased quite a collection over the past two years.
I'm on holiday from work this week so I intend spending some of it in my craft room. I want to make some more cards, christmas aswell as other occasions.

Janina xx

Ally Pally here we come!

It's that time of year again when our twice yearly trip to Ally Pally in London is now only one week away. I've got a small list with odds n ends on it I'm hoping to get. So early next Saturday Liz, Nancy, myself and fingers crossed Karen will be on our way. We always have such a good day out with our customly stop at the Chelmsford Mcdonalds on the way home.
Tomorrow it's the Papermaze crop, I'm on a working wake 12hr night shift tonight, but will still go to the crop, will need nudging about mid-day as I'll have that glassy look in my eyes.............give me half an hour and a coffee and I'll be fine...............I'll just crash out on the settee at home in the evening. I've been going to Papermaze crop since 2006 and still thoroughly enjoy it as it's a very friendly crop and along the way I've made some good friends too.
Did I tell you I've started to make my christmas cards? Made about 60 so far, had a bit of a break from them and will start making more in the next few weeks. I've a week off work the end of the month, so apart from having an autumn clean in the house I intend spending time cardmaking.

Have a good weekend, mine will go in a blur until Tuesday as it's my weekend in work, so with lack of sleep............................

Janina x