A weekend in Paradise..........

I have just had a wonderful weekend away teaching at Scrappers Paradise. I started off 6 years ago going as a delegate and after 3 times away I was asked along as a classroom assistant. After a while I was crowned the most useless teaching assistant in the world as I spent more time chatting, laughing and getting up to mishchief than assisting.........opps! I then kinda became part of the furniture and at the last couple I have been promoted to teaching, did I say promoted or arm twisted LOL! I love every minute of the weekends and have made wonderful friends in the process! I thought you would like to see a few pics........ This is the lovely Carol and Sally not sure what they are giggling about? Probably something rude;) here are the superstar scrap sisters, here's Kim concentrating hard! Sue, Kelly & Kirsty hardcore scrappin.........

& finally the Lovely Lorna who adds a little touch of sunshine where ever she goes.......... I have loads of pics but blogger is really playing up so apologies to those I have missed off! I have a lovely day planned today with hubby, including lunch with Mum & Dad and a lovely country walk! Hope the rain stays away!!!! I will be back over the next few days showing you the layouts that I created for the weekend. See ya soon xxx

Go Go Hampster fun!

I thought you would like to see a pic of Olive trying to catch herself a Go Go hampster. Arthur had already taken one half way down the garden......opps! I have sugested that my Nephew brings something else to play with next time he comes for the day!

Black & White!!!

I thought you may all like a peep at Helen's cards that she made for our craft day on Saturday, she is famous in the craft world for her stunning intricate designs and her clever use of peel offs! They are stunning aren't they! I will be back soon XXX

A little bit of Vintage Vouge...............

This was Helen's little gift wallet that she made for one of Saturdays create & takes. I wasn't too sure of this set as I'm not a very distressed vintagey kinda gal! I love this set though and it is so versatile. I am so sorry I have been AWOL this week, I have started my new job and although I am loving every second of it I am exhausted! So my posts may be a little sporadic for a while! See you soon xxx

Anyone for a Jelly Bean??????

This little tag was one of our make & takes at Helen's on Saturday. This is using the new SU treat cups! I was converted by Monica's ladybug make and take that we made at the SWU retreat so I thought I would have a go. It was quite fiddly getting the jelly beans in but worth it as I think they are really effective! The ladies really liked this project but I think there were more beans in mouths than treat cup!

Craft day at Helens

Well here are a couple of pics from my day yesterday with Helen. We all had a wonderful time, the sun was shining and everyone crafted to their hearts content! We were missing two as one was stuck in France due to the lack of flights and we had another lady with a poorly throat, they were both missed! Here is everyone at the end of the day making the make & takes; Is that Helen yawning? Bless her, she was really poorly with a sore throat, but she just about made it through the day!

I see that Janice escaped this picture.............

& finally, this is our super trooper tea lady! Thanks Sarah, we did let her craft for a little while but she had to sit on the naughty table! LOL

I will pop back tomorrow with a peek at a couple of the bits we made!

WOW LOOK AT THIS.........................

This is an Easter present that I received from the lovely Kelly & crew, have you ever seen anything so fantastic in your life! I'm not quite sure what I will put in it yet but it does have pride of place on my dining room table! I'm not sure if Julie reads my blog but if she does I will have to keep an eye on this giant beauty as it may be kidnapped for her cupcake class room........... I had better dash as I have my craft day with Helen Meighan today and I am running late!!!! I will pop back and show you some pics if I get a chance tomorrow! Toodlepip xxxx

My New Tattoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought you would like to see my new tattoo, it was drawn by my nephew! It is a dragon kissing me! Aren't I lucky! I start my new job on Monday, here's hoping it is off before then! Can't stay long as apparently I am off to play Go Go hamsters?!?!?!?

Chocolate & Vanilla Cupcake Tower!

As promised here is the cupcake tower that I made for Sue Marys 21+21+8 birthday party. Sorry that the pic isn't great, it was getting dark! They are vanilla cakes with pink vanilla frosting and chocolate cakes with chocolate frosting, all topped off with star, heart, butterfly and oval greeting toppers. You can't really see it from this pic but they are also sprinkled with edible glitter! Hope no one has samples to give this week! I guess the glitter has to come out some time! LOL She loved the cakes and I must admit I may have indulged in a chocolate one.................or two!!!! See you soon xxx

Forever Friends Happy Birthday Card

It was one of my friends special birthdays on Saturday (21+21+8 sounds better than 50 LOL) and she loves Forever Friends so this is the card that I made for her. I have used a FF embellishment and pink parfait papers. I haven't used FF products for ages and really enjoyed making this. She had a surprise party with all her friends and family and I made her a pink and brown cupcake tower! I'll be back to show you it tomorrow.

Last nights scrap club!

I thought you would like to have a peep at the layout that we made at last nights scrap club. A bit of a girly one for me, I have to use pics of my best mates beautiful daughter as I only have cats and my nephew to scrap! We have used Bella Bleu paper with Kraft, Bordering Blue & Very Vanilla card and Not Quite Navy & Bordering Blue ink. The stamp set is "Flight of the Butterfly" and has been used to death recently! I am also using this at a workshop on Saturday and am seeing butterflies in my sleep! We had such a lovely time last night, we have such a lovely bunch of ladies at our scrapclub, new members are always welcome, just email me for more details if you would like to come and join in with the fun. See you soon xxx

Lemon Meringue Pies............Yummy!!!!

I did promise you a little show and tell with my lemon meringue pies that I made yesterday! When making desserts I love doing them individually so that it feels like we have a whole one each LOL They really were yum yum pigs bum and everyone enjoyed them! Apart from Mr Wonka who doesn't like lemon meringue pies apparently which he announced at the dinner table whilst eating it, shame he didn't mentioned it earlier............I wouldn't have wasted one on him! LOL Be back tomorrow with the layout we are making at tonight's scrapclub.xxx

Stamp With Us Sketch Challenge

Wow these fortnights really go by fast!!! We are already at Stamp With Us challenge time. This week it is a sketch challenge and here is my card: I have used Bella Bleu with the Flight Of The Butterflies stamp set, I have been using this so much the last few weeks and still have another 4 classes to teach with it, I will be dreaming blue butterflies by the end of May!!!! Don't forget to pop over to the Stamp With Us blog and have a peep at the other DT's cards they are all fandabbiedozie! I have got to pop off, we have good friends coming to lunch today and have lots of jobs to do! I am making mini lemon meringue pies, I may give you a peep tomorrow!

Stamp With Us Retreat Make & Take

I thought you would like to have a little peep at my make and take for the Stamp With Us retreat.It is a 12"x12" kraft album with loads and loads of kraft pages inside. I am forever surfing the Internet, looking at magazines or fellow blogs and see things that I love and would aether like to recreate or to use for inspiration. This is the book where they all going to go! I am already filling it up nicely. The ladies really enjoyed decorating it and were looking forward to using it. I am off shopping this morning as we have a busy busy busy weekend! Same as usual then!!!!

Papertake Weekly Challenge

It has been a while since I have entered a challenge, I always used to enter the Papertake Weekly challenges so it has been lovely following Dawnys sketch! I have used a Penny Black stamp (boy do I miss these, I really must play with them more!) and a couple of retired Stampin' Up! papers. The little fishes are from the "Something Sweet" stamp set that has just been launched in the mini catalogue & the "5" is from my new "Schoolbook Serif" number stamps (thanks Nat! x). I have of course finished it off with the obligatory doodle! I must shoot as I am holding a craft day with my friend Helen next Saturday and we are sorting out all the finer details today! We are fully booked with a wait list for next time!!! HOW EXCITING! I will show you some pics the week after next! Have a lovely day & enjoy the sunshine! x

Ohhhhhh how exciting!

There is major excitement in the Stampin' Up! world with the announcement today of a shake up of the Standard Stampin' UP! colour families and individual colours.

This is great news for the UK as it means that we get 15 new colours AND we get the In-Colours that the US currently get - that will be 20 new colours to play with.

Now this isn't going to happen from today, but with the arrival of our main catalogue in October. So, I am just letting you know this now for a couple of reasons.

If you are building up your colour collections, you may want to take a look at the list above and only buy colours that are staying.

OR

If there is a colour that you love which will be retiring at the end of September, you've got six months notice to fill up on your inkpads, refills, cardstock colours before you won't be able to get it again.

Here is a better look at the colours that we will be saying farewell to in September:

This is all that we know at the moment but I will be able to share more information with you over the coming months once we know more. However, in the meantime, we've got six months left of the current catalogue and a BRAND NEW Mini Catalogue to get excited about.

Run Run as fast as you can! One Table Left!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG I can't believe the amazing response I have had for the second hand craft sale, I have ONE table left. All the details are HERE if you want to dash to grab it!

I will be reminding you all about the sale nearer the time as there are bound to be bargains galore!

See you soon x

Easter Egg Hunt!

Phew back to normality, I have had super Easter but a very tiring one, Good Friday we had tea with Mum, Dad & Gramps, Saturday we were on an Easter Egg hunt, Sunday we had one of my bestest friends and her family and Mum & Dad for the day then yesterday was my anniversary, lunch out with Mr Wonka and another set of my bestest friends, so busy but blissful!

Here are some of the Easter egg hunt with my nephew!

No stone was left unturned, Nanna did help him him on a couple of occasions as did his Mum and Dad! Larry Lamb was an excellent find, maybe at this years nativity he could take that instead of the dog he had under his arm last year! This was only a fraction of his haul, he did share it all out though even after that he has enough to last him until next Easter! Right I'm off to catch up on the washing, nip to the bank then Sainsburys! Oh what joy! xxx

Hot Cross Bun Cake & Happy Anniversary to me!

Mmmmmm I thought I would show you the delicious hot cross bun cake that I made for the Easter celebrations.

This is the first time I have attempted one and I am quite pleased with the result! It was YUM YUM PIGS BUM!

Only a quick post as it is my wedding anniversary today & I am off to lunch with the lovely Mr Wonka! I'm afraid I don't have an anniversary card to show you as I brought it from M&S (naughty wife icon inserted here!)

Have a lovely bank holiday & I'll be back soon xxx

Happy Easter!

I hope that you are all having a lovely Easter weekend and that you have had chocolate for breakfast which is an Easter Sunday tradition in our house. I thought this would be a great day to show you my Easter class that I made for the last retreat. It is using the "Good Egg" stamp set, and proved very popular with all the lovely ladies who attended, I think the chocolate egg that was provided may have swung them! LOL I hope that you enjoy the rest of your bank holiday and I will be back soon! x

Roll Up, Roll Up! Second Hand Craft Sale!

Whilst chatting to my friends we have established that we all have far toooooo much craft stuff, rather than spend hours and hours putting it all on ebay I have decided to hold a second hand craft sale (although knowing us crafters most things will be new and unused!).

WHERE: St Francis Church Hall, Horley, Surrey

WHEN: Saturday 8th May

TIMES: 10-3pm

We would love to see you all there. I still have a few tables left if people would like to come and try and sell their bits and bobs, the table for the day would be £10 , please email me if you are interested and would like any further information.

There will be the famous Mrs Wonkas cupcakes available in the refreshment area so all in all a fun day to be had!

I hope to see you all there, if you can't make it, please spread the word to your crafty friends! I will remind you again nearer the time.

Stamp With Us Birthday Bash online classes!

Can you believe that we are approaching our first birthday! To celebrate we are pleased to announce that Stamp With Us BIRTHDAY BASH online classes will start on Sunday May 2nd & booking is now officially open! We are so excited about this round, it will be full of fantastic projects and a great opportunity to catch up with all our crafty friends! Please read below as the costs have now changed for last minute sign ups! How do you join in? Well all you need to do is click on the Paypal button in the top right hand corner of this blog before the 18th April and pay the early bird fee of just £15, after the 18th April the cost of the online classes will rise to £20. What happens next? You will receive confirmation of your payment from us within 48 hours. Before the launch of the classes, you will receive an invite from us to join us on a secured website. Once you are approved as a paying member, you are given access to the site. You should immediately see a welcome message from us and more information showing your way around the site. Don't panic - it really isn't that difficult! What will you be getting? Starting on the 2nd May for just over two weeks, every day something new will be added to the site. That could be one of 10 PDF "How to" classes to download, a technique video to watch or we even have online chats and challenges which is where all the members get together on the site at the same (agreed / publicised) time and we all get chatting. We have so much fun and it is great to spend time with and interact with other people who really understand the "passion for paper and card". There may well be a few surprises and prizes along the way too. Why should you join in? Stamp With Us online is all about sharing our passion for Stampin' Up! products, so if you love stamping or Stampin' Up!, then what are you waiting for? They are great for fellow demonstrators as we are happy for our classes to be reproduced for your classes (obviously with credit to ourselves). If you haven't got many SU products then you can still join in as all the projects can be adapted so that you can use all of your existing products. SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? COME AND STAMP WITH US :)

Bugtastic project!

I just wanted to show you this cute big project using the new Stampin' Up treat cups.This was Monicas make and take at the last Stamp With Us retreat (hers had an additional greeting and some ribbon) I really didn't like the treat cups when I first saw them but now I am in lurve with them. See you soon x

Stamp With Us Retreat

Stamp With Us are excited to announce their next 2010 Retreat in Haslemere, Surrey.

8.00am Saturday 4th September – 5.00 pm Sunday 5th September 2010 at Branksome Place, Hindhead Road, Haslemere , Surrey, GU27 3PL

PLACES ARE LIMITED TO JUST 35 PEOPLE,

SO YOU NEED TO BE QUICK TO CONFIRM YOUR PLACE. Classes start at 8.30am on both days and each day will consist of classes taught by

Monica Gale, Natalie O’Shea and Zoe Pierson.

Classes will include a mixture of techniques and projects and will use Stampin’ Up! products. There will be an assortment of papercraft classes and each class will be around two hours long. Previous classes consisted of mini albums, scrapbook pages, boxes, paper handbags and lots of cards. All products are included in the cost – you only need to bring a basic tool kit with you. Full details of what you need to bring will be sent to you a week or two before the event.

Over the experience of the last two events, we have come to the conclusion that most of you would like an all-inclusive price, so we are happy to offer the following:

At Branksome Place, all rooms are for one occupant, therefore, the following prices

apply per person in your own rooms:

To join us all day Saturday and enjoy all of the classes, lunch, dinner, Party Night, overnight accommodation Saturday night, Sunday classes and Sunday breakfast and lunch, the cost per person is £350.00.

If you wish to stay the Friday night to make sure you are refreshed and ready for your early Saturday morning start, then for accommodation in your own single room and breakfast on Saturday morning can be arranged for an additional £70.

Depending upon our numbers, we *may* be able to accommodate a couple Day Delegates, please contact us for more information and prices on this option if you are interested.

At the beginning of your stay, you will have your own table where you will sit for each class and make your “own”. There will be unlimited coffee, tea and snacks available throughout the day. Lunch will be provided each day too with a hot and cold buffet on the Saturday and a Roast lunch on the Sunday.

Please email us for more information and a booking form. Places are not confirmed until deposits are received.

We really look forward to seeing you so that you can come and STAMP WITH US!

Natalie, Zoe & Monica!

Yeahhhhhhh Stamp With Us colour challenge

This weekend it is the Stamp With Us colour challenge! I love the colour challenges as it really makes me think out side of the box!

I have used my "Happy Moments" saleabration set, which is no longer available, and the "Sunny Days" set. I have coloured the image with my SU inks and blender pens and the flourishes are from a QK revolution die.

Do pop over and have a peep at the other DT's cards, they are fab!

I hope that you enjoy the rest of your weekends and I am bound to be back soon!

Easter Class

I have a couple of places left on my Easter Class (designed by Andrea Walford) which is taking place Wenesday 31st March, 7.15pm in Crawley, West Sussex. You will be making 3 Easter boxes and 2 Easter cards. The class is 12.50 and includes all of your materials, chocolate, tea and coffee! Please email me if you would like to come or if you would like any additional information. Hopefully see you there........

Happy Birthday Gill!

Whilst we were away at the Stamp With Us retreat it was Gills birthday, I was reliably informed that Gills favorite birthday treat was a packet of fig rolls (erghhhhh) so what better to have for her birthday than her very own customised fig roll box! I have made this and it fits a packet of fig rolls perfectly.....The papers, stickers and card are from the "Sunny Days" Simply Scrappin' kit This is the back, I have used the "Schoolbook Serif" alphabet to personalise it, not that many other people would have a use for a fig roll box! lol This is the matching easel card that I made to go with it.

I have used all the same products as above.

I am just about recovering from the weekend! I will pop back with some pics soon!

Z x

This is my final show and tell for the online classes, this is a double page layout I have made using the "Christmas Jingle" Simply Scrappin' kit. Each of the page elements pop up, and pop out to create hidden journal space and more photographs!

I think you agree my Nephew was very happy with his Christmas presents! LOL I have just got back from Stratford Upon Avon with Nalalie, Monica and a whole bunch of fabulous ladies who attended the Stamp With Us Retreat! We have had a complete ball! I will pop back soon and tell you all about it! Have a lovely day! x

Happy Birthday Teresa!

Happy Birthday for yesterday Teresa! Thought I would show you the birthday card and matching gift box that I have made for her.I have used the Bella Bleu DSP papers and Bordering Blue, Not Quite Navy & Kraft card stock. The stamp set is "Flight of the Butterfly" and is one of my faves! I won't tell you what's in the gift box as I'm not sure if she has opened it or not! I will be back soon with my final peep at the online classes.

Ohhhhhhh Yummy Chocolate Cupcake Online Class

This was my fave class, it was making a cupcake box, topper, decorated case and card! I have used the "Crazy for Cupcake" stamp set and "Spiced Cider" papers. I have teamed them with chocolate chip, Really Rust & Whisper White card. The box with acetate section is idea for cupcakes and can be decorated for any occasion. I hope you have liked this class, I will be back tomorrow with a little something I have made for a friends birthday!

All in the Family Online Class

Good morning, time to show and tell my recent online classes.This was the first of my online class projects. It is a slider box with four cards, all using the "All in the Family" stamp set and "Sunny days" Simply Scrappin' papers. I love this stamp set as it is so easy to customise your cards and lets me have a bit of colouring in time! I will be back soon with my yummy chocolate cupcake class!