Photobucket'>http://s75.photobucket.com/albums/i320/poshtotty_2006/blog/?action=view&current=smallad.jpg" target="_blank">Photobucket'>http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i320/poshtotty_2006/blog/smallad.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">

About Me

Married to my soulmate with 2 beautiful girls,and our English Springer Spaniel, Suki. Living a country life in Cambridgeshire, whilst baking, gardening, and photographing our daily lifes, where they find a place on my scrapbook pages.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i320/poshtotty_2006/DSC_0103-1.jpg

My little place on the web

This blog is just that, my little place on the web.You will find my daily (or not so daily, hehe)life, my love for my new vegetable garden, baking, photography and my scrapbooking!

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i320/poshtotty_2006/DSC_0094.jpg?t=1280148371

My Scrapbooking

Scrapbooking is a way of life for me now.It has been for over 4 years. I love journaling, taking photos of my family and love colour and texture, these are all part of my everyday life and scrapbooking.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i320/poshtotty_2006/DSC_0025.jpg?t=1280148242

A year in the life of.....

blogged by me domestic goddess On 12/30/2007 08:14:00 PM 8 lovely comments
YOU



The 365 day challenge starts January 1st 2008, and will be A Year in the Life of You.

52 Scrapbook pages, note books full of journaling, 365 photos, 12 photography tips, and 12 journaling tips all packed into 365 glorious days, well 366 actually as its a leap year! Check out all the details here, and do leave a comment if you wish to join the journey!


Yesterday, after at least 4 days inside, we buttoned up, wrapped up and hats and gloves on, for a Grand Day Out around the fields backing onto the house. The cold wind blowing the cobwebs away and lots of deep lungfuls of clean air, made for a happy me but a moaning bunch of Bowkis's, tut tut, although at the end of the walk i do declare they actually enjoyed themselves!
Of course I had to come armed with my camera, and a few photos were taken. Once we arrived at our destination of The Park, Peter and I had a silly 10 minutes with the camera and this was the outcome! Yes a layout is definitely in the making, lol




Talking of layouts, Pencil Lines last sketch for 2007 has just gone live with Russian Scrapbooker Olga Lvova

I used old BG Lollipop Shoppe, and photos of Izzy doing some Karaoke. Glitter letters by Making Memories.


Tomorrow is New Years Eve, and we are off to friends for the night and then to Mum's New Years lunch.
I wish you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year, and will see you in 2008 with a Best of 2007 blog post!!!
Lots of love

Anna xx

| | edit post

Happy Holidays!

blogged by me domestic goddess On 12/28/2007 01:36:00 PM 11 lovely comments

I actually did it! Lock the office/studio door and i haven't returned back until now, i am so proud of myself, lol.



Since i last blogged, i am now the size of a Christmas pud after eating copious amounts of chocolates, turkey, mince pies , cake and nuts!


We have recycled so much wrapping paper it is an embarrassment!


On Sunday we attended our local Church Christingle service. A lovely ceremony in conjunction with The Children's Services. All monies collected go to this worthy cause. Lilly carried the cradle to the alter. My favourite part has to be when all the children are at the front of the later, holding their Christingles and the lights go off, leaving only candle light, whilst we all sing Away in a Manger, and i always shed a tear or too. Gets me every time!




We have had a wonderful few days, playing games, watching movies and snuggling on the sofa with shortbread biscuits and hot Ribena, mmmmmm. I am not entertaining this New Years Eve as we have been invited over to friends with children, really looking forward to a night of being wined and dined.


Did you manage to pop over to Pencil Lines? We had a fantastic sketch go live on Sunday. I love my layout, featuring my new Momiji snow globe, which is now in the Sale's for half the price!!!!(i am not annoyed, I am not angry, I am not peed off!!)

I used my December kit from Paper Jam Studio. loving that glitter paper from Fancy Pants.



Pencil Lines girls have been invited over at Split Coast Stampers as Diva Designers for today. Do check out the wonderful challenges the DT came up with.
Don't forget January 1st is the start of a new 365 challenge!!! Check out some of the details here and then i will pop up a link to the new blog any day.


I am going to leave you with some photos from the last few days. Hope your Christmas was filled with Happiness and Joy, enjoy the rest of your Holidays.

Hugs

Anna xx

| | edit post

I have been busy

blogged by me domestic goddess On 12/21/2007 10:11:00 PM 13 lovely comments
Busy finishing projects, 24 out of 48 layouts completed!!! (christmas gifts) and now I have the dreaded lurgy, and have been having long afternoon snoozes! Did get out late this afternoon to finish Christmas shopping and now to start the food list and a weekend of baking.

- Upside down pecan cupcakes
- chocolate brownies
- Nigellas Clementine and chocolate cake!!!



Tomorrow night we have friends round for dinner, and Sunday is our local Christingle service which we will be attending. Love the Christingle service, really gets me into the spirit of Christmas. We have a full house on Tuesday and Wednesday. All my presents (except the girls) are wrapped and under the tree. Dinner gifts are wrapped for the ladies and cannot wait to see their faces when they get their cute Momiji dolls.

I think I am on track and looking forward to having some time away from the computer. Just have a few bits of "paperwork" to finish tomorrow that didn't get done today, and I am good to shut up shop and lock the door on my office!

And here is my new hair colour, although my eye looks odd in this photo!!!




In case I don't have the time in the next few days i wish you all a Merry Christmas, and leave you with our Christmas cards made by the girls.


Hugs


Anna xx

| | edit post

The Holidays are coming.....

blogged by me domestic goddess On 12/19/2007 04:32:00 AM 9 lovely comments
Not long to go now!! The girls break up for the Christmas holidays today, and I am busy finalising projects, along with wrapping and parceling up the last of the Christmas gifts to be posted. Glad to say the parcels are now posted and I have even started wrapping presents for under the tree!! I am breaking up at the end of the week, lol, and have completed most of my deadlines, which is a fantastic feeling. i have had lots of good news to finish the year off and it will have me being a very busy lady for the 1st quarter of next year :),all will be revealed in 2008, that's only a few weeks away, lol!



Today I decided NOT to spend £120 having highlights put in my hair!!! and went for a home boxed colour instead. Was completely convinced I had a nice shade of orange as my new hair colour but have been assured its copper, which is good as it did say Cinnamon on the box, phew!

After colouring my hair i completed a couple of layouts, which you can see some teasers above and below.


How are all your Christmas plans going? I am getting there, need to write the food list, start some cooking and finishing wrapping gifts and then i am nearly done.


I am updating my 365 gallery tonight so do pop on over and have a look.


If you need an affordable kit for Christmas get yourselves over to Scrapping Angels, as I have a few of the MME Festive kits left to purchase :)
Have a happy hump day!

Hugs
Anna xx

| | edit post

Weekend Celebrations

blogged by me domestic goddess On 12/16/2007 03:08:00 PM 4 lovely comments

I have to say I am truly thankful for my dear friends for making my birthday this year. I have to admit if it wasn't for them and my 2 girls i might as well of written it off!. Wednesday the celebrations started with the wonderful Sue. Friday morning my girls woke me up singing to me and presenting me with 2 more Momiji's to add to my ever growing collection. Karen rang me to wish me a happy birthday and had bought me a mouthwatering chocolate cook book by Green and Black, and with my mouth watering, I made some chocolate and pistachio fudge to take round to Annie's for the weekend!
Thank you to Kerry for my lovely scarf, you little minx, xxx, to all the wonderful cards I received as well, you are all the best!!!
The weekend we travelled off to see Annie and family. As always it is so good to spend time with the Hafermanns and their warm embrace of family love. The girls, Dean and Addie get on all so well, and Annie and I are always found pottering around in the kitchen, chopping and peeling for dinner. Annie cooked another scrumptious dinner with the best chocolate cake I have ever tasted!. The girls and Dean couldn't get enough of it either, and then Annie admitted to it having a good measure of alcohol in it, and over it!!!!



Sunday we woke to the smell of fresh pancakes and maple syrup, mmmm, and then we dressed for church and Deans nativity play. Dean made a brilliant Shepherd and we all encouraged him with thumbs up!
We left around lunch time, laden with Christmas gifts, Ali Edwards Life Artist, gorgeous evening bag full of galaxy chocolate, birthday cake, tinned pumpkin, maple syrup and turkey! I know sounds like an odd concoction of stuff, the food is for Christmas recipes(minus the turkey which we had for lunch as sandwiches)!


Once home I curled up on the sofa and read half of Life Artist. Ali Edwards is a genius and makes so much sense, she truly inspires me and makes me realise its OK not to scrap picture perfect photos, its OK if i don't feel creative today, it really is all OK!!!
Pencil Lines sketch 63 ( can you actually believe we have been creating for 63 weeks!) went live last night, and i really loved the sketch, so versatile and the DT seriously rocked this week. Even though it is the Christmas season, all the DT at pencil Lines have been busily creating and we will still be uploading new and exciting sketches for you over the festive season.




I have lots to finish this week. I am sketch GDT artist over at Scrap Muse this month (gallery goes live on wednesday), so excited about that, about to post my DT work and editorial of to a magazine and then complete my Pencil Line sketches for this year, as well as enjoy creating with Paper Jam Studios kit that arrived tail end of last week.


I must seriously apologize for the lack of handmade cards this year. I have been so so busy with work, school activities. The guilt has already started to come over me as i receive handmade pieces of artwork from friends who too have busy schedules, so i apologize, and i will start in the new year working on Christmas 2008's card!!!!

Have a great Monday
Hugs
Anna xxx

| | edit post

Jack Frost!!

blogged by me domestic goddess On 12/13/2007 09:19:00 AM 13 lovely comments
BBrrrrrrr, Jack Frost is here and spreading his beauty all over the land. I love the magic of frost more than the snow i think. It looks like someone has been sprinkling glitter all over the trees through the night! The fields look beautiful and Lilly is convinced it has snowed!

I also love to see all our logs waiting for the wood burner to keep us warm at nights.







Back to yesterday...... I went down to visit Sue and was truly spoilt rotten. The morning started with a chocolate croissant and coffee, then we headed into town to visit my most favourite shop and I purchased my angel for this year as well as a tree decoration and a gorgeous red tin plate. Then off to Frankie and Bennys for lunch. We had a huge plate of burger and chips followed by scrumptious cinnamon waffles and vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce!!!!! To die for!




I have a new addition to the Momiji family, say hello to Blu, Spikes sister... Isn't she so cute, I so wanted Spike and Blu as they have both been retired from the Momiji collection, and now I do, very happy birthday girl here. I also got a stunning necklace and a pack of MM note worthy journaling pad, and i am in love with them.


So a huge thank you to Sue for my breakfast, lunch and pressies, you are one very special friend!




Oh i was also a naughty girl and did buy myself a Momiji, but before you all shout at your computer screen, it is the limited addition 2007 Christmas Globe,s o i kinda feel like it is OK. I have filled the little note out, "to me, from me", hehehe.



Internet connection is bloomin useless and i manage to get about an hour a day, gggrrr. Peter promises me that he will sort it tomorrow, I am truly fed up with it! The problem is it hasn't freed up my time as i am faffing trying to connect when i should just forget it and get on with more important jobs! But of course the thought of house work and paperwork does not appeal.

I have managed to get cracking on some DT work which is a good thing. Tomorrow i turn the rip old age of 38!!! Boy where does the time go, my head is full of a 26 year old thoughts and my body resembles that of someone in their 50's! Oh well..... I do believe Peter and I are going out for a Thai meal. I have booked the babysitter so we are definitely going somewhere!


I am still doing my 365 self portrait challenge, here is my photo from yesterday



Not perfect as my eye is out of focus, which wasnt my plan, but i still like it, unlike a few i have taken, lol.

Keep your eyes peeled as I will be starting a 365 challenge blog for the new year. It will be fun, a bit like a 365 workshop!!!!


And before I go, Lilly only did it again, came home with the Good Behaviour cup, bless....

Hugs and keep warm, i have a roaring fire on the go and my rug/throw/blanket waiting for me on the sofa!


Anna xx

PS: Thank you all for the lovely comments you have left me from my last post. My thoughts and prayers are too with you all xx

| | edit post

emotions are running high

blogged by me domestic goddess On 12/11/2007 10:03:00 AM 11 lovely comments
I have not blogged for a few days, because emotions are running high here. Christmas is a time of giving, of families, of cheer, BUT for us, it is also a time to reflect and remember those that are no longer with us. It has been a tough weekend for us both and the girls. We decorated the house this weekend, which is always a joyous occasion, although this year it was mixed with tears, as we listened and sang along with Nat and Dean. Lilly is missing Grandad at the moment and very tearful, Peter is missing his Dad a lot as well and we all are needing more TLC and tissues, lol. We will get through this season. I have a house full this year, which i love so much. Its my birthday on Friday, the weekend we are spending with Annie and her family, and tomorrow I am off to spend the day with Sue, and tonight we have Izzy's Christmas play, so much to look forward too.


Here are a few Christmas photos of our home. ( and yes I know I look like a Christmas pud in this photo, roll on january and the New Year diet!)



The girls break up next Wednesday, along with me, so i have lots to finish before i can really start enjoying the Christmas break. Monday is my busiest day, but yesterday i didn't get anything done,,, why you ask? Well i locked myself out of the house!!!! I have a courtesy car at the moment whilst my car is in the garage , and my house keys are not on the other car keys. I leave the house in my usual fluster on a Monday morning, no phone, no purse just keys. drop the children off, chat with a friend outside the school, head off home, jump out of the car and head to the front door and it dawns on me, no house keys!!! Run to a neighbours to borrow the phone to ring MIL, no answer. I still drive over hoping she has a spare key, she is in, but no spare key, hmmmmm, peter cant get home before 4pm if at all and Lilly has a friend round for tea. As I sit and enjoy lots of coffee at MIL, one of Peters uncles walks through the door, hears my dilema, jumps in the car, collects ladders, drives to my house, climbs onto the roof and breaks into the bathroom window and lets me in!!!! Peters uncle is in his 70's!!!! and was my hero yesterday. I got in the house , grabbed the keys and got to the school to pick the girls up and no one was the wiser! I now have the house key on the new set of car keys!!




Pencil Lines went live on Sunday, and I used this months Scrapping Angels kit to do my layout. Love the MME papers, very versatile and I scrapped non Christmas photos with these papers as well. Go and check the lovely work form the DT this week, another inspiration gallery of work to get your creative juices flowing!

I am off to pack the December kit, and start on a magazine editorial this morning. Our internet is still causing problems, so apologizes if I take an age to return emails.
Have a great day and keep warm!
Hugs
Anna xxx

| | edit post

Christmas is coming!

blogged by me domestic goddess On 12/07/2007 01:05:00 PM 11 lovely comments
Its starting to feel like Christmas. I have been busy doing festive projects, went and bought Christmas crackers and some new decs yesterday, although Home Base had sold out of the cute white wooden words i so desperately wanted, sob sob. Today I met up with Kerry for hot chocolate, muffins and some Christmas shopping, and now I am off to see Lilly's 1st Nativity!! To say I am excited is an understatement. I love school nativities, and was saddened to read that here in the UK only 1 in 4 schools put on a traditional nativity play, how terrible is that!. Lilly and Izzy attend a C of E school, but still I was quite shocked to read this.




Is this a normal statistic around the world?, please share your views with me on this. What are you going to see at your school play this year?
At least I am going to be serenaded by 25 4 year old singing traditional Christmas carols, and watch my little girl take on her 1st role as Mary. Poor Lilly couldn't sleep last night for the butterflies in her tummy with excitement. Lilly was born to preform , LOL, and I am sure this will not be the last we see of her on stage!
This weekend we put the tree and decorations up. The tradition of listening to Nat and Dean sing to us whilst we place baubles on the tree, still continues, and maybes we will open teh Quality Street as well, hehehehe.


On Tuesday we have Izzy's Christmas play, "A star is born". Izzy plays a Shepherd and has quite a few lines to say, of which Lilly knows of by heart! Then on Friday they have their Christmas dinner and the last week we have the Carol concert at church, and i attend with a box of Kleenex, and their year ends with the Christmas disco.

The postman has just arrived with a box of Rhonna Farrer goodies for my DT work for Paper Jam Studio and an acrylic album and shapes to play with, couldn't have come at a better time as i have just bought some cuttlebug embossing folders to play with, inspired by this amazing card maker!

I have lots of crafting to do this weekend, hoping my photo box order comes so i can get cracking on some presents i am making. I am 2 weeks ahead of my Pencil Lines layouts (see above teasers) and am finishing a great editorial for TSBM.

Hope your Friday is a good one
Hugs

Anna xx

| | edit post

Boo Hoo

blogged by me domestic goddess On 12/05/2007 09:21:00 PM 6 lovely comments
Micheal Buble and I never got to meet, I never even saw him or heard his voice, sob sob. Wembly Arena decided that complimentary tickets were not to be given out, which meant we had no tickets, sob sob some more.
Life goes on and I watched I'm a Celebrity the after show instead.
Today I have scrapped lots as I have had no Internet all afternoon. I also received lots of happy post.


My prize for Runner Up in the Top Designer contest arrived today from Wendy at Bad Girls, thank you so much Wendy, I am so thrilled with all my goodies. Lots of Maya Road yumminess, lots of chipboard, Hambly and some 7 Gypsies.

Christmas is only a few weeks away and I turn 38 next week!!!!! Still lots of shopping to do, Christmas cards to make and write, presents to wrap, the house to decorate , deadlines to make and a food list to prepare for the BIG day. Am I the only one who is so disorganised this year? I do hope not!!



Managed to get my 365 photo done today as well. Not a great photo as i did it this evening with the flash, but, this is not about taking the best photos, its about recording my everyday life for 365 days, the good, the bad and the down right ugly......




Before I go, check out Scrapping Angels as I have uploaded this months kit. A festive delight from My Minds Eye. I have done a non Christmas layout today with the papers as they are so versatile, and I made a cute little tag book from the tag die cut sheet as well.

Have a great evening

Hugs

Anna xx

| | edit post