Excited!

I love this card from Spring Chicken Designs. It's particularly relevant at the moment as a good friend of mine was 50 last week and I'm not very many years behind her.

We both had some brilliant news today and we're very excited! We have been given funding to spend a week shadowing teachers in a Spanish primary school in Granada in May. All travel costs, hotel accomodation, meals etc is covered and the trip includes opportunities to experience the sights and sounds of the wonderful city of Granada (said in best Travel Guide voice).

It means leaving the three small people with Daddy for a week but both Grannies will be here to help. Lucky him.

A Splash Of Colour

One of the things I am loving about Blogging For Scrapbookers is the way it's making me think differently about things I thought I'd already decided! I wasn't planning to use this blog to share anything other than the things I create BUT after today's prompt I've had a rethink. I'm going to share a room project with you. Well, after all, it is still something I'm going to create....... kind of........

When we moved to this house three and a bit years ago, it'd had the Anne Maurice treatment (remember her, the House Doctor?) So every wall in the house was cream. Every carpet in the house was cream. There was no colour. Anywhere.

Now, I like neutrals, don't get me wrong, but really...... with three kids? We've added our little sprinkles of colour here and there and completely refitted the kitchen and one of the bathrooms, but there is one place I've been aiming to get to for a while and planning little schemes for in my mind, a place where I can really let loose with the colour: the family room. It really ought to be called the kid's room because dh and I don't actually venture in there that often. It's the place where the kids take their friends and play on the Wii or watch TV. Their computer is in there too and all the board games as well as lots of the children's books.

So, whilst I have been planning, all I've actually managed so far is to put up new curtains. I have bought a few items of inspiration though:

I think my next step is painting the walls. But what colour? I feel a purchase of more than just a few matchpots coming on!

Experiments With Felting

My latest fascination (or obsession as some would call it), is felting. After attending a free class run by the County Council, I have been scouring the charity shops - and my mother's wardrobe - for pure woollen items that I can shrink in my washing machine. I found some too! The felting process is a bit hit and miss and you can never be sure whats going to come out of the washing machine - that's part of the fun though. This ipod cover was made from a wool blanket and teddy from a shetland wool jumper (remember those?)

Friends are becoming very wary of what they wear around me now - I had my eye on a cashmere sweater my friend's husband was wearing last weekend. I'm gripped though - it's great fun. watch this space for future felted creations.

Amazing Day

When the Blogging For Scrapbookers prompt for day two said to think of one of the most amazing days of your life, how could I not think of my wedding day?
I never wanted a big 'do'. I'm not the kind of girl who wants to be princess for a day or even the centre of attention for a few hours, I just wanted to be married. In fact, if I could have just gone to sleep single and woken up the next day married, that would have suited me fine. I just didn't want all the fuss and if I'm honest I didn't want to waste thousands of pounds putting on a party for long lost relatives who I hadn't seen for decades and who I probably wouldn't see again until someone in the family died!
In the end we compromised. We went to Sri Lanka and got married there, then flew on to the Maldives for our honeymoon. We had the most amazing time, our wedding was more perfect and beautiful than I could have imagined and our honeymoon was blissful. Our compromise was to hold a 'hat party' (so Mums and aunties still got to wear their hats), when we returned, which also turned out to be a wonderful day.
The layout above isn't a new one. I did it as a class on a retreat a few years ago but I can't remember whose class it was. It is however, one of my favourite photos - for more reasons than one.

Starting Again!

I started this blog last year as a place to share (and keep a record of ) the things I make. I didn't do that for long. That was partly because I didn't make much for a while, but also because I got out of the habit of blogging. I have made things since then - but I haven't shared them.
So I'm using Shimelle's Blogging For Scrapbookers class to kirkstart my blogging mojo!
I'm beginning with a picture of chocolate cupcakes I made for my friend's fortieth birthday party last month. I'm hoping this class will inspire me to keep on making and keep on recording what I make. I'm also looking forward to building up a list of  blogs to follow so I can look at all the lovely stuff other people are making.