Walk the Walk - not long now

Under three weeks to go until I tackle my second walking marathon, still 26.2 miles, 42km raising money and awareness for Breast Cancer. I am doing a cake sale at work to raise funds next week, having a "buy a mile" event at my local slimming world group and hoping to receive a few sponsors too!

It has been a lot of training, indeed this weekend the longest preparatory walk of 35k is due (I blistered last year at this stage!) but at least the weather has perked up a little and no matter how uncomfortable, tiring or difficult the training gets I know it is nothing compared to what sufferers and their families endure at the hands of the cruel disease that is Cancer.

Every penny counts and so if you are so inclined I would be thrilled to receive your support for this worthy cause. Either pop some cash my way when you next see me & leave your details on my sponsorship form, or pop on line to the just giving page set up for my pal and I who are joint fundraising together as so many people know us both - Team Annielene. Thanks you, and wish me luck!

Second ATDML Class

Oops, just realised I didn't share my second class layouts from the ATDML retreat.

Using Basic Grey Hey you papers I designed two layouts from the kit with a stamping/misting background that made the most of 6x6 papers and featured a rather yummy alphabet and stickers too! My first page was more grungy stamping in dark brown ink and bubblewrap and held two photos of my youngest and his March 2013 red nose day antics!

My second page using the same paper collection had a more subtle feel to it with softer misting, stamping and paint elements on a photo where the 6x6 paper joins are hidden.. giving the illusion the papers run behind the photo.

A jam packed inset day.

Last Monday my boys had an extra (inset) day off school at the end of the Easter Holidays and we decided to meet up with friends in London using Tesco clubcard vouchers for a fun day out.
First we caught the train (an adventure in itself if you ask a 6 year old!) up to Westminster for our speed boat ride down the Thames. So much fun, especially when the Bond 007 music was played and we sped up. Youngest claimed it was "epic" and whilst Rob enjoyed it he urged me to hold on tight more than once!!

After the Rib ride we grabbed lunch and jumped back on the tube for London Zoo where we spent a pleasant afternoon with NO crowds enjoying enjoying ourselves & learning plenty.  We saw the snake cage from the original Harry Potter movie, the Komodo dragon Raja from the latest Bond film Skyfall and an entire cage of "King Julians!" not to mention the "smile and wave boys" penguins from the film Madagasca. (obviously it helps if you have seen this film to appreciate the great amusement we had at this stage!)

When the zoo closed at half five we met up with hubby in Leicester square, enjoyed TGI ribs (yum!) and eventually made our way back home after over 12k of walking around on a rather nice day. PLenty of photos, now just to find the time between work and walking to scrap them!

Sticking the boot in!

Today was another crafty day following an entire weekend away last weekend indulging in my favourite hobby. For a change up, and because I knew I'd have taught the weekend before we had a guest designer this month and Kirsty taught the class with the Simple Stories Urban Traveler papers I had sourced from Mel & Jill at ATDML.  I was thrilled when she demonstrated that the class involved inking up the sole of her young son's wellington boot with Tim Holtz Distress Stains to make a muddy footprint on the background of the page!! Combined with ink splatters and some subtle spraying and the added photo/paper section I was thrilled with my completed layout. Of course I wasn't smart enough to have photographed it in daylight and if I take it now the light will fail me and not show the true colours and effect achieved on the page so this will have to be something I do in coming days.

Off to make tea now, then maybe a little more creating before an early night as I am walking to Ally Pally tomorrow for the craft show/marathon training. The event is just 4 weeks away and I am a little behind on walking training even if my overall fitness level has improved. I even managed to get through an entire spinning class this week! get me!

ATDML Retreat - My First class

This time last week I was away with at the ATDML scrapbooking retreat where I has already taught my first class of the weekend - two layouts using Simple Stories 24/Seven papers.  The first page was based on this paper and the ever popular hexagons that we see so often on pages these days.

As part of this class we also made the twine/cork button flowers which I also taught as a quick make and take on the Sunday.

My second page using the same 24/Seven paper collection was based on this paper from Simple Stories Vintage Bliss collection. I loved the layout of  the page elements and wanted to create it with 24/seven colours and a little more dimension.

Using this paper as a guideline for a layout design I created this page perfect to house photos of my family of five but you could use the design as a multi-photo page of a single event or similar shots of one person too, perhaps pulling a range of quirky faces?! 

Both pages also feature a couple of other papers from this collection and the rather lovely chipboard stickers too which can be found HERE in the ATDML shop. Back again over the weekend with my other class pages.

If it's not the cats it's the kids!!

Not content for the cats to steal the limelight when I am trying to photograph a layout my kids are now getting in on the act - or rather my youngest is. Check out these cheeky snaps while I am trying to photograph one of my class layouts for this weekends ATDML retreat! He is too funny! Needs a haircut though! Must book that for next week lol!


 Less than 24 hours until I teach this class - exciting! One of two layouts using Simple Stories 24/Seven (which I ADORE!!) and my other class is Basic Grey Hey You where I showcase two layouts from the same paper range - one masculine, grungy and messy and another softer toned yet still inky page. Will of course share the pages next week or who knows, they may appear on the Created by ATDML blog over the weekend. Tune in and find out!

March ATDML Gallery

New York, New York, so good they named it twice they say and featured heavily in my March Design Team gallery layouts for A Trip Down Memory Lane. Papers were by Glitz and I thought the dotty print of the paper above reminded me a little of snow and whilst it was clear in New York whilst we were visiting the UK saw plenty! I kept the page pretty basic as I liked the paper so much but still managed to squeeze multiple photos and plenty of journalling on.
Another layout for the gallery also using Glitz tells the story of the Freeman restaurant in New York, one of the main reasons we chose this city to celebrate Mat's 40th in January. Why would we not want to go there when it shared our name?!

This one used up a few buttons and flowers I had sitting in a "use it or lose it" pot on my craft desk and I think add a pop of colour to this neutral coloured page. The tag has journalling on which lifts out of the pocket that came in a Studio Calico kit. 

The gallery isn't up in the website yet but we are all busy preparing for a weekend of indulgent creative this coming Friday and everyone is busy finishing off instructions, packing kits and making sure all runs smoothly. Am sure all will be revealed shortly!

The Big Egg Hunt Covent Garden

Nice way to spend the Saturday of Easter weekend mooching around Covent Garden with my boys seeking the hundred or so giant Easter eggs hidden there as part of the charity fundraising big egg hunt. Sponsored by Lindt we even got a mini golden bunny each to munch on whilst we ticked off each egg as we found it. Jamie loved the Julia Donaldon "A Squash and a Squeeze" egg having been learning all about the author at school. Both boys were thrilled to find the Adventure time Finn & Jake egg too and I loved a neat brick built home egg. Shame the weather wasn't a tad warmer as it was rather chilly making it hard on little fingers to turn the book pages with much needed gloves on!
Great day all the same and plenty of new photos too ready for scrapping at the weekend!