February Tusal:

Just quickly post this before I drop Tom at school - hmmm doesnt look like much increase there?? Pop to Daffycats if you fancy joining up

Ali
xx

Another success in the kitchen department...

... ooh well my baking seems to have turned a corner - two successful cakes!!

voila:

Carrot cake (with cream cheese icing!!) recipe courtesy of What Kate Baked... tastes yummy too!!

In my bid to being frugal/organised I am trying to stick to meal plans and I feel more organised and the shopping bill is better when I am not buying things I dont need I am linking up with At Home with Mrs M and posting my meal plan for the week:


Monday: meatballs & pasta
Tuesday: pancakes
Wednesday: Shepherds Pie & beans
Thursday: BBQ pork chops, Jacket Potatoes & Corn on the cob
Friday: Kids at Nannas & we are hopefully out for the day - so tea out I think - if not a takeaway (feel slightly justified in having one as not had one in AGES -lol)
Saturday : Corned Beef Stew (only for me and hubby - kids still at Nannas)
Sunday: Roast Lunch (probably chicken) & sandwiches for tea.

We tend not to do desserts but there is fruit/biscuits/cakes/yoghurts available.

Ali
xx

Good Morning...

... wow!! it's nice and sunny here - might be able to get some more washing hung out to dry!!

Just wanted to quickly blog a couple of cards before we head out for the boys visit to the Games Workshop to paint or play games or whatever it is they do there - lol.

This first card is using a Mo image that was recently a freebie she advertised on facebook - its a lovely image:


I wasnt sure about my layout at first I didnt know if the flowery paper was too much?? What do you think?? I have coloured her with promarkers and used papers, ribbons and buttons that were freebies with a magazine - the blue ribbon was a lighter shade so I went over it with a promarker and it turned out quite well. The sentiment is from Craftwork Cards.

I would like to enter this into

Bronte & Bellas challenge -(Mos digital challenge) - My sentiments exactly.
OSAAT - digi or dont

The next card was one I made for Mouse:

The image is a Meljens one coloured with promarkers matted onto a doily then added cream ribbon and pearls from my stash - the pink/brown spotted paper was from Mina and again a sentiment from Craftwork Cards.

I would like to enter this into:
The ribbon girl blog - pink/brown & cream
Crafty Emmas - spots & dots

Right off to rally the troops (and orks and spacemarines or whatever they are!!)

Have a lovely Sunday folks

Take Care

Ali
xx

About bloomin' time for a post...

... cor cant believe where the time has gone since my last post. Not much happening here in the B household just pottering on by with work and then a little bit of stitchy stuff and cardy stuff when I can squeeze it in on a night!!

My meal planning is still working - I'll have to get round to posting it and adding it to at home with Mrs M's meal plan monday

Oh yes, before I forget even some "successful" baking which very rarely happens but I made a Banana Loaf with a recipe from The goddess's Kitchen - it was so quick and easy, and tasted delish - look heres a picture:


check that out!! It looks shop bought doesnt it - but no I did it!!!

Different cards have been made one a get well card for a friend who is recovering from surgery following a mastectomy:





This was an freebie image from a magazine (I think) cut with my Nesties, coloured with promarkers and 3d glossy accents on the black bit in the centre of the flower. The ribbon is from my stash and papers that I was lucky enough to receive from Mina.

Sorry for the dark photos (again!!).

I would like to enter this into:

MAWTT - Get well soon

Then the rest were mainly birthday cards:

This for Ians uncle who has had many hobbies but the one he keeps coming back to is model aeroplanes:
Another image coloured with promarkers matted onto black card and then used Basic Grey papers with olive & black ribbon from my stash with a craftwork cards sentiment added.

Will check if there are any challenges I can enter this into :-)

Pennys Paper crafty -anything goes

I wont bore you with many more photos - just one last one, this was for my lovely mother in law who helps me out soooooo much looking after the boys if hubbys shifts fall wrong when I am at work:


Just realised its a bit of a LOTV fest this afternoon, I have coloured the image with promarkers and cut with my nesties and distressed the edges. then added doily and papers from my stash and then added Mum which I die cut with my one set of alphabet :-(

Again, will check on challenges for this.

Lilis little fairies - anything goes (challenge on Bev and Jacques blog but not up and running yet)


Hope I havent bored you tooooo much.

Thanks for looking

Ali
xx

Yoo hoo...

... still needing a kick up the bum lol. Anyhoo, I've posted about my stitchy sal over at the Christmas all year round and how I didnt complete Januarys - oops!!

I've got a few cards to blog though I'll do this one today -


apologies for the poor photo - the image is a gorgeous digi from Kristas blog - how gorgeous is she - I've coloured her with pro markers and added glitter t the ruffles at the back of her skirt. I have matted her onto Kraft paper with sentiment and flower from my stash and the lovely spotty paper I won from Mina (thank you!).

I would like to enter this into:
One stitch at a time - use a digi
Divas by design - anything goes
The pixie cottage - clean and simple
move along with the times - have a heart
Stamp scrap and doodle saturdays - anything goes

Right need to sort out some fabric to cover a diary for my February make - and then its a family outing to the dentist - I think I may regret eating all the Christmas sweets - cough.

Thanks for looking

Ali
xx

Struggling...

... to get organised at the moment working the extra day has really put me out of kilter, I've failed at getting my first January ornie done, managing to keep up to date with cards for a flurry of birthdays that are coming up in a couple of weeks. Trying to meal plan - which is going ok but not saving any money - trying to bake more but everythings a disaster!!! Bit of a sh*te parents evening so more time needed reading with my youngest.

Oh well could be worse :-)

Anyhoo, hopefully I'll be back with a proper post tomorrow with photo's and a bit more chipper. Apologies if I've not commented on blogs when I normally do but as soon as I get my act together I'll hopefully be back to normal.

Sorry for being a grump :-(

Ali
xx

I've been given an award...

... by the totally bonkers Jane :



After receiving the award you then need to:

1. In the same post, add the Versatile Blogger Award.
2. In the same post, thank the blogger who nominated you in a post with a link back to their blog.
3. In the same post, share 7 completely random pieces of information about yourself.
4. In the same post, include this set of rules.
5. Inform each nominated blogger of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their blogs.
6. ooh and forward it to 15 other bloggers.

Oh lordy I am going to struggle with the pieces of random info about myself erm, well after thanking my mum & dad for having me and Jane can keep her mitts of George Clooney - he's mine - (do you think it is really fair for one man to be that good looking??? -no I dont I think they should clone him - then he would be George Clone-y - ha ha ha - yes - no - TUMBLEWEED!!

Ok changing the subject 7 things:

1) My favourite comedy programme of the moment is Mrs Browns Boys - I think it is hilarious.
2) I hate housework with a passion.
3) I was once a drum beater for a dragonboat team but they finished me after the first training session as they said I had no rythmn and couldnt keep the beat (that is why I also had to give up my step class - lol)
struggling now erm...
4) My favouritist sweet is sports mixture - closely followed by chocolate -not your expensive stuff - galaxy goes down rather nice!!
5) In times of crisis I have the little image from monsters inc. where one monster hits the other saying "keep it together man" - I just keep replaying that in my mind to keep me from losing the plot.
6) 2 boys - 2 births one cesaerean one natural - must say I preferred the cesaerian - never felt a thing - lol!


Phew....

Okey doke I would like to pass this onto:
Sarah - at Rainmacs place one of the kindest people I haven't met - lol, who makes gorgeous cards
Debbie - at Padsters marmalade mutterings another lovely card maker.
Gemma - at Handmade by Gem - makes lovely jewellrey and cards.
Lynda at Hooking with la la - makes many lovely things and does a lot of bloggy organising.
Lisa at Kandipandi's pad - another crafty lady
Vixx at Vixx Handmade cards - super duper card maker.
Lori at Hippywitch crafts - this lady makes lovely amigurami and cross-stitch among many other stitchy goodies.
June - at Butterfly wings another amazing cross stitcher.
Mouse - at Tales of a stitching mouse - and another v.talented stitcher who has given me some fab stitchy advice.

I know I havent done 15 but can I stop now my fingers are aching lol and there are loads of others I could nominate.

Hope I havent bored you to tears.

Ali
xx

7)