L.A Galaxy - the craziest supporters ever!

Although the supporters were few at the L.A Galaxy match we went to see the volume was high. They had a small band in the supporters stand, a conductor to regulate the chants (how American is that?!) and a laminated song card with all of their chants. I am not the biggest footie fan but had promised the H that we could go and see a game in return for all the hours he spent in scrapbook stores and cupcakeries. Also my sister Mara, who was travelling with us, is a huge fan, but I did enjoy watching the crazy supporters jump around in the stands and singing.
Of course watching Beckham run around the pitch didn't hurt.
I know the staging for this layout is a bit cheesy and doesn't even co-ordinate. But I like it.
I love this starting point sketch from Shimelle and filled the envelope with more pics, my ticket and the laminated song sheet.

Half page challenge...Monterey style

I have been an errant blogger but creative things have been happening every day. You may recall I was waiting on a bumper delivery from snapfish and was trying to scrap without the photos. It wasn't totally successful as some of the layouts didn't quite gel with the pics. One of the more successful attempts was completed (or started at least!) using Shimelle's half page challenge. I know I am too late for the prizes, she did a fab list of challenges but I was only just back from California when the challenges were due in. I may work backwards on a few more though as I am struggling to start my layouts at the mo.

Sorry the picture is a bit blurred - I think it would be better if you clicked on it. Quite a simple layout. I love map paper and got a bunch of it at Michael's in the US - my sister and I loved the scrap shops and found the funniest one where they have this section for husbands with television, car manuals and mags and big comfy chairs - Arne loved it in there!
How cute is my new lettering and mini doilies - also US purchases!

Wedding dress layout...

This layout has been a long time coming, even since I saw this gorgeous layout I have wanted to get my hands on the hambly overlay. It took me a year, a trip across the Atlantic and I chanced upon it in a cute stationary boutiqe in Santa Monica. Then Shimelle decided it was wedding week and so I couldn't resist.

Here it is...

I love it. It's every bit as lovely as I envisaged. It captures a really special moment perfectly. The final dress fitting. I wanted to stitch the tissue paper on as Sharmaine did as it fits well with the dress making theme but the sewing machine was playing up. I think I need lessons.

California slideshow part two...

Hey bloggers!

I have made some progress with my slideshow and have added my own music, pan and scan and a fade effect. It is roughly the last ten days of the trip - although some of the photos are a bit muddled.

Highlights of the second part of the trip:
* Monterey Aquarium
* San Diego zoo - such cute polar bears and pandas
* Balboa Park
* Lots of shopping
* A really tasty Italian meal at Guiseppe's on Pismo beach
* Driving along route 1 to our California soundtrack and snapping lots of pics of the gorgeous views
* Five Guys Burgers and Fries
* Seeing Beckham play for L.A Galaxy
* Eating some of Julian's famous apple pie
* Gold panning
* Eating delicious stone baked pizza outside whilst listening to a blue grass band
* Gayle's bakery in Santa Cruz

The scrapbooking stores were immense and I have been stroking my new papers all day. Lots of maps, stars and stripes and papers with California related pics and titles. I can't believe that you can even get local high schools and football teams cardstock and supplies - craziness!

It's pretty quiet on blogger - I think a lot of people must still be on holiday. I have been trying to catch up with visiting all your lovely blogs and seeing what projects you are busy with and where you've all been on holiday.

Thanks for looking!

California slideshow...

Still struggling to kick the jet lag. Can't sleep till at least 2 a.m every morning, perhaps if I wasn't still on holidays I could shake it. Oh well, I won't complain! 

So as promised I have made (and it's my first so don't laugh!) a slideshow of our first ten days in California to share some of our happy memories with you all. I have ordered a HUGE stack of pics from snapfish but am losing patience waiting for it to arrive. Think of all the scrapping I could be doing? I have made four pages ready for pics but have never worked this way before, do any of you guys scrap this way? I'm a tactile scrapper and always feel the need to see my photos on the layout and worry it won't work when they come. 

So without further ado...I present our roadtrip...California 2011...the first ten days...

Highlights of the first ten days:

* Hiring bikes and exploring Santa Monica and Venice beach

* Mexican food - yum!

* The cool food courts

* Lots of root beer - love that stuff!

* Wodelicious in Santa Barbara the cutest cupcakerie ever, it was just like wonka land

* Steinbeck museum

* Monterey - such a cute little seaside town

* San Luis Obisbo and the infamous bubblegum alley

* The wedding of course (may do a seperate slide show on that!)

* San Fran (it was just as amazing second time round)

* Jelly Belly Factory FREE tour and sample bar - yum!

So fingers crossed it will work and if those darn pics turn up tomorrow you will have some layouts to see.
The last ten days will be up soon too.

Come Dine with Me Champions

So you may remember my earlier post about our Gastro Pub night. Before that our friend Mike hosted a Greek food night and before that our friends the Flinn's hosted a tapas night where I forgot to take pics as there was so much good food distracting me!
We had soooo much fun and it was just like having a free posh restaurant meal out, I would totally recommend you guys have a go with some friends. We enjoyed it cos we're real foodies and were loving the chance to try lots of new and exciting recipes. We now make the bread used in our starter often and it's still as delicious and we have tried different variations like adding sun dried tomotoes too.
So Saturday night was the last evening and the one where we would add all the scores together. Esther and Jared put on a Thai feast and named their night - "Come Thai'n with me!" which I thought was a great name! The food was delish and they won for their starters. I didn't take any pics as we took so many on holiday and just wanted to enjoy the evening.
We were voted the overall winners with an average score of 8.7. Our dessert also won overall for that category. We were pleased, but also found it a bit awkward to have to score each other and place someone last when we had all tried so hard.

Guess whose back...?

Well we are back and the house looks like a mess now I have exploded our bags and started on the laundry. Was an amazing trip but I will tell you ALL about it soon, I am trying to beat the jet lag so must head to bed. Will leave you with a pic...

A silly pose on the Big Sur!