Bringing back the MOJO!

Mojoholder's back!

After a slighly longer break than we'd originally intended due to illness and other family stuff, we're back - with a bang! My lovely friend Laura Godfrey has joined us on the team, so if you love Laura's work - and who doesn't? Then you can now see her take on the lifts every friday night on the mojo blog.

This week we lifted Becky Novacek and it's such a pretty page:


Sarah did us a fantastic sketch:


And here's my take on the layout:


Unfortunately, as is usual with scanned images you tend to lose some of the pretty details. I think Becky used tissue or mulberry paper behind her photo, but I wanted to use a sparkly transparent piece I had, as the picture is of Jenna on Christmas morning kissing her new dolly and her Mum said she loved ripping all the pretty papers up so was trying to get a feel of that :-) I scrunched the piece up to make lines and angles so the light would reflect off them better, and attached it with spray adhesive, scrunching it a bit onto the background. These photos show it a bit better.




We watched the final part of the Anne Frank series last night and I ended up in tears. I think I found it especially moving as we visited her house last year in Amsterdam, and could see it all in my head as I watched it. There was a chilling photograph taken from an upstairs window of an innocent mother with her 3 small kiddies being herded by 7 Gestapo with guns.... it's hard to forget an image like that. Having just read the boy in the striped pyjama's I think i'm feeling a bit sensitive to it all.

Time to read/watch something more cheerful I think, the weather's depressing enough!

Anyway - I have a heap of things to do so enough from me - have a lovely weekend all!
jk xx

Nappy News!

Regular readers of my blog will perhaps remember this post from last summer. It was where I shared the very sad news that my middle dd had lost her long awaited, and much longed for baby at just 12 weeks into the pregnancy.

She was devastated at the time, and we all felt so sad because she'd only just felt brave enough to tell people her happy news on her birthday... and the next day... all their dreams were gone.

Bravely, her and Dan decided to try again, and today - on Dan's birthday, I'm finally allowed to share the news they are once again expecting a nappy event, and after the scan today showed that all is well at 15 weeks, we can finally let a breath out and whisper congrats on their new pregnancy.

So...... I just wanted to say.....


Congrats Hayley on joining the Mummy to be club! And happy birthday to Dan - can't wait to see the scan pix guys!

Happy Birthday JWS

It would have been my sister's birthday today. And Elvis's - as she'd have reminded me. Of course, it still is. But she's not here for me to put my arms round her and fuss her, have a late night sesh with her, or go out on the razz and get into trouble with her. I took her some flowers after work. Kind of getting dark, and a bit eerie on my own, but I didn't want her to think i'd forgotten. I'll never forget. Never forget a minute of her. Never stop missing her or wishing things could have been different. Never understand why we never had time to say goodbye. Sleep tight JWS. Lay your hippy head down and rest. Love you always queen wah.

jk xx

How to do Hybrid

There still seems to be some confusions among the less experienced scrappers as to what exactly HYBRID scrapboking is. This is a post I wrote for It's a Creative World today offering some simple explanations and examples of how to do hybrid. Hybrid's fun, and with all the fantastic digital stuff out there on offer I hope my prompt here will persuade you to have a go if you've ever fancied it, but weren't sure how to begin. :-)

Hybrid Scrapbooking

Most scrapbookers these days have had a dabble into the world of digi. Some embrace it, buy and store hundreds of digital kits, papers and elements, and never look back at traditional paper supplies; while some decide ‘it’s too difficult’, ‘too time consuming to learn’, or just feel it’s not for them as they enjoy the tactile lumpy bumpy creative process involved in papercrafting far too much to ever give it up.

Some – like me, decide they want it all, and end up travelling the Hybrid route, taking digital elements and combining them with more traditional materials to make a page that’s a total cross between the two. And all hybrid layouts will vary depending on the techniques used but to be classed as hybrid there has to be at least one digital element, though in it’s simplest sense just adding printed journaling or a frame around a photo or digitally enhancing a photo, perhaps by altering the colour, would mean it could be classified as hybrid – and who among us haven’t used these techniques for years without even thinking about it!

My style of hybrid scrapping however, involves printing digital images out onto card or transparency, cutting them out and adding them to my pages just as I might a shop bought or hand made element. Sometimes I add glitter, or paint or brads or buttons, sometimes I cut two of the same image (or pieces of an image) and mount one atop the other on foam pads for extra dimension, or I might add some stitching – real or faux… really – the possibilities are endless! And it’s fun! You can size the images to whatever size you like and if you’re really clever….. (and I’m not!) You can persuade your CraftRobo to cut them out for you!

My images, sized, printed and ready to cut out. I’ve printed the kebab twice so I can ‘pop’ the mushrooms and tom!

My photo, with a fun digital frame added.

The finished LO

All digital images used on this LO are by Kate Hadfield or Jacque Larsen and available from their store at the Lilypad

Here are a few useful address’s if you want to know more about the hybrid style of scrapping:

http://spraguelab.squarespace.com/what-is-hybrid-scrapbooking/

http://www.hybridtop50.com/

http://shutterfly.typepad.com/digiscrap/hybrid_scrapbooking/

http://www.madcropper.com/creating-hybrid-scrapbook-layouts/

There’s heaps of hybrid info out there – just google it!

xx Jakey xx

Yes - we have snow!!

Woke up this morning to a blanket of snow, which was lovely except I had to work! Brrr!!
It's very cold too! Course, the kids loved it!

Sollo taking aim!
Izzy and Mattie - and er, and bobby the blanket (of course ;-) )

Sollo, Iz and friends


Sketches by tamara - sketch no 77.


It was much more cosy cuddling up in the 'not so real' artic conditions of the garden centre last month!

More later
jk xxxx

Happy Birthday to my Fandango!

It's my honey's birthday today so I wanna wish him a big happy birthday and give him a big kiss and hug!

We're not going out tonight - too skint, and anyway - I think we're about partied out. Donna and Jon have been round with the kiddlies and we've had chocolate fudge birthday cake, and later i'll cook surf and turf with all the trimmings - a proper man's meal on his birthday... and besides, tomorrow we're on the D.I.E.T. so we need to stock up ;-)

I'm back to work tomorrow also, and have to knuckle down to all my scrapping commitments so I imagine i'll be so busy I won't have time to pine for goodies.

I did a quickie hybrid LO using some scrummy stuff from Kate's store at the Lilypad - January's BYOC.

Doodly Strips
Polka Dotty Alpha
Button Bitties



It's bargain time at the Lilypad as they're celebrating their 2nd birthday and there are specials and discounts all month long! Check out the birthday calendar and stock up whilst it's all on offer!

Enjoy!
jkxxx

Happy New Year!

Only just found time to get on here and wish you all the best of luck and love for the new year :-)

We had a brilliant new years eve despite a few little things - well, it wouldn't be our family without a drama of some sort lol!

My sister and bro in law came to stay on route to Cornwall from Liverpool where they'd been to visit Daave's fam. We all got dressed up and went to a party with friends, and then Sanna and Daave stayed for a couple of days before setting off to Exeter yesterday, and they're off home today.

Vin looking very Vains of Jenna at the party!


We had a few fireworks, but in the dark and confusion I forgot to set the camera for fireworks so the pictures are rubbish - how very me ;-)





On New Yrs day at dinner our crackers contained a set of 8 little numbered whistles and some music sheets, and the game was to each have a whistle and play a tune as a group, each coming in, as and when your number appeared.

Sounds a LOT easier than it was - but omg, did we have a laugh! We eventually managed to make a half decent effort of Jingle Bells which Daave filmed - but i'll kill him if it ends up on youtube! The trouble was, we only found the number stickers and conducting baton afterwards! Something tells me that with a little less bubbly, we might have found it all a bit easier... but i'm sure not half as much fun :-)


Vin has totally lost it here... but it was hysterical, honest!


I really haven't had time to do anything much craftwise - in fact - my cuttlebug hasn't even been opened yet! But I did throw a quick LO together last night - just to see if I remembered how to scrap!

Jazz, on the p'pick up at Toddington garden Centre a few weeks ago.

And that's about it. Enjoy the weekend!
hugs from me
jake xx

So this is Christmas...

So this is Christmas... different again to other years - with some things better, some things maybe not so good, and some things... well, y'know how some things just never change ;-)

We'd all decided this year, that as money's pretty tight we'd only buy for our partners and the kiddies, so grown up's were not buying for other grown ups - but it somehow didn't seem right. I really didn't love it, and I think next year we'll go back to exchanging little gifts - even if they're token ones. It just seems a bit sad and mean and as my eldest dd pointed out, the PC brigade have managed to erode enough of our traditions as it is... if we give up on Christmas and the spirit of Christmas... well... it doesn't bear thinking about really does it?

Much did stay the same however :-) We went to Church Christmas Eve afternoon, and the all kiddies dressed up as little angels and shepherds, though my Grandson was very poorly with this flu bug thingy so no pix of him... and there'll be more on that later :-(





Afterwards we came back here for a nice relaxed couple of hours enjoying good company, some festive food and a glass or two of mulled wine. I love Christmas Eve - it's so special.

Vinnie wrote an amusing note to Father Christmas, but at 16 he didn't expect too much.... he did however get too much! Ah well, why do we have them, if not to spoil them eh?

We had little visitors on Christmas day when Donz and Jonboy turned up with the dwarfs to open their presents. Mattie was by this time getting poorly with Sollo's bug, and got a bit cheesed off with Nannie taking photographs lol!

Ruben baked biscuits for Santa and his Daddy sent me some pics so I could share them - even if I couldn't eat any!
Isabelle lost her first tooth, and made the cutest angel with her gappy smile :-)

I did very well and received not just the cuttlebug I was pining for - but also a set of pink ghd's from carlos!! and also lots of other nice things like a gorgeous pink and fluffy dressing gown and slippers from my boy, who was buying gifts with his own money for the first time this year ;-) a Mojito kit (!!!) some perfume, two books - the shack & the boy in the striped pajamas, a lovely soft pink leather bag, and a funky travel wallet with a ladybird on, which I love. I also inherited Vin's ipod as he now has a new one - and this one hold 4 times the tracks my old one did, so i am well chuffed about that!

Carl got a DS Lite with guitar hero, books, and choccies - and his fave book is 50 people who buggered up Britain... got his name all over that one ;-)

Vin got a new ipod, vouchers for amazon and itunes, loads of clothes, music, and games for his ps2 and psp, books, heaps of mighty Boosh stuff, a pair of Converse, a pair of Vans and £75-00 which we went and spent yesterday, so he was well happy.

The only thing that spoilt it was the fact that me and Carlo now have the bug and feel like crap... I kid you not, this flu thing is damned nasty! It started to come on me the night before last, and by yesterday afternoon I felt dreadful. In fact I spent most of yesterday in bed - thank God I'd taken the boy shopping early, coz I'd never have dragged myself out after it kicked right in. I'm dosed up to the nines now and have a pan of chicken soup simmering... you can't help but feel a little sorry for yourself when you're ill at Christmas, can you?

Anyway - time for a Lemsip and a hot bath I think. I need to get better soon as we have my sis and bil coming for New Years and we're all going to a party. Fingers crossed we'll make it.

Hope you've all had a truly lovely Christmas, stay well, stay warm!
jkxxx

Berry Merry Christmas!

Holly berries! Mistletoe! The Xmas TV guide! All feels like Christmas to me! Vin cracked me up the other day when he said he didn't feel Christmassy yet because I hadn't bought a copy of the TV guide for him to browse and pick his must watch Xmas shows... He's got it now and was very excited to see a Royale family Xmas special - you can bet we'll be watching that! Denise is cooking dinner apparently...!! dairylea on toast anyone? ;-)

This is the last LO for tamara's sketches blog for 2008, and i'm planning on taking a complete break from scrapping for a few days now - at least until the new year when I take up my position on the magistical memories DT and return to IACW and mojo after a little (much needed) furlow. TBH I'm tired out from work and everything that's been going on, and I'm really looking forward to a rest and a quiet peaceful Christmas.


The digi images used here are by Katie Hadfield and available from the lilypad:

Tis the season
Winter flora doodles

Ok, I may not get back on here now til the day has passed... so I'd just like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas - enjoy, and make it a good one, and I hope all your Christmas wishes come true!

mistletoe kisses!!
jk xxxxx

Slowing down time... any ideas???

I cannot believe it's christmas in 3 days! I'm just not prepared, though I'm frantically trying to be. Plans keep getting changed last minute, which tbh, kinda throws me out as basically I'm the sort of (pathetic) person who likes to know where I'm at, and what I'm going to be doing on any given day. In truth, change scares the living crap out of me and however laid back i'd like to be, I'm really not. End of story.

Carlos keeps laughing at me and my little lists which are in evidence all over the house... and in fact some of them are not little lists at all... but actually wacking great BIG lists, of all the things we still have to do. And I almost wanna smile myself, as the sensible part of me knows some of it will never get ticked off - well, not this side of 2009 anyway. But i'm a list maker - and if you are too, then you'll totally understand this is something I have to do... I guess you are either a list maker - or you're not. And I am.

So today I managed to tick a few things off. We got the Christmas food shop done at Asda. tick. Delivered pressies to Donna's house. tick. I made the reindeer food packages. tick.

You can download this bag topper for FREE, plus a fantastic voucher to kate's store, and recipe's and more toppers, inc snowman soup here

Carl did some jobs around the house while I made this pretty thing below.

It's a Making Memories 7x7.5" chipboard bauble which you decorate as you like. It was quick, fun and calming.


tick tick... and that's how it goes. The clock ticks quicker than I do, but i'm getting there... just about... Are you? :-)

ok, off to watch Will Smith in Hancock and relax for a bit. We watched 'Wanted' last night and though i'm no fan of Ms Jolie ordinarily, it was a fantastic film - if you loved the matrix, you'll love this!
hugs
jk xxx

stocking up

I've been trying to do more multi photo pages, and to scrap some of my older snapshots. I've too many pictures altogether and by spending ages on each layout and using only one photo, i'm getting nowhere in my attempts to reduce the stacks of pix just sitting around here. I've come to the conclusion that ometimes it's ok to just make quick simple LO's that tell the story, and this is one of those. Every page doesn't have to be a masterpiece does it? :-)

I honestly can't believe how much Vinnie's changed since these were taken tho! He was just 10 here - and now he's 16, in college, and almost an adult... it feels like I blinked - and he went from a little kid, to grown up young man just like that... *sigh* Where does the time go?

I'malways grateful to Tamara for her multi photo sketches because they make it so easy to put a page together - all you have to do is find your pix! I used some of Kate's goodies from the lily pad on this one:

Tis the season
Sketchbook Alpha



Anyway - enough from me, i'm off for my bath and then i'm going to watch the dog whisperer.. anyone else love this show?
jk xx

The Most Disgruntled Snowman

Our visitors flew home yesterday. Friday was their last night and we had a family games evening round Donna's. Great fun! Loads of lovely food, Buzz and wii, and a few drinkies, but unfortunately interrupted by the boy who'd been out with his college classmates for their Christmas do... and had a little too much Christmas spirit. Ho hum. Kids!

So, Jazz and her crew have gone now, back to the Spanish sunshine, and we've finally finished putting up all our decorations and lights... I have to say it's begining to feel a lot like christmas round here! :-)

We had a run out to the garden centre while they were here... Beautiful trees and decorations, reindeer, father christmas's grotto, a sleigh, polar bears... and some mistletoe! Lol!




X Factor! My God! What happened there? Alex had a whole personality change...! did anyone else think she went totally weird last night? And the boys - who we voted for - didn't win. I know Alex is good... excellent even - and I was delighted that the silly eggnog boy went out - but I think the boys have come on incredibly, and they're such lovely lads... sigh.. I just wanted them to win. I think they deserved the break. Oh well, no doubt Louis will make them stars anyway... At least I hope so, there's room in the market for a new great boy band, and they've proved they're star material beyond doubt.

So, on to the disgruntled snowman!

Granddaughter Isabelle was given the star part in the school play 'The Most Disgruntled Snowman' (the snowman himself!) and last week when she came down with the sick bug we were panicked that she wouldn't get to perform. She did tho - and brilliantly! Considering she's only six, she was amazing. Never needed a single prompt and brought the house down several times with her delivery... she's a natural, and we were SO proud of her.




I can honestly say it was the BEST school play I've ever been to. The set was great, the costumes brilliant, but the kiddies were incredible.



Phew! All this blurring other people's kids is a bit of a drag, isn't it? Quite ruins the pictures too... but what can you do - I don't want the blog police on my back for exposing anyon'e child to potential danger...

And finally a quick LO for Kate using digital elements from the Lilypad


Sketchbook Alpha

Tis the season

Nativity Doodles


Right, off to make lunch, and then later some scrapping - I'm SO behind!! Lol!

have a super Sunday - hugs!
jkxxx

Look at this...!

I caught Santa!

Now, why didn't I think of that? huh?

I found it on Amy's blog - brilliant idea :-) Will be mailing the link to my girls for their kiddies!

Still don't have anything to share at present - with it being Christmas i'm flat out at work, and of course my family are in the UK visiting, so most of my attention is there, but now I have my scrap room back..... i'm raring to GO!
Watch this space ;-)

hugs to all, stay warm and safe
jk xxxx

OMG!!!! I made it!

YAY!!!!!!

I made the Magistical Memories Design Team!

I just found out... how cool is that? I' have family staying and didn't check in until today! Lol, what a lovely surprise :-)

I'm so excited about joining them from january 2009, because there's loads of really talented girls on the team - and i'll be working with them, woo hoo!! I can't wait to get started!

wish me luck ladies!

jk xx

Knew i'd get behind again!

I always get behind in December.... it's such a busy time for me, at work and at home. I've been run off my feet all week, and there'll be no let up til christmas now because I like to make December really special for my oldies and i've organised a very full calendar. I managed to talk our local Homebase into donating me an 8ft Fir for the home and i've been putting dec's up all week at work - i'm blooming knackered - it's a BIG place!

Jazz and co fly in tonight, very excited to see them :-) I know the kids have grown loads becuase I get pics, but it's still always a shock to see how much they've changed anf grown up.

Note to self.. Jenna is now walking... hide the fridge magnets or lock up the cat flap... I remember Ruben's fave game at that age was posting my magnets everywhere - and some have still never been found to this day!! Lol!!

Pictures of another scamp today though - Matilda Brown at the farm whizzing round on the lil tyke's coupe's - look at that cheeky face!

Tamara's Sketches!

Keep well everyone - and keep warm - it's freezing here and my boy's on his way to Southampton to spend the day on a luxury cruise liner as part of his course work... there's just him and a handful of other boys - along with a coachload of air hostesses and girly travel reps... and in February they're all heading off for a holiday in a 4* hotel in Malta - course work, you understand... wink wink... His Dad says he doesn't remember college being like that.....!!
No, me neither!

Thank you for dropping in! have a fab day :-)
jkxxxx

oh no... not again!

Bloody hell....!!

Will my PC probs never get sorted? It's just been one thing after another lately, and I'm sitting here now on the verge of tears again... mainly through frustration I admit - but all I want is a flipping machine that works how I want it to!!!! Is that too much to ask!???

I suppose i'm better off than I was at 6 o'clock. At that point I thought I'd lost the lot and had nothing. At least i'm back online and it's working if wobbly.

The trouble is i'm too busy right now for this crap -you cannot comprehend how many hours I've wasted again today... and you know what? I think I am going to cry. How pathetic is that?

The only nice thing that happened to me today was getting this sweet award from Pam.  Thanks darl, you have no idea how much it meant. kisses from me xxx

The award states that:This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY- nearness in space, time and relationships.These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends, they are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers.

What a nice sentiment..I will certainly share it and pass it on when I am less fraught, unfortunately right now I can't even think!