You Tube Videos

As you well know if you are a regular visitor, I LOVE the how you do things videos on You Tube especially Kristina Werner who has the StarofMay videos for cardmaking. But now!!! I have found Tammy who is Madscrappergirl and I am quietly working thru her 36 scrapbooking technique videos and I love it!! I have learned loads and am already using ideas in my work!
Anyway, thought I'd share.

Woooweee!

I LOVE THIS SITE!! Eyelet Outlet, Very reasonable international shipping rates too. I think I have found by brad and eyelet heaven! I have popped a permanent link over on the right under daily inspiration. I have had a peek before but I was so skint I stopped looking incase I REALLY WANTED something!! Hehe! I am still skint but thought I could be brave and not really want everything I see. Failed miserably of course!! Its Not that I don't really want anything - I NEED IT! Definitely gonna be treating myself next month!
Thanks Angeline for direction to it xx

Care Packages for Afghanistan & Iraq

Thought I would pop some info in the blog about care packages for forces in Afghanistan and Iraq as I have been asked a few times now, its great to see so many wanting to send things to our menfolk and ladyfolk who are working so hard and sacrificing so much for our safety.

Anyway, THIS LINK will take you to Support Our Soldiers Care packages page which has advice on how to send, what to send, what not to send etc... There are handy print offs which obviously can be tailored to your person out there (my hubby wouldn't be able to make use of half the stuff on the list, but it gives ideas).
I personally send mine straight to my bloke and not via Support Our Soldiers, I just use the site for info.

For example I have sent: extra old/cheap tshirts, shower gel etc due to the extreme heat and sweatiness.
Magazines (not ones with naked ladies!) e.g. my hubby is a bit of a guitar hero so I send him guitar magazines, puzzle books etc due to boredom.
Books, travel games, things they can leave behind for the next guy in - I have got the 'Bourne' series and popped one in every other box, these I got in Morrisons in the 3 for £5 bin and know he will love them. Multipacks of his favourite crisps, I split these up and put a few in each shoebox to spread them out and give him something he likes to look forward to!
Nuts, gum, toothpaste, shortbread etc.
Nothing glass, alcohol, lighters or aerosols, pornographic etc, this link will help more.

I do put in some things he can share, like Doritos, popcorn, sweets and gum, as there will be single blokes out there who may not be receiving packages from home very often like my man.

MOST IMPORTANTLY DON'T FORGET A NOTE OR CARD!! Tell them you love them, miss them and think about them constantly, to look after themselves etc, GOOD news from home, general chitchat etc... I put pictures of the kids in, pictures drawn by the kids etc.

DON'T FORGET you can send as much as you want, ANY type of package up to 2kg is Free!! We send blueys, letters, cards, jiffy bags, shoebox parcels, postcards, all free and as many as we like.
They take anywhere up to 2 weeks to arrive from RAF Gibraltar to Camp Bastion via BFPO service so will not probably take as long from the UK.

If you go HERE, you can send an Ebluey, which you can add photos to, they take about 12 hours to arrive in your guy's mailslot! You can track them, they inform you when they have arrived at the mailslot ready to be picked up. You sign up, type the message and attach a pic if you are going to, then click send to the persons address (which you enter and save beforehand).

Hope this all helps those who asked as they have a person out there.
Love to ALL serving chaps and chapesses in Afghanistan and Iraq. You are thought about constantly and loved always xxx

Scrap page and card

This is Annette's New Home card. Should be winging its way to her as we speak!
This is my Second ever scrapbook page! Elizabeth my eldest, it captures her so well! The spotty paper, handmade flowers, chipboard butterfly and fabric brad is all Laura Ashley, the mosaic paper and heart paper are free downloads from Madaboutscrapbooking.

Bits and Pieces

These are some goodies I received from ScrapbookInspirations magazine for subscribing, lots of K & Co Yumminesssssss!!! Mmmmmmmm!! I also got a load of Laura Ashley goodies for subscribing to PapercraftInspirations but have used half of them already so no pics, but you will see them scattered thru my up and coming creations!!
This is Elizabeth and Tash on one of the couple of times we had Tash overnight, once for Elizabeths birthday and another to help out so Gill and Mark could prepare for their marchout (on a school night too! They didn't stay up late or anything Gill, hehe!).
This is the card I made for Annette's leaving. Using those K & Co goodies and See D's!
Annette receiving one of several gifts from us. Cos she is wonderful and we love her!! Sob!
And finally this card is one of the cards I have made for my hubby in Afghanistan to pop in his care boxes of yummy snacks and stuff. I used the new crop-a-dile I bought for the Craft Club on this one (I have just had a MASSIVE £200 stock up!! We are so busy now!) purely to check it was working you understand ;o) hehe! Also the new male papers from Papermania 'For Him' range.

Annette's leaving meal

Casemates Square: The lady herself Annette, loving and loyal, my extraordinarily supportive and wonderful friend. I miss you so much - thank god for the internet!!

I love you bird!! I wish we had met so much earlier.

Casemates Square: Dave & Martine, completely off her rocker and makes me laugh all the time! A great friend and support, couldn't do without you right now woman!

Casemates Square: My man - Steve, I miss you too my gorgeousness and think of you every moment you are away, don't get too much sand in your pants! xxxWok: Annette & Chris Wok: Annette, Martine & DaveWok: My Steve & Christine, my friend and neighbour xxx. We support each other and know we can call on each other - and both of us are allergic to housework!! HAHA!Christine and Mark in Casemates Square

Lovely meal and lovely friends for a lovely last evening out! Miss you bird!

Traumatic day!

Seeing Gill off on her way to sunny UK!! Bit of a sob day that one, not only did we see Gill off, on the very same flight was my hubby on his way to the UK for his flight to his Operational tour in Afghanistan - no pics of that to cos it was highly emotional and private, but suffice to say we were an utter mess that day.

My eldest is best friends with Tash, Gills daughter so that was awful for her too, before saying Goodbye to daddy as well.


This pic has daddy in going up the steps in the white hat!

Only me!

Hi all! Yes its been a while, but I have been very, very busy, have lots of pics to post! And gossip to catch up on!

I will catch up on the chatter later - there is lots of news - after Friday morning craft club or maybe over the weekend when I find 5 mins but for now here is a pic of my FIRST EVER scrapbook page!and a new baby card - congrats to Tomo and Gemma on the birth of baby Amber!

I have a few more to pop up here when I get the time! I am alone with the 4 kids now as hubby is now in Afghanistan so its chaos!! And we are starting summer hols today!

Sorry again....

... just too busy post!!
I have lots of news so will catch up asap!