Let the scrapbooking begin

I've wanted to do scrapbooking for a while now. Over the past few months I've been gathering materials and albums in order to make a start. Sometimes, you need a boot up the butt to make you start, and I got that!
I have a few people I need to thank who gave the much needed boots! All are from the Cara Craft Supply forum. Lynda, both of us were LO virgins, and we "dared" each other to start. Lynda started with a fab LO of her twins and we did a materials swap, so I ended up with a fab album and papers and embellishments to start.
Kate then sent me more gorgeous papers and today, a massive package arrived from Niamh. It has gorgeous papers,metal embellishments and flowers.
The girls on the CS forum are so supportive and soooooooooo generous. Real pals.
So, I decided to start. I took a few pictures of my niece, Alison, while on holiday in Italy. We might only get to see her once or twice a year, so I was snap happy!
I did the first LO and then found I couldn't stop, so I immediately launched into a second one, and if I could have, I would have done a third, but alas, a family night out at the movies beckons.
I like this "scrapping" business. I'm planning a mini scrapbook for Rob's birth mother and some sort of family themed one.
Anyhooooo, these are my first 2 LO's

My niece Alison - cheesy feet!

Not easy to get a photo of this cheeky monkey. She pulls faces if you ask her to smile.
She couldn't wait for us to visit. She had a birthday cake organised for Robert and did 3 pictures for us - all wrapped in ribbon.
Thankfully, she decided to speak english to us. She spoke only Italian when Dad was there a few weeks back.
We call her cheesy feet. She loves to play cheesy feet telephone. I pretend her foot is a phone and tell her ,her feet are cheesy smelly - she belly laughs at this.
This pic doesn't really look like her - don't know why - but I love it anyway.



Had to take 5 shots of her before I got one with a normal face.


This is her "say cheese" look!


A water baby if ever I saw one. She can't swim just yet, but has no fear of water.

She taught me how to say "Hello, how are you" and "Can I help you" in Italian, but only because we were playing a "McDonalds Game". We played it for hours. I never want to see plastic chips,a red and yellow bleeping cash-register or fake burgers again!
But really hoping we'll see her before her 5th birthday in December.

I'm planning to do some LO's with the pics I've taken. I got two new albums and lots of papers and stuff to make a start.

Italy - the holiday

another view from the balcony.

The view from the Balcony (Lake Garda in the distance)

The house at Polpenazza

Just spent 8 glorious days with Annette, Piero and Alison in Italy. It's great having a sister who lives in one of my favourite places to holiday.

Things didn't get off to a great start. Robert broke his arm but we didn't realise it until we got there. So, it was hospital A&E for the 1st two days. His arm is now in plaster for 4 weeks. He couldn't use the swimming pool and our trip to Garda Land was cancelled. He wouldn't have been able to go on any of the rides. Gerry too ended up at the hospital with a nasty mossie bite. So he got tetenus shots and anti-biotics. Big thanks to Roberto for organising prompt attention at the hospital.

Alison has gotten so big and she spoke english to us all the time and taught me some Italian. For a four year old, I think she has been here before!

We got our usual invitation to Polpenazza for dinner. Angelo and Santina laid on a beautiful meal and we took a tour of his fantastic orchard and garden. It's hard to believe they just spend weekends and holidays here. Angelo did steak and ribs on a massive barbeque and Santina made her "to-die-for" lasagne.

More thanks go to Luigi (Gigi) for his running around from Pharmacy to Pharmacy.

The food as always was fantastic. I am forever jealous of the range they have on offer at the supermarkets. And the wine...............5.00 euro for 1.5 litres of Chianti !!! So, lots of that consumed. Brought back some rissotto and a lovely bean,porchini mushroom and onion mixture which Dad devoured half of when he came yesterday.And of course..shoes. Bought 4 pairs and got a pair from Annette - so not bad.

Didn't get to see Marino this trip. His mother is not in the best, so he doesn't visit as much.

Sad to leave behind the 30 degree heat and sunshine, expecially coming back to the dreary weather here.

We'll plan another holiday later in the year to make it up to Robert.

Hello Blog

It's been almost two months since I updated my stuff. Where does the time go?
Just been so busy with this and that and what not!
The wedding invite side of things has just taken off like a greyhound. I got all organised, I registered my company name, ear-marked a web designer (who seems to have dissappeared, judging by the height of the grass in his front garden!) Did a load of samples and organised a fab photographer. But it's been so hectic, I haven't had the chance to even think about it. And yet, 2 more orders came in from referrals. The down side is....both weddings are on Sept 13th, so I will be up to my wobbly bits for most of July.
Myself and Gerry tried to organise a family holiday and to our horror, between our work committments, we can only squeeze in 9 days at the end of July. So, off to Italy, to visit my sister Annette and family. she had planned major work on her house, which was due to start in April, so a visit would have been out of the question. But now her builder can't start till september - yippee.
We haven't seen her for over 6 months, when she came here for christmas. Little Alison is refusing to speak English unless she wants to ask me to bring over some Tayto.
Robert is so looking forward to the trip and was even more excited when Annette phoned this evening to tell him she got a new swimming pool in.

On a sadder note...little Guppy is a gonner. Our huge goldfish guppy seems to have dissappeared from the garden pond. 2 cats have been lurking and it looks like one got lucky. Every time I look out into the garden, I get a horrible mental image of the poor fish gasping while in the clutches of a hungry moggie! The other eight fishies are now protected with a fine netting, and I've notched up another reason why I hate cats!
I was going to post up some pics but just realised it's 1.51 am - perhaps another day.

I'm having a blast from the past!

The last few weeks have been trying to say the least. Having no broadband for two weeks didn't help, I could only get on-line for a few minutes every day from work. All sorted now - phew.

Dad has been staying here in between hospital visits. I don't know how he does it. I took him in for two appointments for 8am two days in a row and he went in himself for a third day. This is his routine....hospital 3 times one week, twice the next. It's a gruelling schedule even for a health person. BUT, it's been a blast from the past having him here. I've been dragged back to my childhood and all the things he made us do......can't leave the dinner table until you say "may I leave the table please". So now my son is doing that! Darling son somethings heads straight for his trampoline after eating and never listens to my advice. But Dad only had to tell him once, to wait an hour, so now he does! I got the same thing as a kid, but it was normally in relation to not swimming after eating and also about chewing your banana well!
Last night we watched the Late Late show and a lady was singing "Forget your troubles, come on get happy" and Dad did his backing vocals bit. I love when he does it..he can jump into any song and do a Chloe Lane type harmonising or whistle in perfect tune that actually suits the song. I can't believe the difference in him since a few weeks ago. But he is still terrified to have another attack if he is on his own.

The plans for my web site have been on the back burner for a bit. I've registered the company name and the domain name, but I've just got to many card orders to give it my 100%

I won a competition for a Lay Out. I'm just so delighted. The win was my hat-trick. Entered 3, won 3. I did enter for the card one two, but the winning card was brilliant and so deserved it. In fact, all the entries were fantastic.

Ladettes, sorry I missed the last get together, but thanks Niamhie for the text message at 5.30am!!! Hopefully we'll all be there on the 30th to bless the new dining room table.
I had a great night in A&E. Sat there in agony for 3 hours on a hard seat till and freezng waiting room till I finally decided to head home after finding out other people were still waiting who arrived 4 hours before me. Still don't know if is was appendicitis, will have to wait till it flares up
again.

Well, it's coffee time and a little phone call to sis in Itlay is in order. MMMwwwaaahhhh

Friday

Still no news on Dad. He's had test after test and the Doctors still can't find the source of the infection. He looked a bit brighter yesterday and has managed to eat.He looked tired but that's to be expected - he got little or sleep with all the goings-on in the ward.

Niamh - I'm dying to hear all about Hong Kong, glad you decided to go in the end. Looks like the next full get together will be well into April. Like Jackie, I'm a bit pushed for time before that.

Glad to see weddings aren't going out of fashion. I still haven't finalised my wedding invite web-site, but haven't had to either. Another bride chose her invites this week and TG, she picked nice simple ones!

And finally, Thank You , to the Ladies and Gents of the Seniors Group. A took a group of them to and from church and to lunch on Good Friday and they sent me a gorgeous card. they are a fantastic bunch and have great fun and craic with each other.

Monday - it's a day off

Hooray for Bank holidays.

I've had a busy weekend and an eventfull week.

Like most crafters, I am a member of a couple of forums, Cara Craft Supplies Group and an EBay group. Sadly, things fell apart in the EBay group, one day we were one happy family, the next splat!! I was a moderator in the group and myself and the group leader had a complaints issue to deal with. In the end, it turns out we could have handled things differently, so now we know....but it resulted in one member letting rip on me, and totally blaming me for everything. I can get over the likes of her no problem. The best part is, that myself and the "friendliest woman on the planet" have started our own EBay Group - Celtic Crafters - all new members welcome.
And the whole experience feels so refreshing. A new beginning, and leaving behind bitter women, with sewer mouths.
From a crafting point of view, I was busy stamping ..bride and groom images for wedding invites. Got to stamp and heat emoboss over 200 times...so it may take me a while. I also got some work done for a competition and played with my new craft robo for a bit to do some cards for charity.

I'm stuffed, with lamb and easter eggs - but can't think a nicer mix to be stuffed on.

Thanks for calling by - don't forget to leave your mark - all comments are taken with a light heart.
Enjoy your day of relaxation tomorrow.