Superdog!

Here's a sneak preview of Lola's costume for her Dog Training Club Christmas Party! I almost scared myself how quickly I knocked this up on Sunday afternoon! Who says using your sewing machine on card makes the needle blunt?! She really quite like it and is currently roaming around the house with it on! I'll take some better pics at the weekend in the daylight! Keep you fingers crossed for her on Tuesday for the fancy dress competition! She's also proud to announce that she's featuring again in Scrapbook Inspirations this month! (Sketch Challenge)

Action Hero...

So it's that time of year again that I make Lola's outfit for the dog training Christmas Party, fancy dress contest.. the theme this year is 'Action and Adventure' so I'm leaning towards Superman, or I guess Supergirl! But any ideas would be gratefully received! I've got a great reputation to hold up... We're undefeated for about the last 9 or 10 years!!

Went to the range today and picked up some fantastic long canvasses (or tall!) which I can't wait to get started on! Also had a lovely walk between rain showers up at Knowlton Church - managed to get this fantastic shot of a rainbow! Check out that severe looking sky!

New look for my Blog!

Check out my snazzy pink colour scheme!!! Thought I'd start my New Years Resolution early and update things here before I 'TRY' to post everyday!!! I think i've finally gotten over the Cyber Crop! I managed 16 pages during a fantastic weekend and various other yummy bits and pieces! I was also so lucky to receive a couple of prizes! Lovely 7 Gypsies and Cosmo Cricket goodies are now just begging to be used!! This page was done for the pre-crop 'Hidden Secrets' Challenge.. shown both hidden and exposed!

I like to call this guy Nigel....

For the first time!

I've been tagged for the very first time by Beckie. The Rules are...

List 5 weird things about yourself or your pets. Tag 5 friends and list them. Then those people need to write on their blogs about 5 weird things and state the rules and tag 5 more people.

So.... here are my 5 weird things..
1. I've taught Lola to play a little piano! (weird for me and her!)
2. My car is called Rodney
3. I really like Sleighs!
4. And giraffes!
5. I really don't mind Newfy slobber!!

Now I'm off to tag the following... Emma, Louise, Sam, Anita and Susie.

Teasing Us!

Shown after Robin Hood last night, here it is again! I'm not sure how i'm going to last 2 whole weeks till Torchwood starts! Until then I'll just have to make do with this!

OMG!!!!!

Had SUCH a blast at Scrap Camp, the highlight (apart from meeting the lovely Jo!) was of course Elsie's class. It was totally inspiring and I think i might have to do a bit more doodling today before anything else!! There is a peek on Elsie's blog of the pages we did but here's one of mine...as well as a page I completed after.. And here's a pic of 3 Sunset Scrappers meeting the woman herself!

Over Excited!

I'm all packed and ready for Scrap Camp! (well except for minor details like clothes!) I can't wait to take Elsie's class on Sat morning, I can feel it in my bones that it's going to be an inspiration! I've totally over packed! A whole Robox full and my AMM tote... But it's still less than i take to a 3hr crop, so i'm fairly smug!
Had a fantastic time yesterday.. Went with Emma up to Origin publishing to judge the 'do crafts' category in their Card Maker of the year comp. The girls were all totally fantastic and we also had a lovely lunch in a very snazzy restaurant. Most fun of all was the Thelma and Louise stylee road trip (sadly minus Brad Pitt!) in the boss's company car! Stereo on full blast and lots of excessively loud singing! Must get out more often!

Birthday Weekend Memories....

Or should that be lack of?? After picking up my fabby little car on Friday morning, we had a fantastic night out with the girlies on Friday night. Started at Emma's (Scrapstar) for a preparatory glass of vino, followed by pub, indian and more pub! Don't remember much more than that! Didn't sleep at all Friday night so was a little tired on Saturday! Rest of the weekend was fairly quiet, walked the dogs etc and Sandie and Joe came over for dinner on Sunday night. Received loads of Stash related goodness for pressies! Today the girlies at work surprised me with fantastic goodies too!! Fantastic pink dice and other gorgeousness!! Pic is a self portrait of me and the big fluffy diva on my Birthday!

News of all types!

Ooops! I'm quite possibly the worst blogger in the world! Loads of news the last couple of weeks! Firstly I was very excited to be welcomed onto the Scrap Fairies Design Team! Very excited and proud and can't wait to get started!
I've also bought myself a new little car! It's a Citroen C1 with a 1.4 HDi engine so is really nippy! Bit worried my Robox etc won't fit in the boot, but I guess the seats can always go flat! I'm picking it up tomorrow morning so have the day off! It's also a little early Birthday present to myself! (Sunday) The pictures show him (not sure why he's a he!) naked without his number plate on Sat when i chose him! But by now he should be fully clothed! And no... there's no way Lola and Chloe will fit.... The dogmobile remains for that purpose!
Got a night out planned tomorrow night (any excuse to drag out my Birthday a little longer!) Nice civilised Indian Restaurant followed by not so civilised pub! Hopefully get a bit of scrapping done too over the weekend, had a fab time at the crop last night with my bestest scrapping pals including my partners in crime, Em and Lou!! I was a little scared when Emma revealed she was doing a page all about me! (More evidence of a previous night out!!) But it was so lovely I forgave her! She's such a sweetie!

Liberating

I feeling quite liberated with my scrapping at the moment.. Not sure what's happened but feel really connected to it again. Despite various dramas I've been having a fab time recently. Emma and Lou came over for a crop last night, (hope this becomes a regular thing!!) and we had a blast! Haven't laughed so much or so hard for ages! I love that I have friends that I can share this madness with! Thanks girlies! Here's a page I did recently... Blogger won't let me upload more than one image at the moment!! Grrr!

Ali Edwards Challenges

I'm loving both the new Ali Edwards Patterned Paper book and all the fab challenges.... Anne Hafermann has challenged us via her blog to use these challenges and share our work!
I've actually had a couple of goes at the first one, the first was really just to try out the concept and the second is to go in my new A-Z album... The challenge is fantastic and I urge anyone to have a go.... Loved it so much I've done a circle variation too!!

Retail Therapy

Had a nice little trip to Newbury Racecourse to the Artstamps fair. Bought one or two goodies including the Heidi Swapp mask alphabets that I've been coveting for months and months! Can't wait to have a play later! Here's a random pic of Lola - been having fun with my Fuji!

How Much is Too Much?

Following on from my discovery of this blog the other day, here's my attempt at using shed loads of stickers! I've counted 56! Just realised my scanners has cut off one side, but hey-ho! You get the gist! Click on the pic to get it bigger...
I've spent the fourth day in a row making Christmas projects for the Winter Magazine. I REALLY don't feel very festive in July. However yesterday marked my first year's anniversary of joining DO! I'm very lucky to work somewhere where I get paid to scrapbook, plus I have some fab people to work with.
I'm starting to learn to crochet! I have aspirations to make fantastic huge flowers to put on my pages. At the moment I've only created a bit of a lop-sided circle, but at least I can only improve!

24 withdrawal..

Have only really just gotten over the amazing last two episodes of 24 on Sunday night! It never fails to amaze that this program gets keeps getting better! I won't mention specifics, cause one person who may read this is still on Day 3! Anyway.. here's a pic of Jack to keep us going till next year!

How to keep a newfie cool and other challenges!

When it's 30 degrees, there's really only one thing newfies want... water! It's almost too hot to take the girls out in the car to find a river etc, so a bit of a play with the hose pipe will have to suffice on some days! Although Chloe hates being hosed and skulks back indoors afterwards, Lola loves it!

I've just discovered this blog with some fab challenges, including the current one to create a page using at least 15 stickers. Did mine last night and managed to included 56! Promise I'll scan and upload later today!

New Camera!

After many attempts to resist, I finally succumbed and bought myself the Fuji S5600, and I'm so happy I have no will power! It's absolutely fab and just right for what i need at the moment. A Digi-SLR is all well and good but can you imagine the stress trying to keep slobber, mud and hair out of it, not to mention the fear of it going floating off down the nearest river! I think Newfs and expensive photographic equipment don't really mix! The Fuji means I can 'mess' with all the important settings without the stress! Here's my favourite pic that I've taken so far, and yes I have scrapped it already!

Bad Blogging!

I am a bad bad blogger! Haven't updated for AGES! I've just had two lovely weeks off work, having a fab time out and about with the girls, including lots of swimming. These pics were taken at Hamworthy in Poole Harbour, it's nice and clean, but not a really 'touristy' beach so it's fairly quiet if you get down their early enough, but best of all dogs are allowed all year. Lola loves swimming, the next challenge is to find a smallish boat for her to learn to pull! Funny how Newfs really 'get' retreiving when it involves being up to their necks in water!

Oh Happy Day!

Had a lovely walk with the girls up at Knowlton Church yesterday. They love running around sniffing after the bunnies and Lola loves trying to knock me down the hills! I've also just finished this page with a pic taken at Knowlton Church last week. Lola and I both look really happy so thought it would be nice to share! Not often I don't completely hate a picture of myself!

Currently Listening....

I'm adoring the new Rocco Deluca and the Burden Album. Amazing amazing band, you MUST check them out! New album was out on Monday and I've pretty much played it non stop since then!

After the Cyber Crop...

48 hours and 29 classes and challenges later and I'm absolutely knackered! Had an absolute blast and can't wait for the next one!!! The classes and challenges were fantastic and my fellow Mamboers were total stars! Not to mention the fact we were the winning team! MAMBO!! Here's a pic of my fab Mardi Gras mate sent by the lovely Jemm!

Busy Easter Weekend!

Absolutely knackered after Easter! Only just recovered enough to update here!! After visiting Cholderton Rare Breeds Farm to let Lola sniff the animals, (Lola loved the pigs as usual!) we had a little party for her complete with party hats!! Had a lovely walk at Knowlton Rings on Monday as well.

Still attempting to be at least a bit organised for the cyber crop! The table still looks like a bomb hit it from the weekend so I've promised myself I'll get it sorted tonight!

Happy Birthday Lola!

Time really does fly.... Lola is 2 today and it only seems like yesterday we brought home that (not so) little ball of puppy fluff! Been out bright and early to get a picture of her ladyship in her new party hat! We are planning a little party later (great excuse for some photos!) Lola's birthday trip will be to a Newfie favourite - Cholderton Rare Breeds farm near Salisbury. (More pics later!) Until then enjoy Lola in her party hat. (For those cyber cropping on UKS, this is a sneaky preview of the photo I'm using in my team kit!

Cyber Crop Crazy!

Really rather over excited about the upcoming Cyber Crop on UKScrappers. You can find the fabulous Mardi Gras forum here... I'm determined to be more organised this time and have stocked up on glues and one or two bits and pieces from Ally Pally at the weekend!

Ally Pally was amazing! Spent a ridiculous amount but obtained some fabulous goodies including shed loads of new Queen and Co!

I'll aim to take a pic of the lovely load of stash tonight!

New Banner!

Thanks to Clare for her fab guide to adding a custom banner to a blog! Took about 10 mins and my little blog looks shiny and new!

Icky...

Not a happy bunny as I've been feeling rather icky for several days and am stuck at home in my pjs. Thought I'd share a LO i did a few days age featuring Lola at her soggy best! I really am in love with my fastenator and can't stop using him! I've actually embraced a selection of my fave fabby toys on this one. As well as the fantastic Fastenator, i've used my MM tag maker and my beloved Craft Robo!

Me and my big shot flowers!

After buying one of the thick cuts flower dies from First Class Crafts, I had to have a quick play on this LO. Just a quickie, but quite satisfying! It's an 8x8 so the flowers aren't as huge as they look on here but they are still fab!

Some light shopping!

Had a fab time over at the First Class Crafts open day! Got there early and managed to pick up a few Prima bargains (as if I need more?!) as well as some yummy new KI Memories papers. Planning a page later with the new Thick Cuts flower die that I also picked up! Will upload once I've completed!
Made a quick choc box style present of various embellishements as part of Mum's birthday presents from yesterday... She seemed to like it! I was inspired by the recent Doodlebug ads from last month.

Challenge Completed!

Well it was quite an effort actually scrapping a picture of myself, but i've done it!

I'm really grateful to Kirsty for the challenge though as it most probably wouldn't have happened without the push....

Went to the Scraporium today for the half price closing down sale! Couldn't resisit half price Bazzill and Basic Grey! What a shame another bricks and mortar shop is closing. Although I love shopping on line, nothing beats getting up close to the stash!

Challenging...

I've promised myself I'll attempt to have a go at Kirsty's (wanna_scrap?) challenge to scrap a 6 x 6 page of myself. You can find her blog here... I have only rarely included myself in my work (although there is a page of me in the next mag!) so this will be quite a challenge. Not the least of which will be finding a fairly recent photo of me! It's very likely it'll have to be a pic of me with one of the girls!

Lola had a ball showing off at training last night, she's really getting to like a tiny black poodle puppy.... Quite cute with them both sitting together, although I'm slightly worried she'll sit on it by mistake! Must take the camera next week!

Thanks for all the comments so far, but pleeeeese leave your name rather than hiding away as anonymous!

New day, new blog!

Well I bit the bullet and created my own blog... I can't promise to have something inspiring to say every day, but you can be sure there will be a little bit of scrapbooking and a whole lot of Newfies! Often together!

I'm still getting over an exhausting day up at Crufts on Thursday! 6 hours driving isn't my idea of fun although I did discover the rather fabulous Moto M&S on the M40. This fab place even has a doggy refreshment area!

Lola was a little star at the show, dutifully looked cute and demure as all the punters stopped for a stroke and had a great time eyeing up all the boy newfies! She took third place in her class so we came away rather pleased!