Christmas Break

I had a lunch date with Gareth, and one night I got out of the bath to find some nibbles and we used our Mickey Mouse champagne flutes for the first time - with diet coke and blackcurrant squash LOL (me and Gareth don't drink, except maybe the odd one or two days throughout the year!)



We had a new shower fitted as our electric one broke, and I got our ornament made on Christmas Eve :)



My Christmas Gifts, and our pressies from Florida! I've not seen those pop tarts before!



Taz opened his presents with the help of Oliver. This tickled us so much! He's never done this before! We had chocolate fountain and I made some xmas cupcakes (better late than never!) and not to mention a nice pampered bubble bath ;)

December Daily

"I have many fond memories of our fire at home during my childhood. Getting up in the mornings and racing Stewart for a prime spot next to the fire, in front of the TV, one sat behind the other.
But the most fondest of all was when dad used to push the sofa closer to the fire, so that to come in the front room you had to walk behind the sofa. Mum, Dad, Stewart & myself all used to sit on it together, watching TV.
While I remember the occasional Saturday night television in the winter, being cuddled up with my family, it also reminds me of Christmas.
I absolutely adored that time, all 4 of us together. I can recall that I’d often request the sofa being pushed forward because it was my favourite. A rare treat, and quality family time.
Cozy. Pure comfort"

Ok so I found a great new app (PicFrame) and had to use it to show you that I am indeed doing December Daily ;) In fact there are days that I look at my page and I don't like it, but the one above about fond memories of moving the sofa during the winter and the page I did yesterday I do like :) Yesterdays is a random letter to santa:



My silhouette/robo has been doing me proud, though I need a new mat (and to temporarily put a new blade on so I can get my gift boxes done!)



I shall be enjoying a long weekend (Monday off work, a-woo-hoo!) and basking in my "up-togetherness" as I have just one or two presents left to make and then I'm done. Well apart from getting presents for Gareth which he just decided the other day that he wants otherwise I would have got it before now ;)

Really trying to be festive and in that Christmas mood. And to be in the moment and savour this time of year!

More gifts in the making

I love it when I'm working on nice smelling crafts (bath stuff or baking!) because it makes the flat smell lovely :)

 



If I am covered in glue, glitter, paint or ink... I'm happy :)



In actual fact, I have been planning in my head a reworking on my Hanson crafts site over the christmas break, so I look forward to that too :)

Now I have been working on my December Daily, I will share that when I can. At the moment only day 1 is truly completed, I am not falling behind in the slightest but my paper scrapping time is limited and I want it to be an awesome album to look back on so bear with me :)

Concert

I was lucky enough to get to see Hanson in Birmingham last night. I had an absolutely FANTASTIC time!

Firstly a big Thank You to Chrissy & her bf's dad for the lift to Birmingham and home again. If it wasn't for them I wouldn't have made it there in the first place. I also met a local girl called Kerry, which was great news as I didn't know there were any fans nearby. She lives the next town over from me :) So there was the 3 of us fans in the car having a gossip all the way up!

They both had Meet & Greets (Which I luckily enough had back in April 2007) so they continued on to the pub while I met up with my friend who had a M&G with me 4 years ago, so it was good to catch up with her and I'm so thankful I have such a cool Hanson friend who I shared that experience with and we've become friends because of it.

Maiyu was 25th in the queue and I was number 28 so we hung out and luckily, look who we bumped into...



I look awful, and very cold lol, but I was so grateful to Isaac for stopping & taking this picture. It was Gareth's camera and I hadn't actually got to play with it, so I pointed out to Gareth that a Hanson had used his camera and he told me we had to wash it *roll eyes*  Although my M&G was one of the BEST days of my life, I often think back over it and cringe as I often act up when I'm nervous and I made a complete tit of myself. So I felt I at least redeemed myself last night by seeing Isaac again.

I had the best time dancing and singing next Maiyu! And luckily after some playing with Gareth's camera, I got the hang of it ;)

Getting my (Christmas) craft on

My December Daily has all the base pages completed.



and I have added a ribbon to keep it closed as it is quite chunky now and won't close :)  I will take some better photos on a day where it's not overcast and with a camera that's not my iPhone



I started on my Christmas gifts too, I have done some candles, some lip balm (though I need to remelt them and add some more flavour to it),



I tried making some "bubble bars" which I tried one tonight, and it worked but didn't last long :\ I may need to use my soap bar moulds to make them slightly larger to see if that makes a difference, but I love this mould! I plan on using it for my bath bombs and for the soaps that I will be gifting :)



and one of my magazines "Making Gifts" had a recipe for indulgent bath melts, which I also tried out...



and then last night we went to see Lee Evans in Cardiff, it was a good show and interesting to see a show Live as I've only ever seen Comedians on a DVD!



in 5 days it's Hanson!

December daily > Coming together

I thought long & hard about which album to choose and what other things I had to hand. I bought some shapes from Silhouette Store and Kerri Bradford, and jumped for joy when I remembered my Glitz and Glitter border stickers - one in particular saying "believe" which I knew just HAD to be on the front cover.



I have done my opener page and that's as far as I've gotten. I am a bit stumped on just what I want to do.



I was so excited to see this lace cardstock shape and I just had to have it, I unfortunately have run out of acetate to stick it on to have it as a pretty filler page, so I need to keep my eyes peeled for some more.



I sat and cut some shapes on my Craft Robo including my numbers for my days (though I may not use them all - still undecided! Eeek!)

I've still got another 2 weeks to have a play and see how things will work out.

December Daily Goodies!

Look at what arrived today!! The papers are so divine... and glittery! My favourite kind :)  I searched through my stash as I have some "just in case" albums I bought years ago (though I admit I did go on to paperchase website and eye up an A5 kraft & clear binder first...)



I have a Sarabinder and a Maya Road one, and I've asked a couple of people and I've had a vote for each. When I was on the paperchase site I was leaning more towards the kraft binder, but now I've seen the albums I already have in my stash, I'm strangely fond of the Maya Road album (but I love Maya Road tons anyway!)

I'm torn! Help!

Craft overload!

I have been devouring my magazines, had my first Red Cup yesterday (peppermint hot choc), and I have watched The Holiday and Four Christmases. My Hollyday papers are ordered for my December Daily, and Gareth has his Starbucks Christmas Blend. We are already in the swing of things!

I have been trying to come up with some frugal ideas, and seeing as my Sister in Law doesn't know about my blog, I felt like sharing an idea I had for her gift...  I save random stuff, I have a bunch of Christmas gift bags ready to regift and I also have some cool boxes I got some presents in. One of which was from a friend from MANY years ago, who gave me a cute toiletry set in this gorgeous wooden box. Kept it ever since thinking I would use it one day. For my sister in law who likes to bake with her son, I shall be getting some cute cupcake liners (with a pretty design) some "emergency" packet mix (because she's having a baby very close to Christmas!) and some sprinkles and hopefully some toppers if they fit in my budget.

And for my nephew oliver, it's a tough one, but thankfully Disney has a Craft site in which I have been collecting colouring pages to make him his own personalised colouring book which I shall print and bind here at home.

I'm doing a lot of searching for printable style gifts. One of my favourite books/mags I have that I normally whip out at Xmas is 101 Hip Handmade Gifts. I have poured over that so much my copy is falling apart :) They have free printables over at the Creating Keepsakes website.
And how freaking adorable is this! I want to make one for myself, I used to have a big bookcase in my room at home and ran my own little library (I would later become a librarian at my school, and I still have a big love for libraries!)

Source: twigandthistle.com via Kirsty on Pinterest

 

Ok, so I shall continue my search and post soon on my progress :)

Time to think of Christmas

I can't get over the fact it's November already. This time last year I was in Florida, at the Animal Kingdom if I remember right and we were attending Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party that night (actual halloween had a premium cost to attend & we were worried about adjusting to the time zone as it's 5 hours behind our time here in the UK, so we figured the final Halloween party was just as good though a day after halloween!)

Last night we had a nice peaceful one, I watched Simpsons Halloween specials marathon as I do every year, though I was missing my brother on the sofa with me. That was our tradition. We had no trick or treaters but then we never do, and we had our shopping delivered in which the delivery guy just had to tell us he didn't want any sweets! (Speaking of which, we STILL have a bag of sweets from Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party from last year!!)  I carved a Lightning McQueen pumpkin for Oliver as he loves Cars, and I was planning on one for myself but never got to it. Instead I made pumpkin cakes which I didn't like myself but a few people were more than keen to gobble them up!

So now, though we technically have Bonfire/Guy Fawkes night on the 5th, I'm already planning Christmas because for us Brits it's just a straight run to Christmas now (but I know the Americans are lucky enough to have Thanksgiving in just a matter of weeks)

Source: houzz.com via Kirsty on Pinterest

 

I have been busy pinning away most evenings when I have the time, and it's one of my favourite things to do, so much inspiration! Apart from the usual trip to Boots that isn't entirely unselfish, it's 3 for 2 on gifts and any points I collect goes on to little treats for myself ;) I do plan on making quite a few handmade gifts this year.

My work colleagues will get some foodie based gift (choc peppermint creams, cupcakes or something along those lines) and I have plenty of crafty bits to make bath bombs, candles, soaps, bubble bath, shower gel, etc to make for family... So I have plenty of ideas! In fact I may be a little overwhelmed on ideas & am just trying to think of the best gifts for individual family members.

Another thing I've been excited thinking of is a different sort of Christmas album. I've done shimelle's Journal Your Christmas on a few occasions, starting in 2006, but this year I want to try something a little different, & I hope to do Ali Edwards December Daily. I have my sights set on some American Crafts goodies... So that's on my to buy/to do list this month ;)

I have to admit I already have the xmas DVDs ready to watch, Snowed In is ready to play come 17th November, and I have been Oooo-ing over the adverts for Michael Buble's new xmas album thinking that has to be added to my playlist!

You can check out my Pinterest boards as well for lots of inspiration & Christmas images to get you in the spirit ;)

http://pinterest.com/mmmbisto/winter-christmas/
http://pinterest.com/mmmbisto/homemade-gifts/
http://pinterest.com/mmmbisto/things-to-make/
http://pinterest.com/mmmbisto/december-daily/

And just as exciting, coming up I have a Hanson concert this month! Wooo! Can't wait to meet up with my mates :)

Nearly Halloween

Halloween is fast approaching & I had every intention of carving a pumpkin & doing a paper model of the haunted mansion. Surprise, surprise... I haven't.
It's bittersweet as last year we were in Disney world. We don't celebrate Halloween here & it's sad. That's why I wanted to do something this year. But I still have next weekend I suppose.
The flat still looks like a complete mess with rubbish strewn everywhere (this stresses me out to no end. No matter what I do to tidy up, it's always a mess soon after) I cannot win.
My time is being taken up at work all week, then this weekend just gone I was ever hopeful of having time to do something. I sit here scratching my head trying to figure out, why I was so busy this weekend yet it appears I got nothing done? It's a mystery. I had been desperately trying to get the laundry done & dry, I needed to cut the grass but I didn't get that done, I did the washing up numerous times but the kitchen still has washing up piled high when I got up today and no counter space free.
I am beyond frustrated with it all. To be honest with the weather now cold, I want it to be nice & homely and spend time on the sofa for cuddles with Gareth, and watch tv. I guess I am ready for the nesting season! And I have been really thinking of Christmas. It is the year for my family, and our little nephew is due on 22nd December & I am so looking forward to it. We shared Oliver's 1st Xmas & it'll be cool this year as he will understand father Christmas :) and to witness our new nephews 1st christmas will be so nice too :)

Scrapbooking :)

Things have been quite hectic, and unfortunately I seem to have some sort of nasal issue which Max strength cold & flu caps nor antihistamines have touched.

Anywho, I have also been busy with some stuff with Ocean Wide Design goodies! I love being a part of such a great team :)

(Click images for supplies)

2 announcements!

Exciting news! I'm so happy, I am a creative team member for Ocean Wide Designs! Most of you may know this is something I really wanted to do, so i'm excited to be a part of the team :) So I look forward to sharing all the stuff I make with you all too!



Secondly, it's official! Me & Gareth are heading back to Florida next year. We've had to make some big budget cuts, but with that, the car boots & the stuff we shall be selling on eBay along with the cleaning I do at work twice a week still (seemed silly to give that up, I really quite enjoy it!) we have worked out we can do it! So our once in a lifetime holiday & honeymoon has turned into a "we have the Disney bug and we HAVE to go back just once more!" holiday ;)

New blog Layout

Pinterest

I am so incredibly tired, It seems that around 4am is the time my nose likes to cause me problems! So I have been pinning a little, getting all excited as I have been given a great opportunity :) and in a few moments I shall be grabbing the duvet and curling up on the sofa with the husband before getting an early night I think! Hope you like the new blog layout I whipped up tonight though, as much as I liked the lime green, I'm sure that many people probably didn't!

Trip reports

**QUICK MESSAGE** Fancy trying digital scrapbooking? Well there's a giveaway of software at Katy's Blog, go here: http://katy-itsmyworld.blogspot.com/2011/08/we-have-giveaway.html & comment for your chance to win! Spread the word :)

Now regular readers may know about my passion for journals & memory keeping, and as this weekend just gone myself & Gareth were reading trip reports, thoroughly enjoying them...
... And this afternoon it struck me. My very first trip report in 1993 aged just 10 years old was in a cupboard tucked away in a "holiday folder" along with a few momentos (see, I've been at this since a very early age, and I have to admit as I'm older I am enternally grateful to my young self for doing this!)



I plan on getting this scanned to share with you all, and yes it's in comic sans but I was only young so I hope you forgive me! On our home computer we had some creative writing software aimed for kids & I loved it and the only thing I could think of writing at the time was about my very first holiday abroad.



Then I see the awful quality photos in the back and want to cry, and save this piece of my history, so I'm debating whether to re-write the trip reports I have and putting them into PDF so I can keep them on my phone to read or a mini book in their own rights :) My parents have the photos, but I can scan them in :)

And if you're wondering where you can read these Disney Trip Reports, they are located on the forums of thedibb.co.uk but you need to be a member to view them

It's been a Disney sort of weekend

Apart from the absolutely necessary housework (washing up, preparing meals, making sure we have clean clothes...) I have been lounging around with Gareth yesterday & today watching Phil, Emma & Ben's video trip reports.

Yes, we've seen them maybe twice already, but they are really fab :)

Check out there youtube channel with their playlists: http://www.youtube.com/user/elnicholson1

I love watching over videos, and reading our book of our trip (Blurb books RULE!)





Which makes me think I really should post our trip report on a page here so not just dibbers can read it lol :)

Hope everyone had a nice bank holiday weekend!

 

 

New Pages

I've been MIA for 4 days, but Thursday I got my boxes back from my parents after selling stuff in a car boot, and everything else went to charity. I just wanted my space back, so I have been slowly getting things to how they should be.

The pages I have done this week:







I'm super excited, I'm hoping to apply for a design team. It's something I've always wanted to do :)