Thankful for Gems and shopping...

My little sister Gem's posted this cute photo collage of the two of us on her blog. She also did a gushing entry about how grateful she is for her family now she's moved away. These pics have me craving for the bleach bottle...what do you reckon readers - do blondes have more fun?

So couldn't resist the challenge over at The Studio to scrap about shopping. I have been keen to scrap a pic of my Gems recently, since she moved to a tropical island I don't get to see or speak to her much. This pic is of her standing at the smallest street in Brugges. We went away with our hubby's, but managed to ditch them for a morning and do some proper shopping without their watch watching or tutting. We had a fab time gossiping and buying what we wanted. I have just got an AC kit from TKMaxx and so this layout features lots of me new stash, including spangly thickers and a cute little rosette. Love it!

Mexican madness...

My regular readers will remember the fancy dress Mexican pics. I finally got round to scrapping it. Here is a close-up... I had neglected my poor mists for too long and so fished them out again. I went for the colours of the Mexican flag and glammed it up with the glitter thickers and lots of cute little embellies. I made it a celebratory layout with balloons and an explosion of colour.

Enjoy!

She's so lucky, she's a star!

As promised here are a few of the layouts I have been working on recently. The poem over at Scrap that Poem is about gratitude to mother earth. I thought of these pictures we took of the gorgeous autumn colours. I love my leaf brads that my sister got me and used as many as poss. I kept the layout quite plain for a change and let all the colours and textures just speak for themselves! So get on over to the blog and have a go - it's a great challenge and there is a fab prize up for grabs. In the same vein was the theme for the studio challenge which was: lucky. I immeadiately thought of these pics of how much Arne spoilt me for my birthday. I even used some of the tsash I got for my birthday including the ribbon and rhinestones. Check out the huge box of chocs in the main pic! Wow!

The journalling is all about the party he threw for me and what we did.

I combined the layout with the use of circle journalling and polka dot cardstock.

November seems to be the month for gratitude! It's always good to count your blessings...

One year old and wiser too...

It's birthday fever in our household in Autumn and today is his turn... Looking like his'n'hers in our new purple tops. I went crazy at Debenhams 25% off sale and even got a mini cupcake pan I have been after for ages. Here is the cheesy birthday candle pic...

This carrot cake was made with a little help from Betty Crocker. I added pineapple and coconut to make it a tropical version. Despite following the cream cheese icing recipe to the letter and letting the cake cool down the icing still melted a bit - but it did taste yummy.

I got him a very good quality meat cleaver from Debs, may seem like a strange pressie but he has been after one for a while as he fancies himself as the next Jamie Oliver. I also got him a hoody and this cool board game called Nab It which is like scrabble with a twist.

More posts to follow with some scrapping - I have been running on empy after ofsted last week and was too lazy to post them!

An Inspector Calls...

So there was rather stressful announcement Monday lunchtime...Ofsted were coming Wednesday and Thursday to inspect our school. Cue panic and hysteria. Ridiculous late nights, lack of sleep due to stress, a mini heart attack everytime someone walked past my door, the most resource heavy and detailed lessons and lesson plans. They came to my Year 8 lesson and I came out with a good, although I usually get outstandings I was happy enough. Our school came out with a 'good' overall, which we were delighted about! Yay! All the hard work paid off. So this explains my absense from blogland. I am turning this post into a tribute to school. Here is my food (or home ec for all you statesiders) A few weeks ago I finally got hold of Libby's pumpkin pie filling and played with pumpkin cupcakes and decided they were my best ever and most moist cakes. Here is the recipe - good old Martha Stewart! The edible glitter didn't look very good on the cream cheese frosting, but would look better on chocolate frosting. I made some with swirly icing all nicely piped on, but forgot to photograph them. Also in half term I came across this pic of my friends and I at St.Georges. We liked to do random photo shoots at lunch time and this pic was taken in the changing rooms. Here is a close-up of the pic:

IRL the gold stamped title stands out and looks great. The backing 'paper' is actually fabric I picked up for a bargain at the Harrogate Scrapping Fair thingie.

Last, but not least, a tribute to our least fav lesson - science!!! However, we both really enjoyed out last visit to the Glasgow Science Museum and I have been keen to scrap these pics since then. I used this sketch from Twisted Sketches as I love circles and it fitted well with our hats and the fun feel of the page. I used bright colours and cute little mosters cut out of cardstock.

I think the paint border brings it all together and gives it a tactile feel.

So the bells gone it's break time...I am thinking one of the choc chip and peanut butter cookies I just whipped up in my sisters kitchen aid and an episode of Gossip Girl Season 3 I just got...

What are you doing with your play time this weekend?

Keep the Faith...

So hitting the double...glad that scrapping the music extended their challenge for another week as I was keen to get involved. I love Bon Jovi and listened to his music a lot growing up, plus my faith is a big part of who I am. I was also interested in the challenges on Mission to Create: Deborah: use an item from the $ store (the butterly stickers) Jocie: use a tree (it's in the pic!) Nicole: rolled paper pieces (see the top) Vanessa: at least 3 butterflies (stickers and rub ons) Karola: twine (stapled on) I like the dreamt effect of the backing papers contrasted with the purple and brightly coloured butterflies.

My fav glittery thickers stand out nicely on the worded backing paper.

The journalling is all about how perfect and peaceful the Inglebrook Waterfalls are.

I am pleased with this layout and was glad to get back to some scrapping!

McFlyday Friday...

Get on over to scrapping the poetry to join in the lastest challenge using Robert Burns' poem - Love is red, red rose...

Pukka....

Hmmm maybe no pics of the Ghost Walk in York as the camera I borrowed from the media department at work doesn't do so well in the dark. Exciting news though...a digital SLR is winging its way to me this week, after an ebay bid off! Yay! So another indulgence of mine in the hols has been this programme... So today I made squash and spinach risotto (not my actual pic -thanks google!) using the new tips I got from watching Jamie make his mushroon risotto. It was my most delicious risotto yet - and it is one of my speciality dishes. Instead of just oinion I used garlic and ginger as well. I added the stock directly to the risotto instead of making up the stock in the measuring jug first. Then the special touch - you take it off the heat, add more hot water as it should be like a wave with still some liquid, then I added butter and lots of parmesan. It was really ouzy, creamy and delish. So have a go!

Then he also features a quick and easy banoffi pie which Arne had a go at making, but I didn't like it with the shop brought flan base - it didn't taste right. So we had friends over for dinner last night and I made banoffi pie in a wine glass. I started off with two ginger nuts blitzed with a bit of butter, then dulche lech from a can (none of the boiling for three hours like I used to) then slices of banana, then two bananas blitzed with double cream and whipped. Then some chocolate grated on the top.

It took literally ten mins and tasted soooo good.

So there you go some good back to school meal ideas...and you all thought all I could do was scrap and bake....

Coming soon - pumpkin cupcakes which were a raving success and my best cupcakes yet!

Got the blazing blues...

I was fed up yesterday after a WHOLE day of marking books and grading assessments - yawn...marking is definately the most boring part of teaching. Plus its meant to be the holidays, right? So we wanted to do something fun last night as I had been stuck inside all day. Arne did a bit of googling and found this... On at the Alambra in Bradford a street dance sensation performing for an hour and a half on stage. It was amazing! The lighting and music was so effective and the routines were funny and fast paced, with funky costumes. Loved it! I have also snatched a few minutes to finish two pages I have been working on. First up is the page from the last Iron Cupcake I took part in. I came third overall, but was dissapointed as the pictures I took on my phone came out pixilated - hey ho! I used the actual sign I made for the contest and cut some cute monsters out my cardstock. The second layout is quite a simple one of some of the guests at my recent birthday do. I was using a sketchy thursday's sketch, but ended up missing the deadline on that one. Still a great sketch which helped me fit loads of pics on the layout. Check out my new heart buttons I got for my brithday from my sister -thanks Mara!

Any halloween plans then? We are off for the ghost tour in York....pics to follow soon...

Aye it was a pure dead brilliant mini break...

So returned earlier from a brilliant little mini break in Glasgow. We always like to get away for a few days and chill out whilst exploring somewhere new and so headed for Scotland. We have tried country breaks, but seem to much prefer the city breaks. So where does every good city break start...? Cake of course. This parsnip and vanilla cake was divine and I am now devising some cupcakes from it - watch this space! The science museum was a big hit with us. It was full of kids, but then I always say if you can't beat em join em!! So here we are playing with the exhibits- it is a really interactive museum and I would highly recommend a visit.

The wheels on the bus...

Floating heads...all a trick with mirrors...

In our geeky hats at the museum....

My feet were killed and so we chilled out on the tour bus for a while and saw some interesting parts of Glasgow.

This was our hotel on the left. A great location and top rate facilities. We don't have cable or sky at home so always enjoy this luxury when away. We watched some old skool movies like Ten Things I Hate About You (still love it even tho I know every word!) and Dangerous Minds.

Arne was being camera shy and so here is a rare photo....which I tricked him with! I was soooo excited to find a South Indian restaurant as ever since a girly break in Notts I was desperate to try it again. It's really light, fruity and has lots of veggie dishes.

Me with my huge dopza. A rice pancake filled with curried potatoes and peas. Delish!

So there we go more scrap fodder. We also had a big shopping spree in Primark and now both have snuggly Christmasy jumpers for the winter months. I am wearing mine now and will post a pic of it soon - it is just too cute for words and so snuggly! Yum! Holidays are coming....

Winner....finally!

So I am a winner on so many levels... 1) It's half term. A week off from the kids, definately not a week off from marking though. I have piles and piles to do. Groan! 2) I am off on am mini break Sunday night to Glasgow with my lovely hubby. We always love getting away and find we actually spend time with each other. Unlike when we are at home and have so many distractions. 3) Because I finally won a challenge. I was getting a bit down about my scrapping and blogging recently and feeling like it was all for nothing and I didn't have as many comments anymore and i had still never won a challenge...boo hoo hoo! So thanks Mission to Create for restoring my faith in my scrapping. I know it is a bit melodramatic cos only four people entered, but still.... So hope your all having a lucky Friday too!

The one with the snickerdoodles...

So I finally found a bit of time to post some of the things I have been doing lately. Here are two pages I have been working on over the last few weeks. The first is pics of my sister and I in our gym gear. She is a complete gym buddy, but I am a bit lazier and was only in shape here as it is just before the wedding. I wish I was still this shape!! I plan to add some journalling to it later.

This second layout was inspired by Laura's title on her page. I had this pic of our rings and hasn't scrapped it - so felt it was time to do so. It came together well and I like the colour combo and use of paint and little letter stickers - cute!

So I was in need of a sugar rush as I am SERIOUSLY lacking energy this week. I can defo tell half term is just round the corner - this has been an intense half term with lots of difficult classes and heaps of marking and report writing to tip you over the edge.

I found this really easy recipe for snickerdoodle muffins packed with sugary, cinamony (sp??) goodness!! Don't you just love the cute little cases. My mom got them for me at Morrissons. I took a batch of these home with me at the weekend and they didn't last long.

We also saw Annie the musical on the Friday night and it was soooo amazing - I had to resist singing along to every song. It's such a fab story! The acting was top notch too, especially Sue Pollard as Miss Hannigan!

I am excited as we have just booked a little mini break to Glagow next week. Yay!

What are you guys excited about?

Sunshine...on a rainy day!

Get yourself over to scrapping the poetry to see the fab creations inspired by Emily Dickenson's poem. Here is my take on the challenge - so take part, there is a great prize up for grabs. This weekend I have mainly been: Obsessing over the X-Factor. Especially Matt Cardle's amazing performance - I have backed him from the start. How about yourselves?

Painting on pages...

So I have been getting messy and having fun with the paints. This layout is a few snaps I took with my new instax mini camera on my birthday. I love this AC hearts paper which is embossed and has sparkles in it too - v.pretty! The cupcake embellie was on my mom's pressie for me. Quite a plain layout for me. I thought it needed a border and added some hot pink paint -I am not convinced by the colour combo, I should have mixed the pink with some white paint to make it a bit more subtle. Next a very different layout for me. A pic of *most* of my family on Christmas day in the snow - yay! I thought the stripes contrasted well with the checks and then stapled a whole variety of ribbons onto the pic. My title is masked and then coloured in to make it stand out - I like the contrast with the red, glittery thickers.

I have a feeling this week is going to d-r-a-g. Last week flew by as it was my birthday and every day there was new surprise or something to look forward to. I am going to see my parents this weekend - I am super excitied as haven't seen them for literally months. Not even the whole six weeks holidays. They are feeling very neglected. Mom has mentioned the possibilty of watching Annie at the theatre is Shrewsbury friday night too - how exciting!

What are your plans for the weekend? Come on lurkers - reveal yourselves....

Come dine with me...

The hubster outdid himself this year - he organised a "surprise" birthday dinner party for me. He spent all Friday night and Saturday slaving over the oven preparing a delicious feast/ Starter: Spicy pumpkin soup Main: A whole variety of pasta and sauces like bolognase, spinach and walnut, lemon and roasted pumpkin Desert: Lemon roulade and ben and jerry's half baked My mom always got us fancy candles for our birthdays and without knowing this, this was my candle: Explosive hey?! Here is the spread:

A not very flattering pic of the two of us - sadly the only one we have. With my huge box of choccies from Thorntons (guess the diet starts tomorrow hey?!)

These cupcakes were a surprise pressy from my sister Gem's who is currently living it up in Turks and Caicos Island, but arranged to have these baked by a lady in Harrogate. How cool is the swirly icing - I can only dream of being able to pipe like that!

All in all a fabby birthday weekend. Some scrapping to show soon of pics from my actual birthday - so check back soon!