GoGo Game Over...

Yesterday Scrapagogo held a day event in Coventry called GoGo Game Over.

The day was a splendid success with the delegates completing 4 Lo's and a flag book in a warm relaxed atmosphere.I really enjoyed catching up with good friends and meeting new ones too.We all shared loads of laughs including a little lunch malfunction !!

The class I taught was Hide & Seek.

With my children hiding under the "lift the flaps"This was my first experience of teaching scrapbooking, and despite being nervous I really enjoyed it, I would do somethings differently next time but most of the ladies went home with the lo completed, so I'm happy.

Thank you Ladies for being so kind and tolerant and to Scrapagogo for this opportunity.

This is my class with the "flaps " closed & open.

Sx

good news ...

I have just received a text to tell me my brother is out of surgery.

This is the second time in less than a year he has had to undergo heart surgery, as the first time was not successful. I am so relieved it's over for him and can't imagine how he felt having to go through it all again. In fact I can only equate it with pregnancy (sorry Bro !!)

The second time around you knew what you were in for and how much it would hurt but were wiser about the whole business !!

Here's hoping it's all sorted this time.

Fingers crossed.

Sx

GoGo Year book

Over on Scrapagogo's clubhouse, they have a brilliant new challenge running to help you document your year.Called GoGo Yearbook, the idea is to make 2 6" x 12" pages each month using the leftovers from that months kit.Sound easy ? It is and that means I will stick with it and in december have a completed book that follows my whole year.

these are my covers, made from pizza box, not sure how many rings to use so will add holes later.

These are my January pages, documenting 4 events that happened during the month.

Hope you like them .

Wont be long and i'll be showing you Feb's pages! Where does the time go ??!

Sx

Founders day and more...

Today is Founders Day , a special day in the scouting calendar when we celebrate the birth of our founder Robert Baden-Powell.Our district met at our local camp site for what was going to be a short service and then some environmental work-bulb and tree planting.

The overnight snow changed this a little and the children played in the snow and built snowmen prior to the service.

During the service I was presented with my Wood Badge and Beads for completing my adult leader training and to make it even more special it was presented by my Dad.

I was thrilled that Mum, Paul and the children were all there too

Sx

In todays post...

I received a lovely surprise.Without my knowledge Paul had been in touch with the Walk the Walk Charity, for whom I had taken part in 2 moonwalk marathons in 2008 & 2009 in London.

My original medals used to hang proudly in my craft room but they did not survive the fire.

So I was thrilled to receive these 2 replacement medals today.

A lot of what we have lost is irreplaceable and I thought these were too.

I want to thank Paul for organising this for me, it means so much x

Sx

more of the white stuff...

Well it started again last night , snowing I mean and to be honest we are fed up of it.Even the children didn't want to go out !

Luckily no more fell over night and the sun has come out so fingers crossed...

I find it hard to believe that only a few weeks ago I was in Los Angeles ,in T-shirts and shades,whilst checking out the new releases at CHA.

Sx

GoGo Kits

All subscribers should be receiving their wonderful february kits any time now, unfortunately mine didn't survive so I have no Lo's to show you, but if you log on to the clubhouse, the gallery is full of amazing inspiration by the design team , including two new members

Claire Salisbury and Angie Woolfall.

I have been playing with the bold and bright March kit.

" Turn it up"

Here is one of the Lo's I made from this stunning kit.

Documenting the Miley Cyrus concert Harriet and I went to before christmas , we were sitting so far away from her but I managed to get a few shots that weren't too bad.The bright Sassafrass papers were just what was needed and the hybrid guitar was perfect.

Sx

Happy Pancake Day

There is nothing I like more than a pancake with a little lemon & sugar.

So I made some for us and the children and they were delicious.

I'm sure using our own chickens eggs makes all the difference .

Every year on pancake day I say " we must have these more often !"

and then wait a whole year to eat them again !

Sx

belated valentines day

I hope you all had a lovely day yesterday , unfortunately the sore throat and croaky voice I'd had for days turned in to the lurgy and I spent most of valentines day under a blanket on the sofa !

Whilst feeling rough I watched some day time TV . This is something I rarely do but with the aid of the red button I watched loads of the winter Olympic coverage.The speed skating was just awesome to see and my knees were aching in sympathy for the mogul skiers ! Now I will be tuning in daily to catch the exciting highlights.

Paul & I are not what I'd call a soppy couple but we do celebrate valentines day 'cause why not !

We exchanged cards and I got these beautiful roses too.

Over the next week or so I'm planning to catch up retrospectively with some things i just have to blog ! but didn't do at the time !

Just bear with me x Sx

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES...

The day in question is tuesday the 12th january.

This day started as a normal day,(apart from Matthew was off school poorly). The events that occurred are going to be hard to talk about butI feel need to be said to help us recover ,move forward and get on with our lives.

Around 10.15 am we had a power cut or so we thought , but having become aware of crackling noises in my craft room ceiling we knew something was very wrong. On inspection upstairs it became very clear from the smoke that our home was on fire.

I have been trained to work in emergency situations but this was different, this was personal.

After calling 999 the smoke very quickly became unbearable and we had only moments to save anything precious, of course Matthew was my top priority and I literally threw him out still with his slippers on !

It seemed like forever till the engines came but I'm sure time was moving differently for us as we just stood helpless and watched our family's home burn.

I have only great things to say about the emergency services and all 3 attended the scene although the police and ambulance were not needed,thank God.

We saw 3 changes in crews as the day wore on as they fought to extinguish the blaze and then remove all burnt and damaged timbers and belongings. It is quite surreal to see your belongings burnt and charred and heaped in a big pile on your front lawn.

By now the news was spreading and we made the local radio and the city paper.

We are so lucky to have my parents nearby and without their love, support and letting us move in with them, I don't know what we would have done without them.

The fire ravaged 5 rooms including ours and my daughters bedrooms , my craft room and the loft but the smoke and then the water have increased this damage further.

My craft room and bathroom.

In the days that followed I would like to thank our friends for all their help with packing and moving what remained, I couldn't have done it with out them physically or mentally as just re-entering our house brought on waves of nausea that were difficult to control.

Now 3 weeks on , we are settling in a rented house as we will be here for quite some time.

I can't deny that I relive our experience when I least expect it , but we have to move forward and go back to the every day , school , homework, laundry...

I will document our journey here but will continue to blog the everyday too