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!

Why doesn't the sparkle show...?

Grr! I can't understand why stickles and sparkles and stuff don't show up on layouts or cards that you've scanned - or even photographed really. Anyone feel my pain here?

The layout below has sparkle letters for the title - completely glittery irl... here you can't even see that. And all my stickles and liquid pearls get lost too. Ah well. If anyone knows the secret pls let me know. Faffing with elements is not my fave thing, but worth it if it works, I guess.

Sollo, Izzy and Matilda, baking up a storm for Father Christmas!
Love mattie's sneaky scoff of the sticky paintbrush...lol, and how cute does she look in that chef's hat!

All digi elements from Kate Hadfields Jingle all the way

There's a slightly different version of this uploaded on mojoholder, because I changed my mind after i'd put it into photobucket. I wasn't that happy with it, but just wanted to get it up before the deadline, so don't think it's your eyes... it's not - it's me! lol!

And a quick card for Amy on Scrapfreak - hope you had a good day! :-)



ok, got some jobs to do so I better get on, have a good day all!
jkxx

Traditions - making Yule logs.. do you?

Jazz's friend Ruth always made yule logs with her dad, and she passed the idea onto Jazz. As a child I used to help my Mum make the yule log, just like my kids helped me - but ours were the swiss roll, yummy bummy, chocolatty, robin on the top kind, whereas jazz and Ruths are made of real wood, candles, and decorations. And so not very edible... well, you probably guessed that, I expect :-)

But, it's become a tradition out there, and this year her and Hayley, Erk and his sisters, and the kids, found and sawed up bits of branch from their trees, and had a lovely time making yule logs together.. bless em, they all get so excited about all the Christmas preps!

I um...believe there was an element of competition this year.... not that I can see which one was supposed to have scored a series of perfect 10:00's, thereby creating yule log envy across the island... ;-) but take a look... you can judge for yourself... lol




The layout's a hybrid page with loads of scrummy elements from a gorgeous Lilypad Christmas collab called Merry and Bright For some reason my stupid printer made the alpha looked washed out - it's not! I need to twiddle with my settings, as it's actually a proper bright red, but I wanted to have something for the launch so went with it anyway. On release also is another Christmas collab: Good Tidings, both on a special price if your quick!

right, that's me -more later
jk x

Family arriving in England tomorrow

so I may not be about much.. I might, but maybe not. Tomorrow, Hayley arrives for a week, and when she goes home to lanza, jazz flies in, so it'll be a busy few weeks.

I have some scrappy bits to do for people, so will probably stil upload because i don't want to get lazy about bloggin again.. that's too easily done, and then I don't want to bother... etc etc. The thing is, I actually enjoy writing my blog. It doesn't matter to me if ten people read it or a 100.. I don't spose i'd care if no one did, but I admit I like to get comments and like to visit peeps back. It's a social kind of thing - but a time consuming one! eh?

so, tonight there's only this:


A girly wooden 'please knock I might be changing' door-hanger made from a charity shop find, lots of scraps, and some magistical memories chipboard flutterbies. I have a feeling Izzy will end up with this.. just hope Mattie doesn't EAT it! She is Sunny Baudelaire... ask Vin - she ate his Kerrang.

And that's itfrom me - i'm gone!

nearer and nearer....

Christmas, that is..... I'm getting panicky now, as it's just one month away, and I have nothing done.

Anyway, a quick post tonight as I've no time to waffle :-)

This is the layout I did for Tamara's Sketches! blog:

The piccies were taken yonks ago, and we just had to snap the big Paella, as at the time we said it was the nicest we'd ever had.. course, we say that about everyone we ever eat! But there you go... great paella deserves a photo, and I must have dozens on paella pics.... how sad! Lol!

And this is Jenna Leigh Leigh, looking the image of her Mummy at that age. Quite made me catch my breath when I got these pics I can tell you, as I have an almost identical set of photo's of Jazz somewhere, sitting in a pink dress on a wicker chair... Olan Mills I believe, but Jaz took these herself with her new cam ;-)



Anyway, it's another one for Magistical Memories, who have extended the deadline owing to one poor girlie not getting her package until a few days ago.

I can't scan it and I had no natural light so apologies for the rubbish quality of the image. The layouts actually lovely, if I do say so myself.

So, that's it.....thanks for dropping in

hugs

jk xxx

christmas is coming...!!!

We've started talking about trees and putting up the decs! Jazz has been making plans because she'll be here in a week and a half, and she does like to ... er... take over.... lol :-D

(typical Leo... nuff said!)

But that's good coz I don't mind, and she loves it all so I'll allow her to take charge - she's already decided what day we'll be doing it, and what we'll be eating, and where the food will come from - they've seen the Iceland adverts on telly and because they can't get the food out there, they've decided we'll be having it here instead! Bless em!

Oh, and they're bringing this monster with them.... Eeeek!!!! :-D

Apparently, she was left with that pot of choccy pudding for a few seconds while her Mum went to run her a bath... her first pot - and probably her last, I should think! Her dad was so covered in it after getting her out of the high chair and into the tub that he had to have a shower, and Jazz had to throw away her own top because she couldn't get the chocolate off it! lol... and she's coming here.... ooooeeer!

And to get into the spirit of Christmas, I've been making cards!

This set was made using magistical memories fancy frames, papered and inked, some ancient pp's, scraps of ribbon and aome gorgeous digi images, doodled by Katie H and available as part of a fantastic collab kit called Funky Junky Christmas from the Lilypad :-)

So, have a great day everyone... we have a few flakes of snow falling at the mo, but the weather man says rain. Have fun if you get the white stuff and take care :-) I'm off to finish my last piece for mag mem.. then it's the waiting game for me. TBH, I don't expect to get in, but I live in hope!

hugs!

jk xx

This way up!

I love these photos of Vin at the fair in Arrecife this summer. They were taken by his brother in law, Erkin, who was the only one mad enough to go up in the ride with him. The one on the right where he's hanging upside down and you can see all the people at the fair on the ground below cracks me up... talk about white nuckles...you can even see the white gleaming through his fingerless gloves!

I made the layout for Mojoholder this week, where we scraplifted a page by Nichol Magouirk
If you find it easier to work from a sketch, as I do, then try Sarah's sketch below:

What I do is I open up publisher and place sketch and page side by side, then I can see the original design and pluck whatever bits I like from that, and also see the basic shape of the design in clear lines. As you can see from this, I followed fairly faithfully the structure of the page, but altered the orientation of the title, replicated the bottom strips onto the top also, and tilted my focus pic as I felt on my version it was just too blocky - I wanted a feel of movement :-) I'm certainly not trying to teach anyone to scraplift here.. blimey, everyone knows it's not rocket science... just showing how I might personally scraplift a page by adding a bit of my own personality and style without just copying it verbatim.

Journalling reads:

You've always been mad for fairground rides son, ans i've snapped hundreds of pic's of you over the years... waving from the toddler cars, smiling on the back of a merry go round horse, and gripping on next to Dad on the roller coasters... but i've never had a set of photos like these before! Taken by Erk while you guys were actually up there! They're brilliant - and i'm so glad to see you had such a great time on your little holiday before college started. I love em mate - and I love you too!

Anyway - a million things to do and no time to do them!
so it's Ciao for now
jake x

spottier than ever...

... and loving it! My new phase of snuggling with spots goes on....

Today Matilda gets the spot treatment - a LO done for Magistical Memories and Kate Hadfield, using a combination of MM's chipboard shapes and a digi element taken from the newest funky junky compilation, just released today!It's called Home for the Holidays - and it's scrummy. Designed by Kate, Michelle Godin and Rachel Young, there's elements aplenty, Alphas, papers and if you buy the set, there's a recipe card kit which comes free... i'm thinking you could make a lovely pressie out of this? Anyway - have a look - it's yum and just what we need for all the seasonal LO's and cards etc.


This is baby Matilda (our smallest grandchild in the UK) in church last Christmas. She's a big girl of two now, but last year she was the smallest angel on Christmas Eve when all the kiddies come to our church dressed as angels or shepherds... and she got to carry baby jesus to the crib!

Tbh, our hearts were in our mouths, as one time, her sister - entrusted with a lamb, had bitten it's head off, so you can imagine our fear lol! I'm happy to say the holy child made it to the crib unscathed and the story was told without tragedy :D even if Mattie did sing ALL the way through the service!

And another Christmassy LO with elements from the above kit : Circle of Love.


Ha ha... just noticed - I used spotty ribbons! Lol, what am I like? :-D

(Incidently, magistical memories has a sale going on now, with free shipping - but that may just be for the US, i'm not sure. Worth a look anyway.)

Anyway - busy busy busy as usual, so got to fly!
thanks for looking in,
jakey xxx

I couldn't give a HOOT!

I couldn't give a hoot- another LO for Magistical Memories, round 2DT call.

Just a tongue in cheek look at the aging process - and my thoughts on that...
Photo taken this year at Churchills War Exhibition in London - We couldn't resist the kids hat table! :-D



Journalling (for those with middle aged eyes that can't see...)reads:

So I'm not as young as I used to be.

It's true that without my L'Oreal, those golden locks would have a fair sprinkling of greys and my bum's never going to fit into a pair of size 12's again.(or 14's, who am I kidding??)

I can't read a thing without my glasses, and my memory...?
Well, it's not as sharp as it was...

... and my memory's not as sharp as it was either... ;-)

I know I really should grow up and start to act my age, dress appropriately, and behave myself better.

But d'ya know what?I couldn't give a HOOT!

Life's for living, and as long as I can live mine the way I want to... I'm going to!

Chippies used = Owl hang around, and May apple blooms, scalloped edge book plate.

thanks for dropping in :-)
jk xx

I've gone dotty on spotty....it's my new thing!

Not much time for bloggin right now, I have so much to do and i'm panicking because jazz and her lot are coming out to stay in a couple of weeks and there'll be no time for scrapping then!

Tonight, my Sketches! LO:



Tamara sent a DLO Sketch, but I just never do those anymore, so I adapted mine to a single.

Jazz has been on the phone making plans for their visit - she's a whirlwind, and has her agenda all mapped out lol... I'll be exhausted by the time she's gone, I know that much! Can't believe it's nearly Christmas.... Oh well, back to work for me!

thanks for calling in :-)
hugs!
jake xx