Friday 31 October 2014

Week in the Life ... Day 4

Day 4 found me catching up with housework chores. So this really is what my everyday tends to look like.


In the last set of pictures, you'll see a gorgeous Christmas tree was delivered. Yes, its gold and its for the little house ... ooohhh so exciting.

Also, my driving licence was returned to me, with 5 points on. If anyone reading travels on the M25 ... beware cameras are on, all the time!  Also, Simon got an email saying he was slimmer of the month in our group, and the last picture was my box of Christmas goodness, while sorting out for my Daily December.

I'll be back tomorrow with more.

Thank you for sticking with me x

Thursday 30 October 2014

Week in the Life ... Day 3

Here we are on day 3, which consisted in doing my Sainsbury's food shop and having lunch with my lovely neighbours.

I'm extremely lucky that I live in a place where my neighbours have actually turned into friends.  This is the second time we've arranged for us to meet up for lunch. Sadly 3 of them couldn't make it this time, due to holidays or sickness ... but just a few of us went this time.


 Ok, onwards and upwards ... and I must remember to take more photos today.

Plus today, I'm hoping to sort out through some of my stash for my Daily December album.

Wednesday 29 October 2014

Week in the Life ... Day 2

Day 2 saw me working at Simon's office again (last time this week)... so yes, a few coffee's, but it's fun just to take the everyday things that make up our life.

So here is just a brief snapshot of my day.


See you tomorrow ... thanks for sticking with me.

Tuesday 28 October 2014

Week in the Life ... Day 1

So here we are, day 1. I'll be keeping these week in the life posts brief and let the photos do the talking (with maybe a little explaining from me).  I also won't bore you with them all, just a brief snapshot.





A quick explanation ... I went with Simon today into his office to do a sort out, got treated to coffee (a couple of times); got a studio calico add on kit; blog read and changed over bags (as my zip broke on the one I've been using)

I've also got Simon joining in with the photos for our Week in the Life ... and here are a couple of his.



So far its fun. Although a lot of people are giving me very strange looks for photographing everything lol.  See you tomorrow with day 2's photos x



Monday 27 October 2014

Me on a Monday

Well, if I'm honest, I'm writing this post on Sunday, and the reason for this, so you don't think I'm completely mad is, I'm going to try ... and I use the word TRY, to do Ali Edwards Week in the Life, this week.

Now I'm not the worlds best blogger, we all know that! But just this week, to keep me on track, I thought I might share my week with you all, each day.  So hence the reason for this post being written on Sunday, and each day I'll share with you the previous days goings on.

I've actually never really taken part in this challenge, I see it all the time on Instagram and blogs, and thought it looked fun. So I did a bit of online searching and found that Ali Edwards has some downloads and information ... if anyone is interested, it's HERE.


I'm quite looking forward to seeing what the week holds, especially as I've a few different things in the diary than usual, such as helping out in Simon's office. Is anyone else joining in?

As always a wave and a thank you to Sian, for her lovely Me on a Monday idea x


Saturday 25 October 2014

Craft Room revamp

For a while now I've realised that my craft room doesn't quite work.  I regularly have a shuffle around of stash, or have a clear out and clear up, but for some reason it doesn't quite gel.

Well, a few things happened recently. Firstly, when I went to a local crop, and I took only a small amount of stash, and found I was more productive than I usually am when I take nearly half of my craft room.  So that got me thinking.

I need my craft room to stay as a room so that I can craft in it everyday, without unpacking a crop bag and searching in boxes and draws ... and that sadly means "forget the pretty, it needs to be functional".Also, I need to keep on hand ready to go supplies for crops. To be honest, most of the time that will be my Studio Calico kit. But .... all this means, I need to get my act together and get things sorted once and for all!

So firstly, I tried doing a sort out in and around the mess, well that didn't work. So I decided to almost empty my room completely. I did at one point worry this was a tad drastic, but I'm pleased to say, I'm getting there. I'll share with you some photos over time, on how I'm organising it, but its still very much a work in progress, and is going to take me some time but I thought I'd show you first how I've set up a little work station for me to crack on with Project Life.

I was very lucky to win on Instagram, a place on the Big Picture Catch up class, and they have a set of pre-challenges, and one of those is to organise your basic supplies, and start printing out your photos. So this is what I've done


This was the table that my sewing machine was on, but for now while I'm on the class, I'm going to keep my album here and my everyday project life basics.

My photos, inks, stamps and things that say a certain month or season, are kept in here.

 Here are my everyday project life stamps

This little folder is where I'm keeping my photos, in weeks

And this little box will hold my memorabilia, that is going to be slipped into my album. 

So there you have it, my project life station.  I'll keep you posted with the class, and how well I'm doing with catching up.

Hope you're all having a fun weekend. I'm hoping to be back on Monday with a Me on a Monday post. 

Monday 20 October 2014

Little House Makeover

Happy Monday friends.

We spent a lovely weekend at the little house, making it more of our home, and we're certainly getting there.

I thought it might be nice if I start showing you some of the project we've been working on, and the first ... which I'm really proud of is, the old piano.

As some of you know, the house used to belong to Simon's Nan, and when we bought it a few years ago, a lot of the family took what they wanted from it and left what they didn't. Well, the piano was one of those that no body wanted.  To be honest, I was over the moon, as I had plans for it anyway.

So here it is, in all its glory.  I actually painted it before the house renovations started and before it went into storage - that way I didn't have to move it too much (its sooo heavy) and it didn't matter what mess I made with the paint around it.

Its funny, it was one of those projects that I really panicked over. As, although nobody wanted it, it had always been in the family and well, you know what people are like over change. But I'm happy to say, everyone that comes into our home, falls in love with it.  I painted it with Annie Sloan chalk paint, and yes, I still have the stool to do and make a new seat cover, but oh I love chalk paint.  I haven't waxed it, as I think over time, I'll need to do more painting over it, and ... uummm, I still may make a few tweaks to it.

I've been upcycling lots of furniture and knick knacks and I will show them all with you. Saying all that, I still have lots to do, but I'm really loving it.


Tuesday 14 October 2014

Crop Day

Now, as many of you know, I'm not the most productive at crops! ... well, there is a Starbucks not 3 minutes walk away. So what do you expect from me lol.

But this past Saturday at the crop, well I was a woman on a mission.  I sat next to the lovely Jo, who normally (and yes, she'll moan about this) chats just as much as me. But this Saturday, she had her head down and was working on catching up on her Project Life.  I was also sitting a bit further away from Emma, who normally ALWAYS distracts me lol.  So what's a girl to do (once she's got her Caramel Macchiato) Well, she scraps, that's what.

So here are the 2 layouts I actually completed at the crop. Now, I know to some of you that go to crops and do 5 or 6 a day, it doesn't seem a lot, but for someone that has in the past been known just to paint her nails at a crop, this is a big achievement.

And then, to top it off ... I was feeling super creative. I actually came home and started work on another layout.  Just a few finishing touches to put to that, and I'll share that later.

This first layout came about, when my friend Susan found a photo of us at her 21st, and its about how good a friend she is to me, and then us at her 50th.


This second layout is something I've been meaning to do for ages. I see lots of these grid type layouts on Pinterest, and all using frames. So I printed out our day at a Vintage Car Boot fair at South Bank in small photos and came up with this. 


After all this, I was feeling super creative, so I actually came home and started work on another layout.  Just a few finishing touches to put to that, and I'll share that later.

So, there you have it! .... I do actually scrapbook.

Monday 6 October 2014

Me on a Monday

I'm joining Sian again, this dull Monday morning, for "Me on a Monday" post.

I've realised that most of my Monday posts are photos of me taken over the weekend, so just while that thought popped into my head, I decided to change that today, and quickly sat back, and took a photo of me in the mirror.  I was actually doing a spot of "Pinterest" viewing on the computer in Simons home office.

This weekend really started the change of weather into Autumn, and shopping in Kingston on Saturday we got rather wet! ...Still, I'm really don't mind the change in season, if it means sitting all cozy in front of the fire. I also got to see my cousins this weekend; took out my winter clothes to start sorting through;  clearing my craft room (again) and a spot of stash sorting for my Daily December album. Well, it is only 80 days till Christmas. :)

So there you have it .... me on a Monday.  Hope everyone has a fun week, I'm off to meet Emma for coffee now.
x

Wednesday 1 October 2014

Goodbye September ... Hello October

Its hard to believe its the 1st of October today, as its beautifully mild here. In fact, as I'm typing this the back door is wide open and its nice and sunny.

But its time to say hello to another month, and goodbye to a fun packed September

It was a month of enjoying the Italian weather, saying hello to a big birthday, partying with friends, joining slimming world, hospital visits and operations, upcycling projects, a burst watermain at the little house, and getting dressed up to party with the Lord Mayor.  So all in all, a busy month.

I wonder what October holds. I'm sure the weather will change soon, but if I'm honest, I do so love the colder weather too .... it means I can get my boots out! and shop for a new pair .... well, you have to, don't you?