It is Wednesday and already the week is getting out of control. Work is manic as I am trying to undertake edits to the review, edit and submit another paper, write a grant and run some experiments with my masters student. Completely hectic and mad, but at least it isn't boring. Alex has been great fun to look after this week, cheeky and mischievous, but entertaining nonetheless, with only the occasional grumpy patch. This morning he had us in stitches walking round everywhere on his tip-toes, and this evening he was running round like mad giggling his head off. He still likes watching me do the Wii fit exercises, especially when I run round the island following a dog, telling me to 'run fast mummy'. This evening the weather was nice so we popped outside for a little while and he wanted to water the plants! 
I have managed to do some crafting over the past couple of days in the form of this scrapbook layout following Pencil lines sketch #132. I think this is a great sketch as you can make it as simple or as complex as you want. This photo is one of my favourites of Alex and Daniel together, taken at a farm last October. I have used a complete mix of papers and cardstock - Making Memories, Penny Black, Rusty Pickle, Bazzil basics and a freebie. The stamps are from Purple Onion and Stamps Away and the tractor image is a clip art image. The title is 'Tractor fun!' and the journalling reads 'Alex and Daniel loved their time sat on the tractor, turning the steering wheel together. It was a piece of small boy heaven!'
I have also made a card for my Godsister's wedding next month. This followed the sketch from Friday Sketchers and has hand drawn stitching round two of the layers and inked edges on the other layer so it fits the cute card Thursday challenge. The middle layer is embossed with my cuttlebug hearts folder and I have used sakura star dust to highlight the veil and parts of the wedding dress. As usual I would love to know what you think of my artwork. In the meantime have a great week everyone.
Love,
Caro
x
In the afternoon we went to the park and had a great time climbing on every climbing frame, although ‘Beg Ted’ had to come too making things a little more tricky. 
Alex was quite upset this morning and we could not work out why. He wouldn’t eat his breakfast and just wanted to cuddle. However, after about 30 minutes of sitting on my lap he perked up and started to draw and play with stickers and then decided that it was time for my work out while he had some toast! I was hot and exhausted by the time I had done three runs and two lots of stepping, and then 20 jack knifes with him sat on my lap. This afternoon we went to the Botanical Gardens for a change, and although Alex missed the climbing frame we made up for it by climbing some steps… 
…and seeing a squirrel 
My nature photography this weekend is of one of the flower beds in the Botanical Gardens
and some of the flowers in my garden…yes I am still excited that I have flowers in my garden! These are little and cute but will eventually grow to become a complete carpet of flowers given enough time and water. 
Crafting wise this weekend I have been trying to catch up with my scrapbooking. This double layout is of my nephews Christening last June and is un-imaginatively titled ‘Daniel’s Christening’. I used Bazzil cardstock as the base and then strips of ‘Child of God’ and a couple of the scripture notes from the Amazing Grace collection by Flair designs. I accented the page throughout with little gold cross peel offs, and the journaling reads ‘ Daniel’s Christening was a beautiful family service and he behaved wonderfully with only a small squeak of protest at nearly being drowned by the vicar. After the service we had a lovely family time in the garden, enjoying nice food and sunshine. 1st June 2008’. 
The second layout focuses on a photo of Alex and me taken in January 2008 and is called ‘Dinosaur Story’. The striped papers were chosen as Alex is wearing a stripy top. I actually followed an old sketch from pencil lines (#95) for this and added dinosaur stickers and Purple Onion flourish stamps. The journaling reads ‘Alex has always enjoyed story time and the Dinosaur Story has always been a firm favourite’. 
Finally I made a card following this weeks sketch from Cupcake Craft Challenges. I really liked this sketch and used my Penny Black Stickeroos as the central panel. I would love to know what you all think and in the meantime have a great weekend.
We have been enjoying the nice weather in the garden and Alex can now climb his slide safely by himself which pleases him no end. 
...and then decided that he wanted to go and explore the rough playing field next door. By this stage he was getting tired and hungry, but still happy.
I even managed to mow the lawn and do some weeding this weekend, most unlike me! It is nice to have a garden that is fun to look after now, thanks to all my parents hard work. Alex loves being out there, playing with his sandpit and his various plastic toys. He is currently learning how to safely climb up onto his slide.
I have only done a little crafting this weekend in the form of this scrapbook layout entitled 'Grubs Up'. I have used a mixture of stripy papers on top of the blue Bazzil cardstock, as Alex was wearing a stripy top in the photo. I then splodged large amounts of acrylic paint over the centre of the page before layering the photo on top. The Ready Brek symbol was cut from the cereal packet, but I am still undecided as to whether or not I like it. The journaling block was cut out using my scalloped circles nestabilities and the journalling reads 'Alex decided the best way to eat Ready Brek was to drink it from the bowl. Fortunately the bowl was almost empty, but despite that the mess was incredible! July 2008'.
Sadly my Great-Uncle passed away on Friday and I wont be able to get to the funeral as it is in Southampton, so I made this card for my Great Aunt. I tried to keep it simple and elegant using the cuttlebug embossing flower on white card, then highlighting bits of the embossing with a sakura stardust pen. I then printed the text on the computer and added ribbon and flowers.
Finally I made a birthday card following this weeks Sketch Saturday sketch. The papers are all K&CO, the ribbons are Laura Ashley, the butterfly is cut and embossed on the cuttlebug and then highlighted with sakura stardust and pearls, and the flowers are Angel kiss. Both cards also fit the Cute Card Thursday theme which is floral fantasy as they both feature a multitude of different flowers. That's all for now and I hope you all have a great week.
Crafting wise I have managed to make two scrapbook layouts. This first one is entitled ‘Laughing on Daddy’s head’ and uses Basic Grey, Sandylion and Bazzil papers and cardstock, the Purple Onion Fluorish stamp, stickers from and letters cut out using the Cuttlekids Tadpole Alphabet. The journaling reads 'Alex thinks being on his Daddy's head is the funniest thing in the world!'. I was a bit concerned that the photos weren’t very big and would look a bit silly on the large cardstock, but I think it works OK. 
The second layout is based on one from Stuck?! and uses a mixture of Bazzil, K&Co, Making Memories, and American Designs papers and cardstock, the leaves were embossed using my Cuttlebug and cut out with a craft knife, the flowers were Angel kiss and a free one from a magazine, the title was cut using the Sizzixs Alphabet Mango Tango and I distressed the edge of the page using a green ink pad. Sadly the photo doesn't do this one justice as the colours are a bit more vibrant than this. As usual I would love to know what you think. Have a great weekend everyone.
then going 'splat' with the sand. 
Although I haven't felt up to crafting today I did manage to do some on Monday and made two layouts, both based on Pencil line sketches. This first one is loosely based on sketch #128 and uses hot off the press papers, stickers from the local post office (Purple peach ltd) and Purple Onion stamps. There are actually two titles (Butterfly farm and Day Trip out) and the journalling reads ' We had a lovely trip out to the Butterfly farm at North Anston. Alex especially loved the birds, including a crazy rooster who pecked his pram, and the fish. He didn't really show much interest in the butterflies. June 2008'. 
The second layout is based on this weeks Pencil Lines sketch (#130) and using K&Co papers throughout with a Purple Onion Swirl stamp. The title letters were cut using my Cuttlebug and the journalling incoporates the title into it and reads 'Alex loves playing and spending time with his GRANDMA and he thinks she is wonderful. Bishops Hull playground. July 2008'.
This second card follows the sketch from My time to Craft and I embossed the green paper strips. This card also sort of fits the cupcake craft challenge which is to use only one layer of cardstock other than the background and the image...my layer is the green which is split into two! I would love to know what you all think of these different crafting projects. Have a great rest of the week.
Alex thought it was wonderful and played with it for ages, even progressing to playing with the rather soggy sand (having poured water into it!)...he was absolutely filthy when he came in and had to be stripped off immediately. 
We went to church this morning for the family Easter service. Alex loved the worship and danced and clapped his hands with everyone else. He was well behaved during the sharing of the peace...not exactly shaking hands, but doing 'High fives' with everyone! However, it was during the sermon that I was totally embarassed. The vicar started the sermon by throwing chocolates to the congregation so Alex walked right up to him and held out his hand for one before wandering off very happy. He then went and sat on the step next to the vicar while he was speaking...the vicar calmly said 'Alright mate' and then carried on, which was fine, until Alex then started to run round the front so they opened the creche room for us to go into. I was so embarassed!
This afternoon I set up an Easter egg hunt for Alex in the garden. There were 10 eggs in total which were big enough to be seen easily and they weren't exactly hidden as I didn't really think Alex would get the idea, but he actually really enjoyed finding the eggs and giving them to Tim. It wasn't until later that he discovered that the eggs were chocolate and then asked for 'cotchut' continuously while he ate his cottage pie. He was allowed one egg after he finished his meal which he loved.
Alex and I have done some crafting as well this weekend and Alex turned the handle on the cuttlebuug to cut the shapes out for his thank you cards, applied the glue to the shapes (and everywhere else!) and stuck the stickers on, so we can say that these are indeed his creations!
I have also found time for some scrapbooking. This page followed sketch #129 from Pencil Lines and is entitled 'My cousin'. The photo was taken last year and the papers used are a mixture of Basic Grey, Bazzill and K&Co. The doodling was done using a template which came free with Scrapbook Inspirations magazine ages ago and the journalling says 'Alex and Daniel looked like two wise old men as they sat quietly together watching the older children play after Daniel's Christening. 1st June 2008'.
This second scrapbook page is also from a Pencil lines sketch (#126) and uses Hot off the press papers and Bazzil cardstock. The title is 'Tea Cups' and the journalling reads 'Alex loved his ride on the tea cups; giggling and smiling all the time. I on the other hand felt sick! September 2007'. Have a great bank holiday monday everyone.
He wasn't too sure about feeding or stroking the animals himself saying very firmly 'No' when i suggested it, but he certainly liked looking. 
He then had a lovely time on the adventure playground before we decided it was time to head for home while eating his lunch in the car. 
This afternoon we had to play indoors as it was chucking it down so I got his new paints out and we had a very messy time playing with the sponges and paint. He thought it was wonderful to be sat up at the table like that. Just as well we were given a good table cloth for Christmas! Unfortunately the blue paint stained everything in sight, including skin, so we may have to ban the blue and use just the other colours until I can find some non-staining blue.
I have managed to do a little crafting of my own these past couple of days making 6 more ATCs using the images of fluorescently stained cells. Each photo is different as is each background.
I have also started scrapbooking again using the latest sketch from 'Stuck?!'. The title of this says 'I DON'T WANNA' and I used a mixture of Penny Black, Bazzill and Dovecraft papers. The journalling reads 'Alex made it very clear that he did NOT want to come inside and go to bed. August 2008'. As usual I would love to know what you think. Have a very Happy Easter everyone.