few days away with the girls to Norfolk, just got back; working my way through a few hundred emails and a project for an online party for this weekend! Be back later!!
Hugs
Anna xx
An amazing weekend has been had with the most amazing friends and family a girl could ask for! I am so blessed. Thank you all for making the weekend another fantastic and most memorable weekend.
Will blog in more detail tomorrow..
Pop over to Pencil Lines for this weeks new sketch before you go anywhere else..
Hugs
Anna xx
Will blog in more detail tomorrow..
Pop over to Pencil Lines for this weeks new sketch before you go anywhere else..
Hugs
Anna xx
The last few days have been busy, as we are preparing for the annual Bowkis Summer bash! The day starts at around 9.30am when 16 golfers head of to the course for 18 holes, and me armed with my camera to take team shots and action shots!
Last night the face masks came out... need I say more!!! 
I then return around midday to start making salads and marinating meat for the BBQ. Come 4'oclock the house is buzzing with around 50 family and friends, kids playing on the bouncy castle and lots of good cheer over a BBQ and some beers. The day ends in the small hours of the morning after a session on Rock Band. Sunday morning and I am up bright and early, nursing hangovers with my classic BIG breakfast.. I am sure nothing will change and tomorrow will bring the same, LOL
You can read the previous years shenanigans here;
In between the house work and preparations the girls and I did manage some face painting. Lilly wanted to be a tiger...I really enjoyed having a play, but Izzy only fancied a butterfly on her cheek, boohoo. I must give credit to Izzy for both of these photos!
Last night the face masks came out... need I say more!!!
I am back to cooking and baking, I am 2 cheesecakes, 2 batches of brownies done, dinner tonight done, so I am on schedule!! Just have wrap fillings to do, and potato salad, the rest I will do tomorrow!
Have a great weekend, please pray for dry weather!!
Hugs and thanks for stopping by.
Hugs and thanks for stopping by.
Anna xx
Carrying on from my last post, I am glad and relieved that Lilly does not have Swine Flu!! Phew... We made cornflake cakes and did some scrapbooking to celebrate!
This is a layout I was asked to do for an upcoming issue of The Scrapbook Magazine. It has been an absolute age since I have done anything for UK magazines, it made a nice change. UK mags get alot of criticism, and I am amongst those as well, I will put my hands up. But after giving it some thought, they are not doing anything wrong, they are just not aimed at the intermediate scrapper. We need a magazine that does have us as their target audience. Would you though buy that magazine? There is so much available online these days its a hard one to call. I am a book lover and would probably prefer to spend my hard earned cash on a book every couple of months on a subject that interests me.
At the moment I am subscribed to Scrapbook Trends. I love the handy size and the photography. I am not bothered by pages of text, I just need to be inspired by pretty pictures at the moment. So what are your thoughts on scrapbook magazines? I would love to hear.
I managed to get up to date with my A Snapshot of my Life album. My photos are pretty naff but you get the idea. I am keeping my layouts pretty simple and uniformed, mainly due to the size I have chosen to work on. How are you getting on with your albums? Do send me links.
And finally, a quick pic of the lettuce we picked yesterday. We are getting a good size crop each week. Enough for our needs.
Last night we picked our carrots, which will be finding their way into a Shepherds Pie tonight!!
Thanks for stopping by and leaving comments, they are really appreciated.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving comments, they are really appreciated.
Hugs
Anna xx
Anna xx
but Lilly has become poorly, and then I found out today she has been in contact with a kid whose uncle has swine flu, a bit of a long shot I know, but she has the runny clear nose, tummy ache and feels dizzy!I am going to see what she is like tomorrow morning before phoning the Dr. Poor thing....
But before I sign off, I just have to have a rant about junk mail!!! I get sooo much of the ruddy stuff, and my fair share of Viagra and p^%$* enhancements! and how to please my man in bed, and so on. But today, NOT in my junk mail I receive a Viagra email complete with before and after photos!!! WTF!!! Now my stupid emails have a habit of opening themselves whether I have clicked or not, before anyone questions why I was even opening them.. And then could I delete the bloomin thing, oh no, my computer chose to freeze whilst displaying a large before and after photo..... I locked the office door mighty quick before the girls could come in. Am I the only unlucky person to have received these kinda of emails?
Enough of my ranting, I am off to check on Lilly and do a temperature check.
Hugs
Anna xx
But before I sign off, I just have to have a rant about junk mail!!! I get sooo much of the ruddy stuff, and my fair share of Viagra and p^%$* enhancements! and how to please my man in bed, and so on. But today, NOT in my junk mail I receive a Viagra email complete with before and after photos!!! WTF!!! Now my stupid emails have a habit of opening themselves whether I have clicked or not, before anyone questions why I was even opening them.. And then could I delete the bloomin thing, oh no, my computer chose to freeze whilst displaying a large before and after photo..... I locked the office door mighty quick before the girls could come in. Am I the only unlucky person to have received these kinda of emails?
Enough of my ranting, I am off to check on Lilly and do a temperature check.
Hugs
Anna xx
Not been feeling up to much this weekend and the weather has been pants! Rain, rain and more rain with strong winds.
Texture, Frame, Text and Brush..
Sepia, texture, brush and TTV.
The lack of fresh air and the tablets have just made me feel really groggy. Last night I decided to open up the emails I have been receiving from Jesisca Sprague Photo editing and special effects workshop I signed up for.
I only have a couple of photos on my laptop, none that are really suitable for the workshop, but have still had great results. I cannot wait to play on some more suitable photos. Its been great to learn how to do things right. I am all self taught and muddle my way through photo shop. This workshop has shown me techniques i know how to apply, but in the right way, and there have been such great masks, brushes and links to some gorgeous texture sites. I have played with textures before, again self taught, and its been great to play again, i forgot how much i love them! Here are a few of my favourite techniques;
Frame and brush
Texture, Frame, Text and Brush..Sepia, texture, brush and TTV.
Is anyone else doing the workshop? I say doing, it actually finishes today or tomorrow, I am just behind, LOL. Would love to know what you think of it and to see some of your great photos.
Pencil Lines sketch 144 went live tonight with Kimmy Sonksen, who is an original PL girl! Great to have her back as a guest. We were honoured to be sponsored by Upsy Daisy as well. This evening I also sent out Pencil Lines first newsletter. Have you had yours?!
I used Upsy Daisy "Walk in the Park" collection for my layout of Peter and Lilly holding hands. You can just about see Izzy in the distance on her bike!
Hope you all had a great weekend
Thanks for stopping by
Anna x
This is an understatement!
I went to bed with the girls last night as i wasn't feeling very well, sickness and headache... This morning woke 12 hours later, decided to have a clear out in the potting shed, then I came in doors and collapsed on the sofa in a heap and slept for 3 hours!!!
Woke up, dazed. Printed some photos for layouts, looked for everyone. Izzy was at Hannah's house enjoying their hot tub! and Lilly was armed with boxing gloved punching a bag in the garage! God help me, I fall asleep and Peter and Lilly go shopping for a boxing bag and gloves, the time I wake up they have it all set up in the garage!!!!
Whilst Lilly was practising her grading moves in the garage, I mowed the lawn and Peter had a tidy up in the front.
No crafting today, but i did manage a quick digi layout yesterday with Michelle's kit, which I adore!! See yesterdays post for details
Hope your Saturday was a good one
Hugs
Anna xx
Feeling much better these last few days, and I have ventured into my studio to work on a few projects.
Yesterday, friend and colleague, Michelle Filo, sent the Pencil Lines team her fist digital kit for us to play with. I was so excited, and last night had a play with some of Michelle's templates and her kit. Michelle has drawn all the elements by hand and coloured in with watercolours. They are so soft and dreamy, and fab fun colours.
Check out Michelle's blog for details on how to purchase her kit and a freebie!
I worked on this weeks Pencil Lines sketch, where we have been sponsored and have a returning designer joining us....
Here is a sneak...
I also worked on a some more layouts for a huge project I am working on. I used some Cosmo Cricket "Hey Girl". Just love all the warm colours. The layout below I used Jeni Bowlin papers.
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This came through the post today; my copy of the German magazine "Kids Life". I was interviewed on my scrapbooking. Martina the editor is so great to work with and its been fun to work with a European magazine. You may remember that some of my photos were used in a previous publication on dressing up.
The girls break up today for the summer holidays. So looking forward to picking them up from school and spending 6 weeks with them, crafting, baking and hopefully some camping!!
Looking forward to the weekend, have nothing planned, which is great!
What do you have planned? Love to hear from you.
Yesterday, friend and colleague, Michelle Filo, sent the Pencil Lines team her fist digital kit for us to play with. I was so excited, and last night had a play with some of Michelle's templates and her kit. Michelle has drawn all the elements by hand and coloured in with watercolours. They are so soft and dreamy, and fab fun colours.
Check out Michelle's blog for details on how to purchase her kit and a freebie!
I worked on this weeks Pencil Lines sketch, where we have been sponsored and have a returning designer joining us....
Here is a sneak...
I also worked on a some more layouts for a huge project I am working on. I used some Cosmo Cricket "Hey Girl". Just love all the warm colours. The layout below I used Jeni Bowlin papers.
This came through the post today; my copy of the German magazine "Kids Life". I was interviewed on my scrapbooking. Martina the editor is so great to work with and its been fun to work with a European magazine. You may remember that some of my photos were used in a previous publication on dressing up.
The girls break up today for the summer holidays. So looking forward to picking them up from school and spending 6 weeks with them, crafting, baking and hopefully some camping!!
Looking forward to the weekend, have nothing planned, which is great!
What do you have planned? Love to hear from you.
OMGG, the heavens have opened, and its thunder and lightening outside, very dark and gloomy...
Hugs
Anna x
Hugs
Anna x
The beautiful weather we have been having here in the UK, with a mix of a few rain showers at night, has given the garden the boost it has needed, and makes a lovely change from the sodden, slimy garden we had last year!
Our vegetable beds are doing great, and we have been enjoying homegrown lettuce for the past couple of weeks. I think its birds that have been having a munch on my lettuces!. I have put CD's on my canes and sprinkled eggshells around the lettuces, but something is still making its way to our little gems!!
we have a wonderful array of veggies now;
- Lettuces ( Lollo Rosa, Little Gem) - Carrots
- Spring Onions
- Beetroot
- Tomatoes
- French Beans
- Peas
- Potatoes
- Herbs ( Mint, Parsley, Tarragon, Basil, Rosemary)
- Cabbage
The garden is in full bloom also; lavender, trailing lobelia, hydrangea, pinks to name a few of my favourites.
We have just put some stepping stones in, as a path to the vegetable beds, cut from logs. My plan is to have lavender growing by the side of the logs. I have just planted my first cutting that i did in Spring, and will see how it grows, and hopefully take lots more cuttings next Spring.
I love my garden, even though I am a complete novice and am learning year by year. With such deep borders its a huge learning process!
Do leave my a comment posting links to your garden/vegetable patch, love to see your prize patch!
Thanks for stopping by
Hugs
Anna x
Firstly, I would like to say how overwhelmed I am. by all the lovely comments and emails i have received, so thank you to everyone. Its amazing to hear so many similar stories from you all. I cannot believe how many of you suffer with disk degeneration! Thank you for sharing your stories with me, it really is appreciated, and has made me stop wallowing in my own self pity and start this new week with a new me, looking forward and upwards!
Thursday was Lilly's sports day, and how sports day should be! Lots of fun and laughter from all the children. I did suffer with my back after walking around taking photos for an hour, but it was all worth it!
Here are some photos from the afternoon;
Here are some photos from the afternoon;
This weekend was Southoe Village Fete. Unfortunately I couldn't help out, but I did manage to pop over to the playing field on Sunday and watch the village rounders match and enjoy a slice of homemade cake. Izzy, Lilly and Hannah were the only children that joined in, which was a bit of a shame, but they enjoyed themselves and Lilly was named "man of the match", for all her enthusiasm, bless her!
Pencil Lines is live with sketch 143 and guest designer Emma Trout. I haven't been able to scrap at all, but that will all change this week! Do pop over and check out the DT, gorgeous work as always. Pencil Lines first newsletter goes out this week, sign up now to receive even more inspiration from the design team.
The garden is looking lovely and the vegetables are growing at a magnificent rate, check back tomorrow for my garden update!
Hugs and thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment
Anna xx
I know not the most enticing title for a blog post, but I am so fed up!. I suggest a cup of coffee, and a spare 5 mins!.
Sports Day was no where as much fun as infant sports day. Too competitive and lots of sitting around. The heavens also opened and we all got drenched!
I have been off work for just over a week, with back problems. Some of you may remember I had a spinal fusion in February 2006, after suffering for 3 years with sever back pain. In 2007 I ran a 5k race for charity, the first time in a very long time that I was able to do any kind of exercise of that intensity (well for me anyways!). I gained a lot of weight after my operation as well, which hasn't been easy to loose, near impossible, to be honest!
I have been self employed since I returned to England in 1996. I retirned to Newcastle and set up a successful Interior Design business. I have been a WAHM for the past 8 years, and decided it was time to actually go out and get a job. And I did just that, and I have really enjoyed my TA job. I started work on 18th March and barely 4 months down the road I hit this great big wall, and I am devastated, I am bored, I am depressed, I am totally fed up! I am supposed to go back to the doctors tomorrow and a part of me thinks, don't bother I need to go back to work, for my sanity if nothing else, then the other part of me knows the pain I am in, and if i take the tablets the Dr has given me, well i cant drive, speak or do anything except sleep!
I am in such a catch 22, i hate it......
edited to add: My hospital appt has come through to see the spine Dr!! on the 27th :)
Now to my weight!!! Gggrrrrrr. I am a typical roller coaster when it comes to my weight. I have never been a trim size 10, always a neat 14, and an occasional size 12 , (but always a 12 when it comes to Wallis though, gotta love the larger cut sizes of Wallis!) Then I become a mum and piled on 4 stone, not a pretty sight. A photo at Christmas 2000, has me running to Weight Watchers and signing up to my nearest gym, and 11 months later I am 4 stone less and a gold member. 2003 comes along and Lilly is born, piled on the weight, snap my 5th lumber, and the weight drops by a stone only. Move to Cambridgeshire in 2005 weight piles back on, Dad passes away in 2006, weight drops of me, and then we come up to date and I am an overweight mum of 2 and nearly 40!!!. Not the fit and fabulous 40 year old woman I had planned, but a fat and frunpy nearly 40 year old.
Sue sent me a link to this, she said it reminded her of me and how I feel about my body and weight, and she was so right, its me all over....
At the end of the year I hit the big 40, and I don't want to be 40. I want to stay age 26. That's the age I think I still am. The smiling young girl who was a slim size 12, and met my soul mate Peter. Although I still want to be a mum, I want the body and energy of that 26 year old that I was. Do you feel the age you are or younger. i hate that i look at clothes, and then have a reality check, that I am not in my 20's and I am not a size 10, I am actully 39 and a size 16!! I dance around the living room to some 90's house music aka Pete Tong, happy and smiling, until Izzy gives me "that" look. You know the one that says "OMG mum, you are sooo embarrasing".....
At the end of the year I hit the big 40, and I don't want to be 40. I want to stay age 26. That's the age I think I still am. The smiling young girl who was a slim size 12, and met my soul mate Peter. Although I still want to be a mum, I want the body and energy of that 26 year old that I was. Do you feel the age you are or younger. i hate that i look at clothes, and then have a reality check, that I am not in my 20's and I am not a size 10, I am actully 39 and a size 16!! I dance around the living room to some 90's house music aka Pete Tong, happy and smiling, until Izzy gives me "that" look. You know the one that says "OMG mum, you are sooo embarrasing".....
Gee I am such a misery.... If you have read this far I am shocked, LOL.
Beyond my grumpy mood, Izzy has had a sports day and taken part in the year 6 end of production play, singing in the choir/singing club, she tells me off for calling it a choir LOL.
Sports Day was no where as much fun as infant sports day. Too competitive and lots of sitting around. The heavens also opened and we all got drenched!
Lilly cheering Izzy on...
Izzy did managed to take part in the sack race.
Last night she sang in the Year 6, end of year production. photos are too dark and naff, but here is one taken before.
Finally Pencil Lines went live with sketch 142 on Sunday. This weeks guest is the amazing Gudrun, and 3ndypapir sponsored the Dt and is our RAK sponsor for this month. Gudrun and Lene are the talent behind 3ndypapir paper company. Gorgeous fun papers, do check them out.
This afternoon is the infants sports day, and i am looking forward to seeing the fun aspect of sports day and Lilly's smiling face as she runs with an egg and spoon, does the fancy dress race, and battles her way through the obstacle course!
Have a great day, and thanks for stopping by!
Hugs
Anna xx
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