Tea Party

Luu has her birthday this weekend. We spent quite a while trying to work out how to celebrate. Fitting in friends, family and a boyfriend (eek!). But, she finally decided to have a tea party for her friends on Friday - now, that I can do. Followed by a sleepover - not quite so keen on that idea. But, they're nice girls, and usually keep the noise down. As well as actually sleep..

Now, we have no problem whipping up a few cakes in this house! But, this has to be a bit more special, so using this book as inspiration, we popped online here, and ordered some extra special sprinkles

Then, when off to the pictures, Luu popped into Morrison's, and found these on the shelves...

So, armed with extra-special sprinkles, a practice run on piping the seven minute frosting...

A dust-off of some of my cake stands...


...I think we may just be ready.

Cropaganza...

Last Saturday, the crop that I go to, had it's Cropaganza! Thirteen hours dedicated to scrapbooking!! Lib did a great job, as ever, organising a fab day. We had a little shopping, some lovely chilli and cakes, and three classes taught by Morag Cutts.

Above is the mini book - just need to put some photos and do some more embellishments in it.

We also did a kit layout...

I didn't think I had any suitable photos, but when I looked through them, I found this picture of me, my Mom and Dad on the right, and my Auntie and Nana. I think it really suits the retro feel of the papers, how about you?

We also did a sweet wall organiser using the same papers as the mini book.

So, after spending all afternoon on the classes, I decided to have a change of tack, and went back to scrapping some of the older pictures I've recently had processed.

I've had these papers a little while, knowing I wanted to use them with these photos, again I think they have a retro feel. The photo is my brother, my sister and me, sat on the sideboard... Note the fringes... We think that Mom used to cut them especially when she knew we were going to be photographed.

And the last one is me, strawberry picking - and looking as though I have a fair few in my mouth.
I got home just after 11.30 in the end, shattered, but already looking forward to the next one...

2009 Questions and Answers

My friend, Lisa, tagged me to answer some questions. I (nearly) finished them last night, but the mighty internet conspired against me, and wouldn't let me find the song lyrics I wanted, and I'm still having trouble... So, here's (most) of my answers...

1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?

Went to a crop

2. What are your New Year’s Resolutions?

To Focus
To lose some more weight...

3. Did anyone close to you give birth in 2009?

No

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No, thank goodness

5. What countries did you visit?

England, and Cornwall (does that count?)

6 What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

Smaller sized jeans

7. What date(s) in 2009 will remain etched in your memory and why?

February, when Mark phoned home to tell me he had been made redundant.
August - Mark's new job, and a surprise!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Keeping everything together, when it felt like it was all falling apart

9. What was your biggest failure?

Thinking it might all just fall apart....

10. Did you suffer any illness or injury?

No

11. What was the best thing someone bought you?

The Christmas presents from my girls. I had no idea Luu made a special trip to buy them, and she bought me a necklace I had admired the week before - and she wasn't even there!

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

My girls - they really are lovely...

13. Whose behaviour appalled and depressed you?

No one. really

14. Where did most of your money go?

Hmmn, just getting by for the first part of the year, and then catching up with life after August...

15. What did you get really, really excited about?

Going to the beach, and thinking about a very special beach trip for 2010!

16. What song(s) reminds you of 2009?

Paolo Nutini - Sunny Side Up, album

17. Compared to last year are you...

a.) Happier or Sadder? happier

b.) Thinner or Fatter? thinner

c.) Richer or Poorer? bit richer

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

NOT over-eating!

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Worried about things I had no control over

20. How did you spend Christmas?

With family, simply

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?

I didn't fall out of love, does that count?

22. What was your favourite TV program?

Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't this time last year?

Hate's a bit of a strong word...

24. What was the best book you read?

Yay, Twilight!!! Sad, but true. I read all four books in five days in October - I couldn't even sleep properly while I was reading them, I HAD to know what happened next! I want to re-read them, but I can't risk the sleepless nights!

25. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?

I was 41, and I wished that I was at the seaside.... And ate lots of cake, baked for me by my girls...

26. What was your best musical discovery?

Lisa Hannigan

27. What did you want and get?

Mark to get a job

28. What was your favourite film of the year?

Up

29. What did you want and not get?

Size 10 jeans that fit...

30. What one thing would've made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

see 29... Oh, and if I had bought the Take That tickets I was offered on the day of the concert... But, we had no money, sigh.

31. How would you describe your fashion concept for 2009?

Same as... Jeans, t-shirts, Converse

32. What kept you sane?

My family

Scrapbooking

Reading other people's blogs

Cake and Gin

Trips to the beach

33. Which celebrity or public figure did you admire most?

Kirstie Allsop (tongue most firmly in cheek, but she does make me smile!)

34. What political issue stirred you most?

The economy - don't even get me started on the bankers... The on-going war.

35. Who do you miss?

My aunt

36. Who was the best new person you met?

Lisa - thank you for tagging me...

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned.

I've known it for a long time, but this year showed it.... Things will turn out right in the end

38. Quote a song line that defines your year.
mmm, think the chorus from James Morrison, wonderful world

Well, that's a bit about me. How about you?

My famous parking space...

A couple of times on my blog, I've put photos taken as I park my car at work. Well, that space is very nearly famous!

As I got out of my car one day last week, a chap in a woolly hat asked if I would mind moving my car, as the space was going to be used to put a camera in, for filming! Ooh, have the BBC been lurking on my blog? Well, no. The series Doctors is often being filmed around where I work, and last week they were filming in our car park.


I may have to start watching, to see if me or my car make an appearance in the background...

dishcloths...

So, I've worked out how to crochet from a foundation chain. With some help from my Mom. And to practice, I've been crocheting... dishcloths!

Does this mean I have too much time on my hands? Well, no. I can actually do this while watching TV, so, quite productive, really... And, the dishcloths are really good. Even Luu commented that they are better than the others. And they're good practice projects - next up, decorative edgings - on my dishcloths...


And on the scrapbooking front, I've finished my Christmas layouts, here's just a couple of them.


I have some great pictures of my sister, brother and me in the mid 70's, just begging to be scrapped, but focus. Before I move onto them, I'm working on a mini-album of my December postings...