quick update...

Thanks for your messages :)

I'm feeling a little better today and am more mobile than I was. The doc doesn't think that I've slipped a disc but that I've probably pulled some muscles. I often have lower back pain and had SPD in my last pregnancy (the pelvis becomes unbalanced and it's very painful to walk/move) and I suspect this may be starting again.

Anyway, I have to take it easy and go back if it's no better next week. It's so hard though looking after a toddler and feeling like this. I can't even collect her from nursery as I can't lift her into the car. Graeme is being kept very, very busy, bless him.

We were supposed to be going to Glasgow to see friends this weekend but had to call that off. A quiet time at home is planned now and maybe a gentle stroll somewhere nice.

from this...

...to this, in the last 7 weeks!




It's definitely a baby now! Have to keep an eye on a possible low-lying placenta but, apart from that, everything looks fine.

Except, for my back. I bent over to put my boots on yesterday and something pulled in my lower back and since then I haven't been able to lay down, sit down or even move without being in excruciating pain. Got an appt at the docs in a while. I just want the pain to go away.

using up some old stash...

After using some of my new stash yesterday, I decided to challenge myself to use up some of the things that I've had for a while. So this is what I came up with:

'Bag Girl'



I saw a challenge on the Method Playground challenge blog to use bling to create a shape so I had a play with some Doodlebug glitter and used it to edge the photograph. I also used some Hambly holographic heart stickers and some MM glitter letters for even more bling! I really enjoyed putting this layout together and getting a little bit messy with paint and glitter!

Supplies:
Love Elsie papers
French Twist papers
Hambly stickers
MM letters
Glitter and paint
Heidi Swapp heart and ghost star
Hand doodling

Journaling reads:
This is such a typical pose; Evie with one of her many bags. You collect your things in them and then carry them around for a while before emptying it all out again. You now pretend to go shopping with your bags.

(Daddy is already worried about your love of bags and shoes!)

Thanks for looking x

eta: please excuse the dirty t-shirt :D Also, Evie was going through a phase of gurning for the camera when I took this photo; we've managed to get her to smile now!!

Layouts are like buses...

As I expected, I've rattled off another layout...none for months and then two in a day!

'Our Place'



This is a recent photo of me at Giant's Causeway at the exact spot that Graeme asked me to marry him (thus 'our place'). More sewing as I'm really in a sewing mood today.

The journaling reads:
Our place.
Our special place.
Where you proposed.
Where I feel happy.

Supplies:
Kraft cardstock (my new favourite product)
Collage Press papers plus other scraps
Prima brad
SEI buttons
Paper clip
String from Studio Calico kit packaging
Doodlebug paper trim

Thanks for looking :D

yum...

We're having a quiet and restful day at home today. I need it after a week at school!
Got quite a few projects that I'm behind with but just wasn't feeling inspired so instead, I've done my first layout in months using some Studio Calico loveliness. I really fancied doing some sewing so there's a row of stitches that I made using the parcel string from the SC kit.



Supplies:
KI Memories lace cardstock
MM Noteworthy papers
Queen and Co brads and paperclip
Paper turns
Velvet ribbon
Resin buttons
K&Co chipboard letters

The journaling reads: There's no wonder that you looked so happy, as this was your very first ice cream. Yes, at 25 months old, after your milk allergy had improved, we let you finally enjoy the wonders and delights of a vanilla cornet. You just couldn't hide your joy!

Feeling a bit more inspired now so I may be back with more to show later!

Not been feeling too good this week. My body doesn't like working full-time and being pregnant. So, I haven't managed any crafting. I have been thinking about my a-z though but as I'm stuck on a word for 'a', I thought I'd have a think about the other letters and see if anything came to me. Here goes...

a= accommodation - going to start with a pic of our home (Huge thanks T-L!! :D)
b = bathroom / bed (I love my bed!)
c = commuting / computers
d = dining room /dog
e = evenings / eating out
f = food / floors
g = gardens/games
h = hairstyles / holidays
i = internet
j = jars / jobs
k = kitchen
l = living room / laundry
m = music / mornings
n = night-times / nursery run
o = office / organisation (or lack of it!)
p = paperwork / photographs
q = 'quirky bits n bobs'?
r = routines / reading matter
s = settee / shed
t - tidying / toys
u = understairs cupboard
v = viewing pleasures
w = weekends / wardrobe
x =
y =
z =

I'm trying to cover most aspects of our home and our routines. You know, the bits that are normally in the background of photographs.

Any suggestions for the missing letters will be gratefully received :) Or I may just have to resort to trawling through my dictionary for inspiration!

My journal...

Finally finished making my a-z album and taken a few pictures to share:





(eta: the shadows and light are pretty dreadful - will try and take better photos another time)

The back cover was made from using cardboard (from my studio calico monthly kit box), which I then covered in cardstock and sealed with mod podge. The letters for the front cover were hand-drawn onto cardstock then cut from the Scenic Route papers and mounted onto contrasting card. Again, I sealed these with a couple of coats of mod podge to make them a bit more long lasting.

The title is made from a variety of letters, some Scenic Route labels and torn strips of Basic Grey paper. On the pages behind the letters are some torn pieces of Melissa Frances and Love Elsie papers. Finally, I cut a couple of pieces of acetate to protect the front covers. All of these pages were bound together using brown o-wires and my Bind It All.

The album opens from the middle and letters a-m will be behind the 'A' cover, whilst letters n-z will be found behind the 'Z' cover.

My next job is to complete the inside back cover with an explanation of what the album is about. Oh and do my pages for the letter 'a'.

Well, I've finally made a start on my A-Z album. Just need to figure out how to use my Bind it All now (going to get hubby to help me as he's far more into machines than I am!). I've decided to bind it now as I'm too impatient to wait the whole year before I see what it looks like!

I've also decided to use up some of my old stash and have made a good dent in some of my favourite Scenic Route papers and a few Love Elsie ones too. Will share some piccies when I finish off the cover.

Just need to think of a word for letter 'A'...


Thought I'd share some cute little stamps that I saw on Etsy (loving that site right now!).

This russian doll is gorgeous, as is this little bear. Can I resist?!!



eta: why had I left my Bind It All in it's box, untouched, since September? It was so easy to use! Nevermind, I'll make up for it now; already made a little notebook with some offcuts and bound my a-z album. Piccies to follow...

some journaling loveliness...

I was having a browse around Etsy last night and came across these two shops which are selling gorgeous little journaling spots: paperologie and elles.

Particularly like these calendar ones


and these Paris themed ones (I love anything to do with Paris!)


ans these who, what, when ones


They deliver internationally too!