Just wanted to share a little something....

...that made me feel a little better today. I was talking to my favourite friend Annette on Facebook and she said in her message (she said I could quote her, by the way, so no out of context quotes here!):

Take care hun, you're doing a great job while Steve's away, he must be so proud of you. I know he's out there doing a great job for the country but you're the person thats looking after his girls for him and giving him something to look forward to.
Love and miss you bird!!
By the way if you want to copy and paste the last paragraph on your blog your more than welcome as people need to see who really holds this country together, 'the wives and family of the guys out there'

Its so nice when people recognise the work of the people at home. I have had a very hard time while he has been gone. Life has been especially tough for a multitude of health, personal and social reasons and it has needlessly been made tougher by the selfish actions of others.

Its so nice to receive something like this especially to know I have love, thoughts and support of friends even when they have moved on to pastures new.

Just thought I'd share, especially to those who are in the same situation at the moment.

With Love
Sally x

Pics

We went to the fair last Tuesday (arriving a little too early!) and here are 2 pics I took that I love: My girls
And my little one, posing, cos she can!

Creatively Yours
Sally x

We Wish You A Merry Christmas....

I started this last week at Craft Club, glass painting on the reverse of acetate with a silver tree sticker on the front. As you know, chaos has ensued this week, so I finally got around to finishing it this evening.

An open shot here, clearly shows the acetate.
The christmas sentiment is K & CO, the ribbon from Crafty Ribbons, the stickers are Anita's I think, glass paint is generic cheap stuff from the club stash and the card itself and brads are from Madaboutcards, not sure the brand and plain silver generic stationary staples.

Creatively Yours

Sally x

Gib CCC facebook group...

Just a quick note to our Facebook CCC group members to let you know that the latest pics I have taken of recent work at group over the summer and a load Martine has uploaded are now in the Facebook Group! Couple of great new links on there too.
Enjoy!

Nice to see friendly members old and new, joining us there! Looks like both Lisa and Julie may be rejoining us! Thanks ladies for making my job super-easy!

Big Thanks to Jo for the fab re-organising of the stickers..... can't wait to show you the rest of the list of jobs that need doing..... you have such talent! Hehe!! At least we can find what we are looking for instantly! Thank you x

Also don't forget next week, we change days for both sessions and that the Scrapbooking Demo is on! See me or Angeline for booking :)

Creatively Yours

Sally x

Kristina's Colour Inspiration #20

This card is for Kristina's Colour Challenge #20 using the above colours:

Hope you like it! I made it this evening at Craft Club.

Creatively Yours

Sally x

New blog candy and kids challenge blog!

Hiya
As you can see I have put a list of blogs with candy on the right over there ------->, new candys that we have are from Caroline, Zoe, Kristin, Stempelwerkstatt, Dawn and The Stamping Queen.

Also Crafty Monkeys is a kids challenge blog, great if you have crafty children who want to join in the fun!! Great blog, please visit!

Creatively Yours

Sally x

Wehay!! Proud mummy alert! And Blog Candy News.

We had the WONDERFUL news yesterday that my eldest is now going to be in the Sound Of Music production that my number 2 is already in! She beat about 6 other talented girls in final audition to gain the part of Louisa, the second Von Trapp daughter! My no'2 is already playing Brigitta - the middle Von Trapp daughter. I am so proud, she was so brave. Bless, bless, bless!!! They have worked so hard to gain these roles especially my eldest.

BLOG CANDY NEWS
Unfortunately as is the way when you are struggling on your own with 4 small children and your husband is away on operational tour in Afghanistan, I am run off my feet! I have been very busy as well as being poorly this week so I am going out for a very well deserved cocktail night out tonight with a tonne of friends (so don't anticipate doing much posting tomorrow!) but may post a few silly piccies later on!!

I am going to postpone the blog candy posting of the official picture and the chance for your second entry until Tuesday, possibly Wednesday evening. I am also waiting for a couple of goodies to still arrive that I want to include in your prize from Artymiss so don't want to take a pic with out them! They really should have arrived by then as they should have been here by now!!
BUT this gives you an extended opportunity to get your first entry in if you haven't already!

In the good news I am now back in the top ten of cardmaking toplisted! Yeh! At number 5 last time I checked!! I really must pay more attention and visit those other listings on the other pages where I found some really good gems of sites before! Kids are back at school on the 2nd Sept so dedicated surfing shall resume business as usual once the chaos calms!!

Hope you are all well and managing keeping yourselves afloat and aren't struggling too much - it will get better! I keep telling myself that!

Creatively Yours

Sally x

Feeling a little better

Hiya all, feeling a little better this evening, hopefully even better tomorrow, the heat doesn't help I'll tell you that for nothing!! Thanks for all the wishes in my email and Facebook, lovely to know you care.

Anyway, dosed up on the old paracetomol tonight and went to craft club and glad I did! Jo PW rejoined us - Hi Jo!! Great to see you back and cannot wait for your enthusiatic input into the club again, it is very welcome, you can be chief organiser, lol!! Saves me a job, you can start on the messy pile of stickers, then you can move onto the papers, then the messy cupboard ...... haha! I have a tonne of jobs for you if you are up for it!!

Also, Sue was back with us again, Hi Sue!! She never fails to make me laugh and smile, great fun to be around! Always perks up our lovely Christine, what a great friendship they have!

I have been invited out on a cocktail night on Saturday, so babysitter is booked and the camera is at the ready!! Cocktails eh?!?! I cannot wait, I really need a night out and away from all the stress that is my life at the moment with some lovely friends, thanks for the invite Martine and Sarah! I think I will only need about 2 mind, to get tiddly!!

Here are 2 cards I made in the past couple of days,

This was for my good friend Eliza - just moved to a new home in a place I am very fond of! Hope to see you there soon xx

This is to welcome little Fynn Patterson into the world, his daddy is my hubby's drummer in the band. Both these cards are inspired by, then adapted from, cards out of Scrapbook and Papercraft inspirations.

Hope that you like them.

Just want to say Hi to Annette in particular, thanks for the wishes, I really miss you :( and thank you with all my heart for continuing to be such a good friend even tho we are now apart.

Creatively Yours

Sally x

Be back soon..

I am a little poorly at the moment so normal service will resume when I am feeling a little better, have a couple of bits and pieces to show you.

Its not fun being unwell when you are on your own looking after 4 young children!!

Back asap x

Creatively Yours

Sally x

The frugal/tightwad in me!

Ok, not too creative so far, had a quick surf for blog candy give aways and came away with an abundance of inspiration as I always get side tracked and end up reading pages and pages of peoples blogs!!

Today we shall be sorting out the kids clothes for the second day in a row, threw a whole bin bag away yesterday of old, stained, worn items, have a huge pile for eBay/thrift shop/recycling/give away and can now actually fit clothes in draws again! How exciting!

I am a great believer of accepting whats offered to me, I think

a) Its good for the environment, recycling and all that
b) They grow out of it so darn quickly anyway
c) 1 have 4 girls, easy to pass down
d) Its cheaper! If it saves money, fab.

We have been blessed with 4 gorgeous, talented, loving girls and consider ourselves very, very lucky. BUT! With the cost of living these days and just the basics such as heating, fuel and food soaring in price at the moment, so who can resist a bargain, right? So free is a definite bargain in my book! Of course there is also the added bonus of having a few extra pennies for crafting occasionally and kids activites ;o) hehe!

So I accept everything - clothes wise - that is offered and with such a huge turnover of military staff in Gibraltar at the moment, there are a load of people leaving and discarding... so 'Sally I have a tonne of clothes that are bound to fit one of your brood... '(I have 4 girls and they are 3 thru 12 years) My answer??? 'Hell yes!, bring them over!'. Of course this leaves me with the mountain to sort thru!

Yesterday I almost reached the summit and today I plan on making it most of the way back down! I will contact the local Cat Welfare who love to accept donations, also the local Cancer charity (close to my heart), give some to other larger families on the rock and sell some (a portion of which also goes to local and Moroccan charities).

I must add at this point I have kitted out my daughter almost completely for her new school in September nearly for free! And considering she will be there for only around 8 months before we return, it's great! This is due to 2 wonderful women in my life, Annette and Gill! Both of them have just left and had daughters with uniform in GREAT and virtually new condition that needed a new home! Thanks girls! You have enabled me to be able to afford the electric bill!! Lol!

For those who are into a little bit of frugality - check out Amy Dacyczyn (pronounced decision) and her Tightwad Gazette, which I have to say is my bible for all things frugal! Especially muffins.......mmmmm..... It can be found on Amazon, the blue one is the complete one I have had for around 9 years now and can be bought used on Amazon or off eBay for slightly more. Amazon link on the right over there -------->.

If I do make it all the way back down the mountain, I have several cards to make, so if I am awake after all that climbing I will start them tonight! AND I know where the camera is today!! Yeh!

Later ladies x

Creatively Yours

Sally x

I found Candy!

Mueppi has a lovely candy giveaway! Click here to go visit and see her fine work!

Creating with Chrissy has blog candy for the next few weeks here, pop over and stop for a visit and check out the great Stampin'Up designs with comprehensive directions!

Stampin' with Di also has an amazing candy, please leave a message telling her which Stampin' Up product you like the best out of the latest catalogue and a link back!

Leslie over at Continuing to Create now has candy to celebrate her return to blogland after quite a break! Pop on over and check out her lovely work, let her know about what you are currently working on and link back!

AND we have Jane's Carroll's Blogoversary Candy - for being a blogger for a whole year! Congratulations Jane!

Creatively Yours

Sally x

Another new blog!

Yes, once no'1 baby girl had one, you just knew that baby girl no'2 would too (so does no'3 but maybe a little in the future!) So here it is Dade's Doodles, so mosey on over and check it out! Great dalek cake on there, that she has posted a picture of and we have been sorting out the music on all 3 blogs too, (of course, Dade's Doodles has a predominantly Doctor Who theme!), don't turn around......... spooky! Buffy's Brilliant Blog has a new background and music too!

Don't forget your entry on the blog candy! Pics coming next week and another chance to enter. I have decided to do a selection of my favourite papers, ribbon and a few other bits, so check back!

Creatively Yours

Sally x

Don't forget...

To leave the link to your blog so I can visit you and check the link back!! Then I can add you in the draw!

Creatively Yours

Sally x

BLOG CANDY!!

I will be doing a small blog candy giveaway for my 10,000 hits which is very fast approaching (partly thanks to all the visits from the north of Scotland!! Thanks!!) so have decided I will probably post it next week on Friday.

BUT!! If you want double chances of winning, place a nice comment on my blog and a link back to me in your blog announcing up and coming candy next week, you will then be entered twice when you enter the giveaway again when I post the actual Yummy Candy competition next week!! For the double chance you MUST post a message before I post the candy.

Unfortunately I have to moderate my comments at the moment but this also is a blessing in disguise as I can keep track of each and everyone who enters so much easier! Its actually doing me a huge favour! Again!
In the meantime, I will gather my 'loot' and post a pic next week! It will then be drawn a week or 2 after that.

This giveaway will be open to anyone in any country, I will happily post anywhere in the world!

Happy crafting and get entering, spread the word!!!

Creatively Yours

Sally x

My bloke and my friend

This first card I made with the pink big bite II, punching holes and then using a variety of materials to make the words, then decorated it with papermania sentiments and Basic Grey 2 scoop rubon accents from the Olio selection.

This second one is for my very good friend and neighbour Chris who has really pulled thru for me these past few days and been an absolute trooper, checking on me when I have been down, helping me with things I need without any fuss at all, all while having her own things to cope with. She gave me these papers and a load of others today as she simply didn't use them, so I made a 'thank you for being my friend' card for her using them! I am very lucky to have her support and friendship right now.

The lovely surprise gift of these papers also helped me get some of my mojo back which has been seriously lacking these past few weeks! So thank youfor that too Chris!!

In this card I used Laura Ashley ribbon , chipboard and flower embellishments, SeeD stamps, InkitUp Chocolate Brown ink, a 2inch circle punch and papers from My Little Shoebox.

I also got a lovely surprise in the post today from Celia!! Thank you! It really made us smile, especially the momento from the sadly dearly departed Weston Pier!!

New blog to visit!

My eldest baby has decided to try her hand at blogging here, pop over and say hi!! Bless her, we have had great fun setting it up!

I am so loving....

Rhianna's 'Take a bow' - what a good song and great lyrics! Can't listen to it enough!
Also loving 'Sweet about me' by Gabriella Cilme. And don't forget Nickleback. My rocking crafting music at the mo! What do you listen to while you create??

72 hour Craftathon on Ideal World!!!!

Can also be watched online here!! With free P&P!!

Calling Chester-le-street, Durham

I see you visit me very, very, regularly, searching for me on Google everytime, even using my full name, can you please leave me a message so I know who you are!! Thanks
Also, Edinburgh and Peterborough please. Don't be shy! You are all such regulars and you visit so many times a day!

Edited: I know exactly who the oh-so-regular visitors from 'Edinburgh' are now thanks to a little experimentation from my favourite friend up in Scotland, they are from Morayshire!! We know who it is now!!

Still would love to know who the rest are! Leave a message be brave!

Tags! Again!

Here they are! We made these together using paper flowers, ribbon, eyelets, grommets, scrap cardstock, bit of heat embossong, bit of stamping and of course the Pink Big Bite!! Lovely bit of creative with mummy and mummy's stuff time!

Tags!!

My daughters and I have been making tags with the new pink Big Bite (grommets and eyelets aplenty!) but I can't find my camera!!! Will post pics asap!

Whats your personality?

Saw this on Joy's blog!

The Recipe For Sally Bees

3 parts Brilliance 2 parts Flair 1 part Bravery Splash of Passion Serve over ice

What's" the Recipe for Your Personality?

Not too sure about the brilliance and flair but bravery for standing up to bullies and for what I believe in, yes and passion, well that goes without saying for those who really know me!

I am passionate about what I do, whether its my family, friends, teaching little girls about loving themselves, morals, truth, honesty, caring for one another and doing the very best you can in Brownies and Rainbows or when it comes to being creative and running the Craft Club.

No amount of bullying, silly name calling or intimidation will make me give up what I am passionate about. Sticks and stones and all that!

I am lucky and humbled to have real supportive friends who know me, in the real world (and online!).

A lovely surprise! An award!

I have received the 'I love your blog' award from Tracy, thanks bird! Much appreciated at the moment I tell you! Especially with the rubbish time I am having at the moment.
Its nice to be thought of and appreciated and I am glad I have made a friend like you!

The rules for this award are:

1. The winner can put the logo on her blog

2. Link the person you received your award from

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs

4. Put links of those blogs on yours

5. Leave a message on the blogs of the girls you’ve nominated

I will have a good think about this and get back later or tomorrow if thats OK? I am dealing with 'official' matters this evening and I want to get them right.

Once again, thank you Tracy for your kindness
xxx

Woohoo! Olympic medals!

Congrats to our first medal winners in the olympics! Love the fact we have got 2 in the swimming where we usually don't do as well. And the cycling - WOW! What a race to win, endurance or what!? So proud of the British team, acheiving so quickly!
Well done Team GB!

Couple more sites!

Karens Carry ons has me hooked this evening and I shall have to try one of these Bubblyfunk monthly kits she talks about, they look fab!
Di's site Olibobs is another I have peek apeaking at this evening and am inspired!!
Crisashyland has a mix of amazing photos, wildlife pics cardmaking AND scrapbooking going on!
Bubblyfunk shoppie is owned by Caroline of I Love Pink Candy both are fab and can see the shoppie costing me a small fortune!!

Is anyone else being bullied??

If you are or have had derogatory comments or lies put on a blog or website, about you, can you please get in contact with details on how you handled it, which solictors/lawyers/advice you used if any and other details you are willing to share with me to help me in my case.

Email me privately if you prefer.
Thanks in advance for your help.

Look at this for inspiration!

Think Pink Blog - breast cancer related. The colours used and ideas are brilliant!! Well worth a visit.

Lookie here.... Buttons!

Stitch'n'Craft online store sells lots of stuff including Buttons!! Love buttons! There are also other crafty items like knitting and beads. Even have a shop, if you live near Shaftsbury - which I don't, not even the same country :(.

A new blog or 2 to check out...

I have come across this blog: Ambrosia and Iron and thought I'd share, the cards 'Angelnorth' or Joanne makes are beautiful, innovative, inspiring and different, I particularly like this one and this one and I am not off the first page of looking yet! I have popped a link on the right and will be visiting often in future!
I also found this one: Marisa-isa, each design is so different from the next and so beautiful!

Its Christmas!!

Ok, well not quite! Here is the Christmas card I made this week at Craft Club!

Also here is a card my Rachel made for daddy - FAB stands for Fantastic And Brilliant she informs me!!

I hope that you all don't mind me also posting my daughters creations too, its just that I am so proud of them and what they achieve and create! Each one is a little masterpiece in mummy's eyes! Their Brownie values of trying their best, love and kindness, really shine thru sometimes! As their Brown Owl and mum, I try my best to teach them good values like this - but it never seems to extend as far as a tidy bedroom!

My friends blog

Just realised that my friend Sarah has a blog!! She is a lovely OU friend of mine and is very intelligent and does all computery and technology stuff! So if you are onto that sort of thing, mosey on over and check out Kinda Learning Stuff and meet the lovely Sarah!

You are a violet, violet!

I am a Violet What Flower Are You?

"You have a shy personality. You tend to hesitate before trying new things or meeting new people. But once people get to know you, you open up and show the world what you are really all about."

Another award! Wylde Woman Award

Wow, I am honoured again! Isn't it beautiful?

I have been given this beautiful award from my friend and SBS sister Joy -
thanks Joy!
The rules for this award are:
1. You can give it to one or one hundred or any number in between - it’s up to you! Make sure you link to their site on your post.
2. Link back to Tammy’s blog (the originator of the Award).The purpose of the Award is to send love and acknowledgement to women who brighten your day, teach you new things, and live their lives fully with generosity and joy..
I'd like to pass it on to:
Cathy, Claire, Ev and Louise this time, thanks ladies!

Blog Candy!

Bev is giving away fantastic blog candy here to celebrate 20,000 hits!! Congrats Bev!

Gill's new home card

This was the card I made for Gill with little extras in the card itself on the envelope! The papers are from ScrapbookInspirations, the stamps, were part of the £100 goodies with the tote bag previously mentioned and are Anita's.

Thank you Celia

Look what wonderful Celia sent me.... I am a lucky lady! And she sent me some little bee embellishments for hubby's welcome home card! Thank you Celia xxx
One month of hubby being in Afghanistan gone, just another 2 and a half to go!

Some cards..

I made this one using the new Happy Birthday background stamp I bought for the Craft Club, stamped onto black card and clear embossed, scrap slightly woollen ribbon, and one of the many new embellishments I got for the Craft Club. Punched the eyelets in withthe Craft Club's new crop-a-dile! A Pink one!!

These next cards are made by my daughter Rachel.

Isn't she talented? She just loves to install herself on mum's craft table...... :o/

Look what I bought!!

Ok its not here yet, but its on its way - AND ITS PINK!!! And new and shiny!!

I was so excited I had to go and stock up on eyelets from Eyelet Outlet!! Thought I'd skip straight past the normal cropadile when I saw this on Ebay, what a bargain!