A you're adorable, B you're so beautiful ...

Hi all,
Daisy and I managed to paint the first coat of pink on the cubby house.  Luckily, it's not as bright as I feared, and Daisy likes it.  Martha came back from nursery and ran straight to it smiling, so she must like it too!
I have a card for you and it is my first share for my new Design Team.  A while ago, Ignacio from Nicecrane Designs asked if I wanted to be on his DT.  Well, I didn't wait long to say yes!  He has masses of fantastic digi sheets and collage sheets in his store, here.  I have used an image from his fab Adorable Girls Digi Stamp Sheet.  The paper is a magazine freebie, and the daisies have been lying in my stash for years.  I saw them and thought they went really well with the flowers on her hat.  I used last week's sketch from Feeling Sketchy. I was planning on entering it into the challenge, but was too late, so I decided to post it  here anyway.
I would like to enter this into the following:
Make it Monday - Always anything goes

Pink and blue? Really?

Hi all,
I hope you had a good weekend.  It wasn't raining for a change here, so we went out and about.  As Martha is at nursery today, Daisy and I were hoping to paint the cubby house.  She chose pink and blue, as pink is her favourite colour and blue is Martha's.  But, it has rained on and off all day, so it is still a boring wood colour!  Maybe we should have done it at the weekend.  I haven't been on here since the Olympics started, and I want to say that the opening ceremony was fabulous.  I loved the industrial section and I had fun trying to recognise all the music in that part too!  I have been trying to keep up with the events, but haven't seen an awful lot.
Over at Incy Wincy this week, we are sponsored by the fabulous Pink Gem designs.  Our theme is Anything but a card, and I have created a Jubilee themed scrapbook layout.  There aren't any pictures on it, as my printer decided to play up and just gave me error messages.  Hopefully I will sort it soon.  The post card is a coloured image by Pink Gem Designs.  I usually prefer to colour the images in myself, but as I would have used the same colours I thought I would save time (this was printed before my printer threw a wobbly).  The papers are by Papermania.
See you later.

Not sew easy

Hi all,
After a nice start weather wise to the holidays, it has been raining today.  I took the girls to a soft play this morning, which they loved.  Martha seems to think that she is also Daisy's age and tries to do everything her big sister does, so I had to follow them around helping Martha up and over things for an hour and a half.  I felt like I had a bit of a work out.  I think we are going to register at the library tomorrow.  We were registered before we went to Sydney, but we need to do it again.  Daisy loves reading and it will be nice to have some that we don't know inside out and back to front!
Over at CRAFT this week, we are sponsored by The Stamping Boutique, Loretta's digital stamps, My heart pieces and Flonz.  Our theme is stitching.  I have used Beautiful Nature by My Heart Pieces, and took the opportunity to get the sewing machine out.  I need a bit more practice as some of the stitching is a bit wonky.  I made the flower from an odd bit of pink cord I found in my ribbon box.
See you later.
I would like to enter this into the following:
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
Simon Says Stamp - Anything goes

She wore an itsy, bitsy, teeny weeny ...

Hi all,
Today, Daisy has asked to have a pyjama day, as she has decided that since she doesn't need to go to school, she doesn't want to get dressed.  It's fine by me, as it should avoid me nagging to get her dressed, etc and we have never done it before.  I expect we'll watch a DVD, do some crafting and just chill.  It's quite good that Martha is in nursery, as I can't imagine that she would manage to sit still too long.  She's definitely a do-er!
Over at Creative Craft, our theme is Summer Fun.  We are sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps, and I have used one of their images.  It reminds me of a friend and ex-colleague who was never without her high heels and lipstick, so I imagine that this is what she would look like on holiday.  The papers are magazine freebies, but I thought they went quite well.
See you later in the week.

Party time!

Hi all,
I hope you had a lovely weekend.  Daisy broke up from school on Friday and then went to a very girly pyjama party with her friends to celebrate.  She came home with crimped hair and pink nail varnish and had a thoroughly wonderful time.    As the weather was lovely this weekend, we visited some National Trust places and had fun walking in woodlands and getting lost in mazes.  I'm not sure what we'll be up to today, as it is just Daisy and me.
Over at Incy Wincy, we are sponsored by The Paper Shelter.  I have used one of their images and the papers are also by them.  Our theme is Let's Party, so I made an party invitation.  I went a bit girly, but quite like it.
I will see you tomorrow.

From a Jack to a King

Hi all,
It's Thursday and I can't believe that Daisy finishes her first year of school tomorrow.  I am quite looking forward to having her around for the holidays, although I might not be saying that by week 6!
Over at CRAFT this week, we are sponsored by Eiglas, eyeCandie Creations, Hope Jacare and LEJ Designs.  Our theme is to use a playing card somewhere on your project.  I found this a bit of a toughie.  I had a pack of small playing cards I kept thinking they might come in useful for cards, but couldn't think of how to use it.  Once I saw this image - Miss Becky in love- by eyeCandie Creations, I thought it could continue the heart theme.  The sentiment is computer generated and the paper and card is from my stash.
A short post from me for a change!
See you later.

Chasing my tail

Hi all,
I hope you had a lovely weekend.  I still have a bit of a cold, but I am feeling loads better.  It was Martha's birthday on Saturday - a big 2 years old.  We went to my inlaws house and had a little party for her.  A few friends and cousins came along.  Luckily, the sun shone for most of it and she had a lovely time.  We are having building work done at our house, which is why we didn't hold it here.  Our old conservatory is being knocked down and an orangery is being put up instead.  It will be a bit bigger, and we are having the wall between it and the kitchen knocked down to create a more open feeling.  It should be done in 6 weeks if the weather holds out.  Also this weekend, my sister and her family came up to visit.  They live in America and have come over for 2 weeks to visit friends and family.  They're travelling all over the country and are a bit shattered, but it was lovely to see them and let our girls and their 2 girls play together.  It was the first time I have seen my 4 month old niece in the flesh, who is gorgeous and very chilled out.
So, this is why I am a bit late with DT work, etc and am now chasing my tail trying to get it all done.  This card is my DT work (one day late, so not on the challenge blog - oops!)  for this week's Incy Wincy challenge, which is Dust it off.  We want you to use something which you haven't used for ages or have had for ages and never used.  Our sponsor is Tiddly Inks and I have used Lilli Clare makes a wish for my card.  The papers are from a Dovecraft pack which I bought about 5 years ago.  I have used one or two sheets out of it, but that is all.  The stars have also been hiding away in a box and I only found them again last week.
I'm off to catch up on things.  See you later.

In the summertime, when the weather is high

Hi all,
Daisy had a wonderful time at Beamish yesterday, although it rained for quite a bit of it.  She enjoyed seeing the old school and realised that hers isn't really that bad!  I had a lovely day with reception and year 1 on Tuesday, but I have been feeling ill since.  I have had a cold since the weekend, and now I have a headache and yucky throat as well.  I am managing to survive the days with Martha with the help of cold and flu remedies and hopefully it will go soon.  Because of this, I haven't had any inclination to craft, but made this card yesterday with the help of a fab sketch from Feeling Sketchy.  It's my DT inspiration for the challenge this week at CRAFT, who are sponsored by Sassy Studio, Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps, Bugaboo Stamps and Fantastic Ribbons.  Our theme is Summer and this time I went for an image showing what you should be able to do in a lovely summer.  It is Martha's 2nd birthday on Saturday and I haven't had any mojo to make a card for her yet.  I may use this one, so I used her favourite colour, blue and an image by Bugaboo Stamps, which reminds me of her as she loves to pick flowers (usually just the petals though!).  However, if I have time, etc, I would love to make one that is a bit more personal to her.
I would like to enter this into:
Feeling sketchy - fantastic sketch.  I altered the size of the circles to fit the card and to use up a bit of the stripy paper I loved, but didn't have much of!
See you later.

Music to my ears.

Hi all,
I have work today in a mixed reception/year one class, so am expecting to be shattered tonight.  I find it hard enough chasing after my two!  Daisy is off on a school trip to Beamish tomorrow.  It's a living museum, with lots of people in costume explaining about life in the victorian times especially and they have an an school all set out and hold mock lessons there.  She's very excited and today they are learning a few things about it to help when they get there.
Over at Creative Craft, we are sponsored by The Stamping Boutique and our theme is a colour challenge for you.  We would like to see pink and black on your projects.  My card uses an image from The Stamping Boutique and the paper is from my scrap box.
See you Thursday.

Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high

Hi all,
I hope you had a good weekend.  Daisy had a wonderful end of year report at school, so we said she could choose what to do on Sunday.  She asked to go to the local pub for lunch!  I'm not sure if my hubby had anything to do with this, but we enjoyed it anyway.  Martha then had a birthday party to go to for one of her friends at nursery.  It made a change as it is usually Daisy that goes to parties at the moment.
Over at Incy Wincy, we are sponsored by Di's Digi Downloads.  Our theme is summertime.  Now, I was feeling a bit contrary when I made this card and decided that this image sums up our summer so far - rain and more rain!  The image is called Lisbeth walks in the rain and is by MilkCoffee.  I did use some summery coloured freebie paper though, so please forgive me for reminding you all about the weather.
See you tomorrow.

I should be so lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky

 Hi all,
Well, it's nearly the end of another week.  I can't believe that in two week's time, Daisy will have finished her first year at school.  Where did the time go?  She is going to her first school disco tomorrow evening and is very excited about it.
To continue my title - I have been very lucky this past week.  First, I received a wonderful parcel from Belinda, stuffed full of goodies.  I won a follower giveaway on her blog (being the observant person I am, I didn't even realise she was having a giveaway!)  Thank you again, Belinda.  Here are the goodies:

Then, yesterday I read that I had won the bird challenge at Cupcake craft and today I got a lovely email saying I had won the monthly prize at Feeling Sketchy.  I also got a top 4 place with my Fair Layout from the previous challenge, which was a big surprise as I'm not really a scrapbooker.
Anyway, we are finally onto my card.  It is hubby's middle brother's birthday on Saturday and when he was asked for ideas for a present, one suggestion was an Audi A5.  I found this fab image from The Graphics Fairy and thought that he might change his mind about the make of car if he saw what this could do!  I have used the fab sketch from Feeling Sketchy, but used a button instead of a bow.
See you later.

Splish, splash, I was taking a bath.

Hi all,
I hope you are having a good week.  Martha and I went to toddlers today and then had a play in the new cubby house.  The girls have added some furniture and belongings and spend ages there.
Over at CRAFT this week, we are sponsored by Digital Delights, Craftsuprint, Trimgym's digistamps and papers and Fantastic Ribbons.  Our theme is water, and I have used a cute whale and sentiment by Digital Delights.  The handmade paper is by Pie Lane and the other paper is by Papermania.
See you later.

Which colours are you?

Hi all,
Well, today I have some time to do a bit of crafting and catch up with the housework, shopping, etc.  It is Martha's birthday in a fortnight and I have to get things sorted for a little BBQ party we are having for her (being born in Oz, she needs to get used to the Australian cuisine!), although it might be  washed out considering the weather we have had here.
Over at Incy Wincy this week, we are sponsored by Saturated Canary, and we are going all patriotic on you.  We would like you to only use colours or items from your country on your project.  Now, I have gone for Red, White and Blue of the UK and Union Flag instead of just red and white from the England flag.  The papers are by Papermania and the flags are cut out of paper by Alison Butler.  The image is Whispy by Saturated Canary and the border is an MS punch.
I would like to enter this into:
Paperplay - flags/pennants/banners
Make it Monday - Always anything goes

Roll up! Roll up!

Hi all,
I hope you had a good weekend.  As usual, Saturday was busy.  We had one of those days where things didn't go to plan.  There has been a large fair at Newcastle this past week, and hubby thought it would be a nice treat for the girls to go down.  So, he found out the bus timetables and things on the internet (the nearest car parks are a big walk away) and I left it up to him.  Big mistake.  We got the 9am bus to get to the fair at 10am. It was all shut up.  Hubby hadn't checked what time it opened!  I went on the internet on my phone and finally found it didn't open until 1.30pm!  We needed to get the 2pm bus home as Daisy had a party at 4pm.  So, we walked to a local museum, which the girls loved.  Daisy and hubby had bought tickets to the planetarium as they had a kids show on there and Martha and I were looking at all the animals.  Just before the show started, the fire alarm went off and we all had to vacate the building.  It took 25 minutes before we could get back in the building and it was lunch time and Daisy and hubby had no time to go to the show.  We got a refund and then went for lunch to a local place that had great kids meals.  It took over 20 minutes for someone to take our order, so we then had to rush to catch the bus, only to be told once we were there that our bus had broken down and we had to get another one and change at Morpeth.  We then got stuck in a huge traffic jam and got home after 3pm.  Daisy and I had to rush around getting changed, wrapping a present and writing a card, so we could get back to Morpeth for the party.  Luckily, nothing else happened that shouldn't have.  I was very glad to get to bed!
Onto my picture.  I decided to enter the challenge at Feeling Sketchy and as it is a scrapbook sketch I thought I would have a go at doing a layout.  I am not brilliant at them, but do have loads of photos I could use.  I have left the sketch almost how it was and used some photos of the girls at a fair we went to over the Jubilee weekend.  It was Martha's first go on some rides and she loved them.  I have gone with the colours and spots from Daisy's coat for the paper.
See you tomorrow and sorry for the long post.