Sledging weekend!

Although it snowed most of Friday afternoon, we didn't actually have that much snow here in Sheffield because the flakes were so tiny. This meant that I was able to get the car out on Saturday to take Alex to his street dance lesson and do the weekly Tesco shop in an almost empty shop (everyone had been panic buying on Thursday and Friday).  However, there was still plenty of snow available for playing, even if it was too powdery to build a decent snowman - here was our best attempt, a rather measly effort!

Most importantly for Alex there was enough good snow for sledging.  We went to a nearby farmer's field (he kindly gives permission for us to use two of his fields for sledging) where there is a fantastic slope.  Where the snow was deeper (3-4 inches) it didn't work well for sledging, but where everyone else had packed the snow down, it was excellent, despite the tufts of grass showing through.

Alex even did a few solo runs, which he loved...shrieks of delight all the way down.

This morning we went to church and then back to the slopes this afternoon, where Alex tried out his skid pan

and I got to do a solo run or two...much more comfortable than being squashed!

If this works...this should be a video of one of our runs from yesterday, complete with Alex's commentary.

I haven't had a great deal of time for crafting recently, although it was my turn to set the Quirky Crafts challenge this week, and I chose 'Rainbow Bright' as the theme (rainbows or all the colours of a rainbow).  We have 2 great sponsors so please go and join in the fun. My birthday card, for my nephew uses Stained Snail from Stitchy Bear digital stamps (one of our sponsors) coloured all the colours of the rainbow, and then layered onto different coloured card, finally finished off with stickers and peel offs. I am entering this into Unscripted sketches, as it loosely follows their latest sketch (I hope it is close enough!).

I also made this one layer card for this weeks Less is More 'friendship' theme.  The stamps are both from Crafty Individuals.  I made a similar card about 18 months ago and a friend liked it so much she asked me to make one for her to send to one of her friends.
That is all from me for now. Have a great week everyone and stay safe in the snow.
Love,
Caro
x

A Friday snowy smile!

An on-line friend of mine, Annie, suggested that I share a Friday smile with you all. She has started doing this on her blog, so feel free to link up your smiles HERE.  This is what made me smile today...sledging in the snowstorm, in the dark with Alex.

The greatest of fun was had by both of us, even if it was rather cold!  I will be back on Sunday with some crafting, and possibly some more snow photos!  Have a nice weekend everyone.
Love,
Caro
x

scrapping and smashing! (WOYWW)

Like much of the country we have had snow here this week, albeit only a little.  Alex was understandably mega excited about it and pleased that there was just enough to have a snowball fight with me on our way to school on Monday.

It did look beautiful in the brief sunshine

and on the red berries, but most of it has gone now leaving an inconvenient icy residue.

Crafting wise Alex has been busy again this week making a necklace for Ella.

Here he is modelling the necklace...JoZarty may recognise some of the beads as they came from her little box of goodies.

As it is Wednesday it is time for WOYWW and for me to show you my desk.  I have actually managed to keep it tidy which is amazing.  The shelves are still immaculate as well, despite crafting lots this week.  This was taken last night after I finished doodling and writing in my smash book so all that is there is my smash book, the pen and at the very back, tucked away between the two wooden containers, a pile of small photographs ready for my next scrapbook layout. My mug of tea is missing as it has been taken downstairs for washing!

Here is the completed smash book page: A diary of last week, which gives details of our weekly routine, including our getting up time, Alex's morning junk modelling and crafting at my desk, work, school, scooting to school, swimming lessons, creation (Alex's church group), Street dance lessons, the weekly shop, church on Sundays and playing with friends.  It is a nice record for the future as to how our routine is now, as I know it will change as Alex gets older.  This smash book is an ongoing work in progress of my year with different things being added to it each week.  As a result I am entering it into the 'Month in review' challenge.

This is my latest scrapbooking layout. For this I made my own background using paint splatters, dabs of glitter glue and random spraying of gold glimmer mist (a product I have had for years and only used about twice!). I framed the two photos in yellow card, then added a frilly ribbon (again something I have had for ages), and a string of beads (a gift from JoZarty just before Christmas), the alphabet stickers (Christmas present) and the stamp with the journalling, which I die cut using a nestability die. I am entering this into CCC 'Anything but a card',  Tuesday Throwdown 'frame it', DCM 'Frill', and Lasting Memories 'something old, something new' challenges.
That is all from me for now.  Stay safe in the cold weather.
Love,
Caro
x

Scrapbooking again!

At the end of our first week back, I think I can say that we are now all back into the swing of things. Saturday mornings sees Alex having his street dance lesson at City Limits, which he loves, followed by us fighting our way round Tesco to do the weekly shop.

This Saturday afternoon Alex and I went round to see one of his friends, and the two boys had a great time being very silly together as you can see.

I also managed to do some scrapbooking this week which I am both pleased with and excited about!  I am over a year behind in my scrapbooking so it is nice to have the mojo to do some again.  This  layout followed Sketch #242 from Creative Scrappers and features Alex on various dressing up occassions at school.  I am entering this into CCC 'January Blues', Penny's challenge 'Anything goes', CCT 'beat the blues', Delightful challenges 'Add hearts', Delicious Doodles 'Anything goes using your favourite colours' (blue is one of my favourite colours), and All sorts 'dies and punches'. That is all from me for now as the other layout is still drying!  Have a great week everyone.
Love,
Caro
x

Back into the swing of things (WOYWW)

Well we are back into the swing of things here now.  School, work and crafting on Mummy's desk in the morning are all happening again.  Yet again, Alex is making presents for his girlfriend, Ella.  I would love to know what Ella makes of all the random cards and presents Alex makes for her each week! 

For my entry to WOYWW here is my desk as it is was yesterday...in the process of making a scrapbook layout (it is completely empty now). As you can see my desk is remarkably tidy (a result of being too ill to craft and not being able to sleep either) so there is only my trusty mug of tea, some PVA glue, a spellbinders die, a stamp, DST, stickers and a tab that I was using for the layout.

The crafting tidy didn't only extend to my desk surface, but the back of the desk

and my shelves as well.

Here is the finished layout of Tim's birthday in 2011 (I am that far behind with my scrapbooking and seriously need to catch up) which followed one of the Pagemap sketches for January 2013. This used BoBunny background cardstock, then some Basic Gray scraps left over from previous projects, Doodlebug design alphabet stickers and Tim Holtz embellishments. I am entering this into Ooh La La 'Happy Birthday' (it was Tim's birthday layout after all), Kaboodle Doodles 'vintage challenge' (as the papers, embellishments and colour scheme are vintage in feel), SimonSaysStampAndShow 'Embrace the old' (this layout uses mostly old stash, especially the stripey basicGray Archaic paper which is no longer produced I understand)

This is another page in my smash book...with my New Year's resolutions in it. These are to (inevitably) lose weight, get fit, stay positive, keep smiling, spend more time with God, and to be more courageous in my crafting. I am entering this into Flourishes Timeless Tuesday 'Happy New Year' and PTW 'Happy New...' challenges.

With the last resolution in mind my next double page spread of the New Year's day walk round Sheffield, took the form of a hand doodled fairy scene (partly because there were fairies and their dwellings in the Winter gardens) over the top of a patterned background generated using paint, stippling, sequin waste and stamping. This is experimental for me as I never draw anything!  I am therefore entering this into craftycardmakers 'create a fairytale scene' (the fairy and his castle are in two of the pictures) and Tuesday Throwdown 'use your new stuff' (The smash book and associated pens are new).
That is all from me for now.  Have a great week everyone.
Love,
Caro
x

Outdoors weekend!

Well in some ways this has been an outdoors weekend as we are getting back into the swing of things following Christmas, New Year and a long bout of illness.  The weather has been surprisingly mild so Alex and I went to a different park each day to run off some energy and have some fun.  Yesterday afternoon was spent chasing a cheeky monkey round Endcliffe Park,

whereas today we went to Spider park for some clambering, football and games of chase.

This weekend it is also time for the first QUIRKY CRAFTS challenge of the year.  The theme was chosen by Lyn of  Something New with pink. We have two sponsors this week, Bugaboo and Doodle Dragon.  I was given a cute little image called 'Peapod Boo' to work with so I used her on a New Baby tag.  I inked all around her with distress ink, then stamped swirls with an inkadinkado stamp.  I added the word 'Dream' using a crafty individuals stamp and then added various embellishments from my stash (lace, flowers, star and butterfly).  I am entering this into MTTC 'All about the new', Flutterby Wednesday 'In with the new', Simon Says Stamp 'new something', and Cute card Thursday 'something new'.

I also made a birthday card for my father-in-law using Darkroom Door steampunk and crafty individual stamps and distress inks.  I am entering this into Crafty Creations 'Anything goes', Fresh Brewed 'Anything goes' and Stampin for the weekend 'Anything goes'.  That is all from me.  I am back to work tomorrow, and Alex is back to school.  Have a great week.
Love,
Caro
x

I'm back (WOYWW)!

Well I am back in the land of blog again after quite a break.  The break was due to two reasons...the obvious being away for Christmas, and the less obvious - being horribly ill.  I am still fluey and achey but don't want to leave it any longer before rejoining the blogging community so here I am.  Here is my desk as part of WOYWW...you can see my new smash book and a few related goodies around, including the date stamp, some Bo Bunny stickers and of course my trusty mug of tea

I am going to use this smash book to record every day events (and special events) throughout the year...I was thinking about a double page spread/week, but it may change as things progress.  That is the joy of smash booking...flexibility! I have completed three pages so far and this is my first, of our special Sheffield Christmas. I used a lot of the things that were actually part of our day including wrapping paper (stars), tags, party popper ends, and chocolate wrapping, as well as a smash book note and washi tape. I am entering this into Crafty Creations 'Anything goes' challenge.

The second page is of our time in Somerset and features images from Christmas Eve through to Boxing Day, as well as wrapping paper, gold ribbon from crackers, chocolate wrapping, and party poppers. I am entering these pages into SSSS 'Anything goes' challenge...the amount of party hats should add to the mad hatters tea party suggestion as well!

The next page is from our time with Tim's family on New Years Eve.  It incorporated the Good and Great from the actual background paper, and then added the orange cracker crown, some stamped letters, and the photos. I am entering this into PTW 'anything goes' challenge.

Christmas was wonderful...we went down to Somerset on Christmas Eve arriving in time for lunch.  In the afternoon we went to the Christingle service where my 88 year old Gran played the organ.
Sadly Alex had a high temperature and felt really poorly so he went straight to bed after the service and had rather a disturbed night.

In the morning he felt better and the boys all opened their stockings in Grandma's bed

while everyone else piled on to watch and enjoy.

After a yummy breakfast, and all the food prep was done we opened the massive pile of presents, and then my Aunt and cousin arrived for lunch.

After lunch it was time for the traditional Christmas walk (along the lanes because of the floods).

Boxing Day was almost a repeat with another Aunt and cousin turning up, more yummy food,

crackers and fun,

then another very wet walk along the lane

followed by the adults playing a hillarious game of pit.  This is a traditional game from my childhood and it completely bemused the little boys who did not understand why there were lots of adults standing round shouting loudly and excitedly at each other.  All in all it was a wonderful Christmas despite Alex being ill and passing the bugs on to me!  I hope you all have a very Happy New Year.
With love,
Caro
x