vintage brit....

Over recent weeks I have seen lots of 'vintage' British things appearing on the high street. From fashion to home styles the union jack flag is predominant. For many years the displaying of the Union Jack or has been tainted with either Football symbolism or a particular political party.

I would like to say its great seeing it in the home form,there seems to be a real feel of nostalgia about it. This wave of nostalgia has led me to put together my first layout in 5 months!.

Whilst clearing out gramps house I found this picture which is a street party in the road that I was born in. I think it is to celebrate the end of the war in 1945. In the photo I can see my gramps, my nan, and my great-grandad. I have handmade the flowers and bunting, adding the vintage feel by sanding & scrunching and then embellishing with buttons & pins.

Work has influenced this vintage brit nostalgia. A pop up shop opened this week called cenTEAnary, to coincide with the celebration of the stores 100th birthday, it features vintage pieces as well as new designs. Also opening this week was the fantastic Pedlars, I really like these signs & trunk. It also has instore a large vintage ribbon stand!..... too much temptation. This store is alongside Cath Kidston.

I am LYving these home goodies, tapestry cushion from the Rug Company and the china from Emma Bridgewater ( spoiler alert... union jack christmas crackers coming!)

Life & stuff!

Another week has flown with little or no blogging!....life is very busy for me at the moment, I'm working on 2 wedding commissions at the moment, the first wedding is on the 28th March so 2 weeks time, the list of jobs to finish for it is:

Y 4 tier wedding cake

Y 100 cupcakes,

Y 120 favours

Y Table numbers

Y Menus

Y Order of service

Y Table Plan

Y Name Cards

Y Bridesmaids cards ..fortunately I have a week off on the run up to the wedding to panic!.... i have managed to finish a layout that I started ages ago for gramps's book. It features his garden. I have some of my most happiest memories in that garden,alas it doesn't look so glorious now. We are at a crossroads with gramps now as he has suffered a number of falls recently which are leading us to be advised that he now needs 24 hour care,this would involve a move to a care home. I need to get my head around this which is causing me some anxiety.....

On a completely different subject, my tube read this week has been Wedding Season by Katie FForde, I Y her books a fab read even if yo aren't in the throe's of wedding's.....

I have 2 must see's on the TV this week.... Tuesday see's the much saddened departure of Grissom in CSI. I've always been a CSI junkie,

On Thursday see's the following which I cannot contain my excitement about.... ER, PLEASE NOTE, i will not be taking calls, blogging or doing anything other than watching this 9pm!.....he's back in his scrubs!!!! can I get anymore excited!! how yummy is he.....the gorgeous george! mmm....

talking of mmmm, why is it that you bump into one of your school girl crushes not looking your best!, Yesterday was one of those days, one of my older cousins friends parents lives next door to my grandad, he, the said crush strolled up the cul-de-sac in football shorts and legs, i'm coming out of gramps's gate (which is in the corner of cul-de-sac) and nowhere else to go other than straight towards the legs!...he smiles, waves and kisses ones check, whilst I am now standing tongue tied like the once gibbering 15 year old that i was! ...that's life i suppose ... he was off to coach the local boy's football team.... i must say that the legs still were as yummy as when I used to gaze out of the science block window onto the sports field...it brightened what had been a stressful morning at gramps's.

Today sees me complete a layout & a weekly challenge on uks!..... it also got me using my january kit from sarahs cards which i've been coveting in a pile of unused kits... so as i'm on a scrap diet i felt inspired to use some of my kits..

Challenge was to use the Round sketch, use black & white, flowers and stamping.

The weekend also saw me curled on the sofa watching the rugby, which was good, we were very lucky against Italy.....roll on next week....

I finished 2 books this week on the train.... the first being the fantabulous Tell me Something by Adele Parks....this book was so good i missed Bond street station stop twice and ended up at Marble Arch! and Thursday's at Eight by Debbie Macomber which i thoroughly enjoyed. I've been fighting a chest infection for the last couple of weeks so it was nice not to do much at the weekend, Gramps gave me the weekend off so a quiet weekend was had!........large mug of hot chocolate with whipped cream and rugby mens thighs...what more could a girl ask for! mmmmmmmmmmm

sneak peaks & stuff....

next week see's the end of our financial year at work so my hours have been hideous this week and next week is even worse, but i have managed to get another layout finished for gramps's book. I started this monday at scrapaholix, and got it completed late one evening ...it was great de-stresser cutting out all the bits!...this one features gramps & the thames!...predominantly Tower Bridge & HMS Belfast. This week also see the CHA in Anaheim California ....s some of the sneak peaks have been fab....im particularly liking the following!.. Sweet Celebrations and Spring Fling from the fabulous Bella Blvd company. I'm not sure who stocks this in the UK but will be actively seeking!...also Farmers Wife from the lovely Jenny Bowlin...check out these buttons! and finally for today....Neighbourhood from the scrummy My Little Shoebox.

This week my train book was The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber. This another new author to me and I loved it....it revolves around a knitting shop which sounds terribly dull but it was great ..about finding friendship in unexpected places. As you know I Y a book!...i recently found a fantastic charity bookshop, today i managed to pick up 8 books for £10 4 of which are still in the book charts ..so watch this space lots of books to come!

january blues.....

....yeh it's friday! ... i've got the january blues!, work is stressful, it's cold, and amongst other things gramps is not great SO last night to cheer myself up I had a very large hot chocolate & baileys and I scrapped some yummy cupcakes! ...these were made for my team for my birthday, Blueberry cupcakes.

Recipe for the Cupcakes are:

225g plain flour, 1tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1/4 tsp salt, 1tsp allspice, 115g caster sugar, 3 lrg egg whites, 3tbsp butter, 150ml thick low fat yoghurt (blueberry optional) 1tsp vanilla ess, 100g fresh blueberries.

Sift the flour,bicarb, salt, 1/2 allspice add 6tbsp of caster sugar and mix in bowl. In a separate bowl whisk the egg white together. Add the butter, yoghurt, and vanilla ess and mix together. Stir in 3/4 of the blueberries. Fold the fruit mixture into the flour mixture. Divide the mixture between 12 muffin/cupcake cases. Bake in a preheated oven (190'/375'f) for 25minutes.

Topping: mix icingsugar into a small tub of mascapone cream to preferred sweetness. Swirl onto cooled cupcakes and top with fresh blueberries. Alternatively prior to baking mix remaining sugar and allspice together and sprinkle onto unbaked cupcakes.

I've managed 2 books again this week on the london tube commute,

An Offer you Can't Refuse by Jill Mansell, which was fab. I've loved her books forever but have found the last ok, this one got her back to her best!...... the other was another from Veronica Henry ~ Love on the Rocks, which was a romp...got me wanting to jump on the train and head down to the devon & cornish coast....I love it down there, some of my favourite holidays as a child and adult have been spent there. This week saw the return of the fantastic CSI vegas....what a season opener .. i blubbed all the way through it! ...

...hopefully i have a cozy & crafting weekend to look forward to... :-)

layout ingredients:

papers~ all kinds of happy - imaginisce

chipboard letters ~ american crafts thickers jewelry box

cupcake stamp ~ forever friends

calendar stamp ~ imaginisce

ribbon & bling ~ from stash!

Scrapping Sunday

Well i've managed to finish off another double layout today... this one details gramps & my trip to the Tower of London. I wanted to keep the layout quite simple as the colours are quite strong. I love the london paper from 'far & away' I purchased this in america! ... the crown & the soldier are great. We had a lovely day when we went, and i'm determined to go back when it warms up a bit. To get me in the mood while i scrapped i watched "The other Boleyn girl"....read the book last year and enjoyed the film.... Today is my friend Lucy's sons 4th birthday .... so happy birthday George. i was Lucy's birth partner when George was born alongside her mum and i can't believe that it's 4 years ago!... here is a picture a georges card... kept the design very simple...

Sunday Scrapping....

Today I embarked on trying to get some layouts finished.... this year I am determined to finish what I start!...so here are a couple of layouts finished for my Grandad's birthday album ( yes I know it was december, but I haven't got it all finished yet!).... golden celebration details my Grandads parents Golden wedding anniversary, the group shot shows the brothers & sisters......talking of brother's & sisters the fantastic 3rd series starts next week (thursday 8th), i can't wait! .... on a different tv watched....i caught the gorgeous Rupert Penry Jones in the remake of The 39 Steps, ..yes i know it was Spooks in another decade...but he' is very yummy! Here is my other layout...Mr & Mrs and a group family shot outside my Nan's parents house..... back to forthcoming tv viewing the fantastic CSI season 9 hits's our tv sets (13th jan)

and NCIS season 5 this week... i so live in the wrong country... cam you tell that i'm a little addicted to american tv!... last weeks book read on the tube was the Yummy ~ Recipes for a Perfect Marriage by Kate Kerrigan, and I loved it...... off now to cook dinner....x

Jaffa Cake Cupcakes

i'm still trying to catch up with my a-z cupcakes...so here's my jaffa cake cupcakes (complete with orange jelly!)...papers are from SEI...they are very simple.. the cupcakes are a plain cupcake baked and left to cool. Prior to making the cupcakes make an orange jelly in a shallow container. I used a 1/4 water and a 1/4 orange tango/fanta fizzy orange (also lined the shallow container with cling film).Once cupcakes are cool, turn out jelly onto greaseproof paper, cut small circles of jelly with a cookie cutter (just smaller than cupcake) Brush top of cupcake with marmalade and top with jelly. melt plain chocolate spoon over the top of the jelly & cupcake..leave to harden in fridge..top with orange slice.

pink & chocolate challenge

Tilda & Co challenge for today was Pink & chocolate......two of my favourite colour combinations....instead of making a card i decided to accent a layout I have made to compliment my mums birthday cake i made for her recently. The only Tilda worthy of decorating the page was Tilda & cupcake!!....thanks for the challenge ladies..Tx

recipe: Heidi Grace papers, stamps magnolia, ribbon MJ Trimmings (NY)

Cupcakes,Cooking & Cravings.....

why is it that you spend hours looking for stuff and then suddenly like buses it all comes along together?....i am always looking for cupcake/cooking scrap stuff....and now suddenly my cravings have been met...there is loads appearing....here is a flavour that are now on my wish list! Teresa Collins ~ Bon Appetit , Dream Street ~ Cookies & Cream...yum yum...and the gorgeous Magnolia stamps have released stamps too!...I'm loving Cupcake Tilda , Tilda with Rolling Pin , Muffin ,....how scrummy are these!.....talking of scrummy I am a little addicted to the Olympics at the moment...in particular the swimming & rowing!!....how awesome is Michael Phelps the guy is phenomenal absolutely amazing to watch...looking ahead I will be glued to the rowing at the weekend..come on the GB boys.....

Grandads Girl..

Morning...i've managed to do this weeks challenge on UKS....had to use sketch, celebration,5 of something, pink & bling...so here is mine....it's of my Grandad & me...dancing at his Golden Wedding anniversary...it's the last memory that I have of him before his disability got the better of him. He now uses walking sticks/aids to get around. I love this picture for many reasons, another page to add to his book....

I currently have Blackberry & apple muffins in the oven....the blackberries are from my garden!...organically grown!..I have the bramble scratches on my arms to prove. My garden is very much neglected..so yesterday afternoon I set myself the task of cutting back the brambles and trying to get some semblance of a garden back..(otherwise I has visions of opening the paper and finding someone had reported that my weeds were visible from space!)....its a little better..although spent the day dodging rain showers. Sunday hugs Tx

muffins are out of the oven!.........

66 years.....

Today would have been my nan & gramp's 66th wedding anniversary....(here is a layout that I have finished for gramps's 90th birthday book)...they are a complete aspiration to me...One of my jobs today was to take 66 white carnations to the cemetery. Every year Gramps bought Nan white carnations for the number of years married on their anniversary, as this was what she carried in her bouquet....and in it he would write her a little note telling her how much he loved her. He was in bright spirits today which was a blessing, the first since she passed, he spent the time talking about all the tales from the day which was great, as some of them I had never heard...a 'scrappers' dream!...I left him watching the opening ceremony for the Olympics which was amazing....off now..may pop back later!

Tx

Cupcake catch-up ~ Ferreo's

i'm on a cupcake roll today!....here's another from me....it's my ferrero rocher layout....Recipe can be found here.....I'm really pleased with this today...tried new things....don't usually do hand written journalling and circles!...paper & ribbon is from another of sarah'scards kits... PolarbearPress (cozy quilt.)

Under Construction!

hello!.....this is bit of a 'bits & pieces' post!....today i found that a couple of my cards had been posted on the hanglar blogg which was exciting!....also the 'ribbon 'fairy had delivered today!...Look...mmmm how lovely!

.....I love ribbon....can you tell!....also i've been playing with a little book that i bought in the sale...which is still under construction! its a fold out NY skyline!.....on that note just a little bit of exciting news...Sex & the city is available on DVD on the 22nd September...Tx

Glitter Gossips weekly challenge!

Well today is the Glitter Gossips first weekly challenge on UKS....the challenge is to use Sketch, Something American, Quotation marks, Glitter, Stars or stripes...this was to in recognition of Independence day as our challenge fell in that week and that one of our team are moving to America in the next few weeks to take up a teaching post...well here's mine!...wasn't short on any inspiration and the hardest job was settling on what photo's to use!

On a completely different slant now...who saw Top Gear last night...they had the lovely & scrummy Rupert Penry Jones as star in a reasonably priced car....it was very funny.. i'm on a shortlist for audience tickets I would have been beside myself if i'd turned up and he had walked on!!..also i've added another clip from spooks as i'm having withdrawal symptoms...accompanied by duran duran!!

Tx

Gramps, the City & me!

well i've managed to get a double layout finished for Gramps's book...he's made me laugh this weekend. He had a great time on his trip down the Thames...we now have Greenwich on the list of Things to do!....he also wants to know if he is going to have a party in Hyde Park for his 90th!....like Nelson Mandela....I said no unfortunately not! however I am taking him 'home' to Bury St Edmunds at the end of the month so he's quite excited about that......the rest of my week has been fairly quiet.....this week's book reads were: The Bride Hunter, which was good light hearted fun....and Death Message by Mark Billingham which was the next installment of DI Thorne....very good read....off now to cook dinner...Tx

City that never sleeps......

I've managed to do some scrapping this week!....Finally managed to get my layout finished for the Glitter Gossips challenge on UKS next week...so watch this space as I will be posting it on monday. In the meantime I've managed to do this weeks challenge which was to incorporate; Cities, 3 photo sketch, Ribbon, & Patterned paper....well I think i've managed and it's so not me!!...I got the papers in this months kit from sarah's cards and fell in love with it....I think it really sets the photo's off....I'm typing this while watching Gok's style tipes on Gok's fashion Fix..i'm loving the haberdashery chic!!!...scrapping on clothes!!!!.....Our sale started at work today and it was mad!...q'ing round the block for LV & Gucci!...oxford street was a sea of yellow bags on the way home!....I'm thinking of hosting a swap on UKS..a cupcake recipe card swap...so if you are interested drop me a comment so that i can guage what interest there would be.....cupcakes & hugs Teresa x
PS..It's my dear friend Penny's birthday today....so happy birthday Pen...I know we don't speak much but wanted to let you know that i'm thinking of you. xx

hi...wow managed to get a layout done today for gramps's book and it fits this weeks challenge on uks!!...something from my childhood, (gramps garden), use pink (flower), metal (brads), stripes(paper)and something recycled (ribbon)!....hope everyone has had a lovely fathers day...left gramps with a little glass of abbotts ale...brewed by greene king in Bury St Edmunds where he was born... and worked as a delivery boy!....

nan & gramps...

bit late with posting i know...but here is a layout that i did at scrapaholix this week...it's a complete contrast to what i usually do but i'm tempting fate and working on an album for Gramps 90th birthday which is in Dec so the style reflects that....sunday flew by I had the migraine from hell, been a bit stressed and I think it just all got a bit too much sunday....this weeks not been much better....my train buddy's on holiday this week so i've read lots!..(that's probably not helping the headaches!)....this weeks read is Gucci Gucci Coo...just started so watch this space....have re-read this Something Borrowed which is one of my favs....soooo love this book!..definitely in my top 10. I'm off to the flicks again friday to see the fantastic SATC with my oldest friend Karen..i'm very excited about seeing it again!...hugs.Tx Belated birthday wishes to my dear friend Marion...it was her birthday monday....love & hugs.

gramps in the city

managed to finish the dbl layout that I started at scrapaholics last week....it's of gramps's day out in london!....these are of St James Park & Buckingham Palace...you would never have guessed that we went in the middle of August..the weather was very overcast!...we had a lovely day though...lots of lovely memories.

This weeks tube book was 31 Dream Street by Lisa Jewel....took a couple of chapters to get into but really enjoyed it....this weeks is Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberg...author of the Devil wears Prada!.......i'm sooo loving the book cover!...can feel a scraplift coming on!...hope everyone has a lovely sunday...scrummy Tv tonight...i'm catching up on Gossip Girl, CSI NY and the fantastic Brothers & Sisters..followed by Dirty sexy Money.

Tx