Week Six

I'm still working on my version of Project Life.  The photos I'm currently scrapping are from the winter and, considering the state of the weather here at the moment, I really don't feel like I'm that far behind! 

It's been cold, windy and wet which is very similar to the weather we were having back at the beginning of February:

Week six was very quiet so only one page.

1. We had an unexpected afternoon off of work because the computers weren't working.
2. I finally took a picture of the artwork Maddie draws on my office whiteboard!
3. We spent a lot of time chilling and snuggled in front of the fire.
4. The dogs wouldn't let me forget it was dinner time!
5. My handsome Alfie :)
6. I had nice food, naughty food and very naughty food.  It was the crop birthday and we had a lovely cake.
7. A picture of us both wearing our glasses, it doesn't happen often because mine are just for VDU work.

So all in all a very quiet and boring week but still worth the effort of getting it in my album.

I have started week seven and I guess I'd better get a wiggle on and get it finished :)

Hope you're having a great week.

Thanks for stopping by
Jo xx

Onwards and Upwards!

Welcome to my post for Jennifer's Onwards and Upwards Blog Hop!


 If you comment on all of the posts as you travel round the blog hop and then return to Jennifer's to let her know that you've completed it then you are in with the chance to win this amazing prize:

 Glitz Designs Colour Me Happy and Simple Stories 24/7, worth over £25!  All entries must be received by Monday 13th May at 10:59 pm BST.

Now Jennifer's word of the year is PROGRESS and that got me to thinking about how I have progressed with my scrapping.

I started scrapping in November 2004.  I was inspired to scrap by a page I'd seen in a card making magazine.  I remember the layout so clearly, it was a girl's birthday party at a bowling alley and the cardstock was red, which went really well with the bright colours of the bowling balls.  I wanted to try but didn't have a clue where to start so I cut paper and got my glue and photos and gradually started to build a unhealthy large amount of albums.

My pages now are full of patterned papers.


Wow I even use patterned paper for the background, something we didn't do 9 years ago!

I love masks and mists.


Sometimes I love to fill the whole page.


And I definitely like to see lots of journalling in my own handwriting...now!


It wasn't always like that though and even now I find myself wishing my layouts could look as good as some of the layouts I see when I'm blog reading.  When I see really great layouts I like to look back on the creators work, I go back to their first blog post to see how they have progressed since starting, it can be a great learning tool.

Now, I didn't have a blog when I first started but I have been stupid brave and had a little dig around in my albums.  Although I don't scrap in order I do file my layouts in order so it's a good job I have a fantastic memory and know that this is my first ever layout:


A double page of Maddie's first day at nursery and very heavily inspired by the first layout I had seen in that mag.

This layout is the first ever challenge I took part in over on UKScrappers:


I think I've progressed a bit over the years don't you? :)

Your next stop on the hop is with Jenny.

If you lose your way then here's a list of all of the blogs:
Jennifer
Rinda
Meghann
Louise
Lisa-Jane
Julie
Jo S
ME
Jenny
Jacky
Fay
Daphne
Abi
Jennifer

Good luck and thank you for stopping by
Jo xx

Makes Me Sad/Makes Me Happy

Top o' the morning to you!

We've been having a fantastic spell of weather here but strong winds are forecast today, maybe Mary Poppins is on the horizon :)

Well here's what's been making me sad this week:


That mean Alfie went for Pippy so I've had to let Paul have her back for a while, yes I know she's his dog but I loves her too :(

But look at what's made me happy:


Meeting up with online friends in real life and having a great time on the beach :)

What happy things have wiped out the sad in your life this week?

Thanks for stopping by and please pop in tomorrow for the chance to win a great prize!

Have a great day
Jo xx

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Makes Me Sad/Makes Me Happy

Can't believe a week has gone by already!

Without any further ado here's what makes me sad:


Maddie is not well! She never gets sick and hasn't been to the Dr's in over 12 years so she's not coping well :(

This is what makes me happy:


My new tin that totally reflects the gorgeous weather we're having at the moment.

What's been making you happy this week?

Thanks for stopping by
Jo xx

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Come Meet the Family

I love that I have a big family, a big family that all live close together and all see each other almost daily.

We all got together at the weekend for my nephew Jack's birthday.  I did take a few snaps and thought I'd share this one.  It shows:

2 brothers
3 cousins
3 second cousins
1 niece and her uncle

Yes there are only four little people in the picture but that's how they're all related in my crazy, large family!

One day I will get a photo of my mum, 2 brothers, 2 sisters, 6 nephews, 3 nieces,1 great-niece, me and Maddie all together.

Did I mention I love my big family?

Hope you  had a great weekend.
Thanks for stopping by
Jo xx

Makes Me Sad/Makes Me Happy

I was really pleased with the positive messages I had last week when I first mentioned this project. 
It really does brighten your day, after seeing something that makes you sad, to go searching for something that makes you happy.
This week I got up in the morning and realised that I'd forgotten to buy milk so no brew before work, that is sad :(


But on the way to work I saw this smiley face and that made me happy :)


Apart from commissioned work and Banksy pieces I don't really like graffiti, especially when it's just an ugly tag, but this face put a smile on my face just when I needed it!
Any one is welcome to join in with Makes Me Sad/Makes Me Happy on a Thursday and there are only two rules:
1. We all know that there are lots of things in the world that make us sad and downright mad but this really is a lighthearted project so no nasty images.
2. Have fun looking for even the smallest thing that makes you happy.
Let me know if you do join in so that I can come visit to find out the little things that make you happy and sad.
Take care
Jo xx

Week Five

I'm still plodding along with my version of Project Life and I am still loving it.  I love the whole process from taking the photos and making photo collages to print to writing notes for the week.
It's great to look back and see what was happening in my world and here's what we were up to in week five:

 So, since I've lost weight I've become very vain, yes I think that song is about me, and I keep taking selfies! I had lots of cuddles with the dogs, the garden had turned into something resembling Glastonbury. The dogs paws were caked in mud and my heart was almost breaking with the state my new carpet was getting in, I say almost because the dogs are my life and they come first :) I also had a little win at bingo.

It really was a relaxing week for all of us apart from the epic walk we took the dogs on; we recovered far quicker than they did!  I also featured a photo collage of the complete month of pictures I'd taken for Project 365.
More current news is that I actually managed to sit in the garden for an hour after work tonight, the sun was shining, the birds were singing and the dogs were panting after playing football together!
I hope your week is going well, I will be back on Thursday for Makes Me Sad/Makes Me Happy.
Thanks for stopping by
Jo xx