Layouts

I made these as part of an 8 by 8 scrapbook for my dad for his birthday, I printed the digi layouts I have done previously and made a couple of normal pages and assembled half a scrapbook for him, with other pages to be sent as I make them so he gets surprises in the post! Kind of a prolonged pressie experience!x Sally x

First digital scrapbooking layout!

Using Serif Digital Scrapbook Artist!

Thanks Sue for the pointer in that direction, I know have another craft apart from stitching that I can do while us and our belongings wing their way to London!

x Sally x

Christmas Layout

I took these pics a couple of weeks ago when we set up the tree, and had to scrap them!
The images are Peppermint Twist from KandCo, the red paper under Santa is Basic Grey and the cardstock and ribbon generic from my stash. The acetate I believe is also Basic Grey. The numbers are Papermania.
Thanks for looking!

x Sally x

Had to share this photo!

This is my Rachel in another role that she is doing in the play Bugsy Malone, she plays Fizzy and sings 'Tomorrow Never Comes'.

The talent and adaptability of this child stuns me! She has such determination to acheive and be great at whatever she does. I really think she will go far. One week she was Brigita Von Trapp and now Fizzy, the roles couldn't be much different! Thanks to Sue Slater for the photo. And the chats recently, you are such a good friend and so incredibly funny, thank you x
x Sally x

The Hills are Alive!!!

I am in awe of the wonderfulness that are my children! This pic is when they first appear marching on stage in their Sound of Music stage production. The 2 girls are mine, the boy in the middle I have smudged his face as I would need to ask permission for his face to be shown on a blog. I had centre front row seat!! The Governer of Gibraltar and the Minister of Culture have requested that they run an extra night as it is sold out and so many people still want to see it! They have had rave reviews and have been in all the local mags and papers. I am so proud :D
Their Stagecoach school went to watch on Tuesday to see 3 of their pupils in a full stage production (the little girl who played Gretel is also a pupil).
They have worked so hard for so long, giving up their outside activities (apart from Stagecoach) and it was just perfect.
I could go on, but I think you get it now!

Creatively Yours
Sally

Opening Night!

The girls had their opening night last night of the Sound of Music and by all accounts it was a resounding success, with standing ovations! We have heard nothing but good things - we cannot wait to go see it, we have front row seats for Thursday and are soooooooo excited!!

Whilst they were being stars of the stage, I went to darts and we won 9-0!! Woweeee!! Good night all round!

Yesterday in the day we had Debbie at Decorative Crafts here in Irish Towns 'Subway' Craft day, so lots of goodies made and bought there too lol. Can't wait to try out my 'Glitter Flocking Powder' on my next Christmas cards! Chose and bought a few extra bits to put aside for my birthday in a couple of weeks (I will act surprised I promise!!).

Hope all in well in your world and happy voting USA!
Creatively Yours
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

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

Fire Station!

Ollie - my youngest and I - and my eldest Lizzy (dentist immediately before for her brace to be fitted, so had to come!), went on the nursery trip to the Defense Fire Service on the runway at Gibraltar and had a lovely time, here are a few pics!

Thought I'd share....

.....this picture - its from my phone so a little grainy, but this is from Wednesday and after the evening at the beach that I had with the Brownies and Rainbows - before I allowed her in the house - and STRAIGHT up to the bathroom!!
This is my baby - my 3 year old Olivia.
Now what do you think? Do you think she had a good time with all the big girls?? She is such a cheeky monkey!!

Can't sleep...

Well I have been sat here for about an hour and a half :(
Can't sleep.....
I can hear baby stirring upstairs so may get her in a min. I say baby, she is 3. She is MY baby, lol!
While here I have been fiddling with this blog, checking out the DoCrafts site for anything new and catching up with Kristinas blog which is possibly the best crafty blog I have come across yet and believe me I have been searching! I have mentioned this before I think but check it out! There are videos, tutorials and allsorts including links to other great blogs! I can't get enough of it, its inspirational! I have adapted an idea or two to my own cards but WOW! I will never get to her standards! I hope to start joining in the Colour Inspirations challenges soon when I have the confidence but not just yet, lol. I also have different products so will have to adapt those, I haven't been able to source any Stampin' Up or American Crafts products yet apart from on Ebay. Can't afford them yet either but will try and use what I have through Papermania, Dovecraft etc... until I can.
I have a card I will try and upload to the DoCrafts site which uses DoCrafts products - I hope to get this published. I want at least one publish or as Project of the Week by the end of this year, which means I will have to work hard and improve my craftsmanship!
I have a wish list of items, at the top at the mo are:

Stamp-a-majig
Crop-a-dile
Rubberstamps - any lol, but mainly expressions and phrases.

{Sigh} if only, lol. Of course sourcing them is the biggy, I (once again!) have only found them on Ebay, my local craft shop here in Gib doesn't sell them.

That will do now, must go and make baby her choccy chaud. Thats hot chocolate to normal people.......

My Inspirations (copied and pasted)

My current inspirations...
Friday, Apr 11, 2008
At the moment I get the ideas from the Web or my infrequent visits to the craft club (its on the same night as Brownies), but love the colours of the papermania backing papers, and brads, in fact anything papermania, I am just discovering ribbon brads and eyeletting which is making it all the more fun! I like to stamp, heat emboss and use ribbons ;o) its the girlie in me! Whats more my 4 daughters, well 3 of them, have quite gotten into it too! The little one would rather watch Roary the Racing Car, lol!
I love the Docrafts site and get their mag Creativity! I get my supplies from Debbie at Decorative Crafts in Irish Town, here in Gib, Ebay and Madaboutcards.com who do an occasional sale and a lovely VAT discount cos I am in Gib so making lots of use of them at the mo! Hmmm just had free minieggs....Yum!
I have also just discovered Starofmay on Youtube and her accompanying blog Kwernerdesign blog, what an inspiration! She also has links off her blog to other FAB cardmakers and designers.
I also shamelessly steal my ideas from Gill, Annette, Martine and Sue at the craft club! If I see something they are doing and like it, consider it nicked, haha, hey the new girl has to start somewhere!
One company that looks wonderful is K&CO so will be checking their stuff out on Ebay when the cash is available!
I will be leaving my studies for a while while DH is away in Afghanistan and am hoping to hand the Brownies and Rainbows over to capable hands. I want to try and have a relatively stress free time while he is away so I can craft at leisure! Its so therapeutic! And of course R needs her taxi driver for rehearsals!