New Layout//pinterest love.

Hi

News flash, I have made a new layout! I didn't realise how long it was until I went through my albums. I think what with revision and exams my mind was not focused enough to sit down with pretty paper. In any case it would have felt wrong not to give a new box of paper the time and attention it deserves!

Thankfully my mojo hasn't totally disappeared and this page came together really easily. For the first time I used a patterned paper as a background. I love the effect. It actually gave me much more freedom to lay off the embellishments as there was less empty space to fill.

I also experimented with "clashing" colours and patterns. I wanted a fair ground feel to the page hence the tickets, raffia ties and colours.

I have also discovered paper bunting. One major love affair. The boy better look out!

On a totally different topic, I have joined pinterest. I know I am slightly late but figured joining in the middle of my exams would be a mistake. That was confirmed when I spent the better part of this morning pinning and re pinning. It is very addictive but also very useful. I can collate a lot of ideas, inspiration and layouts in one place. Amazing and so aesthetically pleasing.

So if you are around please stop by and follow.

Hope you are having a lovely few days.
Thanks for stopping by

Loves xxxx

Fill us up and send us out.

Hi

My first post as a school leaver! My school did a fantastic leavers weekend. Prize giving, leavers lunch, a ball and a chapel service. It was a lovely way to go out. Very emotional and daunting but also exciting!

So, i thought I would share a few photos of the ball because who doesn't love a beautiful dress?!

 The boy and I. The best occasion to get lovely pictures when we are both dressed up.

Beautiful hair, sunshine and pimms.

A last chance to chill with great friends.

The boy cracks me up.

Cream was a popular choice! We look like four bridesmaids!

The girl leavers.

My boys. The Boy and the middle brother.

The theme was Parisian so there were purple and red balloons everywhere and this sweet bike outside the marquee.

The family. It is a shame that the littlest couldn't be there but as he isn't in the sixth form he cannot come to the ball.

My favourite picture of the night. Taken by my school nurse who is an incred. photographer.

These literally only give a snapshot of the night. It was such fun to spend a last evening with what I hope will be life long friends. The ball ended at midnight and my year then went round the bonfire till the early hours of the morning when we watched the sun rise. An incredible evening and a lovely way to end.

Thanks for stopping by

Loves xxx

P.S The title is in reference to a Tim Hughes song called God of justice. The lyric "fill us up and send us out" I think sums up how I feel about leaving school.

A small person far away

Yesterday for the last time I started to pack up my trunk.


Seven years ago I brought my trunk home from the school shop. It was so large I could fit inside it. (yes, it is a fun game!) It had classic metal locks and a dark green finish.

Together my Dad and I sat down and painted my name across it in large wobbly gold letters. As my Mum got through the mountain of name tapes I sat down and wrote out my kit list, sticking it to the inside of the lid in case we forgot anything.

We then started to fill it. Fill it with the regulation number of shirts and skirts, shoes and games kit. Books were piled in along with things that might be needed to help a small person far away from home.

Over the years that trunk has been unpacked and packed numerous times. It has been heaved up stairs and dropped on toes. It has had serious arguments over, namely as to how I can possibly take so many clothes and do I really need them all. It has been forced closed on more than one occassion.

All those memories came back in a flood when I opened it again last night. The same trunk smell and the same kit list remain. There was the typical mulch in the bottom; old posters, pens and secret notes.

For the last time it will be filled to be taken home, The duvet will be popped in the top on the last day of term and the treasures and momentos of my last year at school will be placed around it.

And at the bottom of the trunk is a stack of letters, neatly adressed. Letters from my Mum to me. Letters spanning those seven years. Letters to her small person far away. A small person who for the last time is coming home from school.

Thanks for stopping by.

Loves xxxx

Sunday Storyboard.

Thanks for stopping by.

Loves xxxx

The moment

Stephanie wrote this post the other day and reading it really hit home.

As a scrapbooker I think I do get hung up on the photo, the composition and the light. In my head each picture needs to say a lot, needs to have great depth of field.

The bottom line of this is it doesn't. That in actual fact that fleeting moment on film is what I want to record. I want to document the moment not the photo.

Looking on these photos I won't remember the shutter speed but the laughter.

Rather than see the bad composition I will see the face that for a fleeting moment is pensive before he cracks into another joke.

Rather than hate photos of me I will treasure the fact that the boy takes an interest in photography and took the time to point the lens at me.

Rather than see the shot of the back of my head I will see the moment when he pulled a face and I creased up.

Rather than record the poses I will record the candid scenes.

Rather than focus on the photo. This Summer the next goal is to focus on the story.

More on these photos the day,  the story and the sweet couple I took photos of later.

Thanks for stopping by

Loves xxxxx

Crafted bracelets

 Hi 

True to form I have started on my summer goals.

Red nail varnish- check.

Crafted bracelets- check.

I have had such fun playing around making these the last few days. All are so easy and in most cases super quick.

Blue fabric bracelet- my own design. Simply make a tube of fabric right sides together, turn inside out. fold in half lengthwise then half again. Tie and knot.

Square knot bracelet- tutorial here. Very quick and easy.

Nut bracelet- here. Bit more fiddly.

Friendship bracelet- here. takes quite a long time.

You may have noticed the blog has had a little facelift. What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by

loves xxxxx

The end of an education// goals for this summer

The end of my education. I officially finished my exams on Thursday. I cannot explain how weird it feels to wake up in the morning and know that I have no work, no revision and no exams to prepare for.

The boy and I were discussing the fact that we cannot remember a time in the last three years when we haven't had something on at school or work to do! For me I will have no work for a year as I am on a gap year next- a very bizarre thought.

The end of the last exam was a typical rush of hugs, huge grins, shrill squeaks and champagne. Then we did what girls do best...open the chocolates and watch films!

With the end of exams comes a whole set of summer goals. Little things I have been saving  for this time of freedom:

Make a new patchwork quilt possibly to cover my whole bed!

Document my summer in a mini book.

Go strawberry picking- lots!

Take more pictures in the sun. Play around with different shutter speeds and effects.

Make a new skirt or dress.

buy some espadrilles.

Paint my nails red.

Fill my wrist with crafted bracelets- as you can see this one is in the making! Tutorial here.

So... a few things to keep me busy then. If anyone knows any great sites for tutorials could you drop me a link? Thank you.

On a side note you may have noticed the new button in my sidebar. This is link with love. A new movement set up to try and credit images and artwork to their owner. On the Internet it is so easy to take other peoples work and forget that time, money and thought have gone into it. Hopefully through this we can encourage people to link up with original owners and thus share work with love! More info can be found here.

Thanks for stopping by

Loves xxx