Just for you ...

I recently created this layout using papers and elements from a fabulous new collab kit from Ange Designs & Pink Reptile Designs called Scrap! (btw, don't you think that's the perfect name for a kit?) ...


When I uploaded it to my gallery at Oscraps, a very dear friend, Kym, added a comment that said:

"Sue, get out of here! This is fabulous! I need a page like this for myself. I think this needs to be turned into a quickpage. If you do, please send my way!"

Well Kym you're in luck! After I read your lovely comment, I approached both Ange & Mirjam (the kit designers) and asked if they would mind if I created a quick page to give away on my blog ... and I'm delighted to say they both agreed it would be OK, so here you go ...

click here to download

If you do create a page, I'd love to see it, so please leave a link in the comments so I can leave some love.

OK, that's all from me today ... to all my friends "across the pond", I hope you have a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday and I'll raise my glass in a toast to the start of a joyous festive season!

Choices, choices ...

So with me working regular 9am -5pm hours at the moment, I'm carting my laptop to & from the office each day, and I'm thinking it's about time I invested in some sort of bag to prevent the nice shiny surface getting all scuffed up. Something stylish and colourful, something to match my personality(!) ... not a boring black briefcase bag for me, oh no! But I must confess, I got totally lost in Etsy for about 5 hours on Saturday and I can't decide which of these I like best.

This one (which reminds me Twitter for some reason) ...

Or this one (which reminds me of Japanese cherry tree blossom) ...

What do you think ... which do you think would suit me?

Shocking fact #2 ...

There are only 41 days 'til the start of 2011. Fact!

Christmas Wishlist #2 ...

I missed all the hype surrounding Mad Men when it first came out a couple of years ago, but the BBC recently showed a complete re-run of the first season and I LOVED IT ... Joanie is my newest hero! You've gotta love her curves, right?

Christmas Wishlist #1 ...

Saw this gorgeous little number on Cathy Zielske's blog and just had to check it out in more detail. This is Jo Totes latest addition and I've fallen head over heels in love with the Rose style in the Sugarplum colour!

Now, if only I had a fairy godmother who wanted to gift me the $124 needed to buy it & ship it to me here in the UK!!!

Work is such an inconvenience ...

Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy the work I'm doing at the moment ... BUT ... it really does play havoc with my digiscrapping time!

Take last weekend as an example: Saturday 6th November was International Digital Scrapbooking Day or {i}DSD for short ... a day jam packed full of fun 'n' frolics, scrapping 'n' chatting, discounts 'n' coupons, blog-hops 'n' give-aways galore ... in other words, a digiscrappers PARADISE!!! And did I have time to indulge in this day of digital debauchery? The short answer is "NO". My weekend flew by in a blur of traveling to Birmingham (West Midlands not Alabama), washing and ironing clothes, weekly food shopping, housework in general and baking!

Thankfully, my job doesn't require me to work Saturdays or Sunday (I'm strictly a 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday girl) but I really could do with the weekend being extended to 3 days ... 2 just isn't enough any more.

Trust is a rare and beautiful thing ...

It may sound like an odd title for my post, but please indulge me and I'll explain. You see it all relates to this LO ...

click here for credits

Well actually, the flower I'm wearing in the photo of my LO to be more precise. Here's a closer look ...

It's beautiful isn't it? And it's hand crafted too!

It's creator is a wonderfully talented designer called Vikki Lafford. She's the creative force behind Liliia (www.liliia.co.uk) and she makes the most gorgeous bespoke dresses and one-of-a-kind accessories ... just like my flower.

Not only is Vikki a fabulous designer, but she's an incredibly generous and TRUSTING individual too. You see, last Saturday she was displaying and selling her creations at a craft fair in my home town of Abingdon (Oxfordshire, not Maryland that is!). I happened to be browsing her wares and immediately fell in love with a couple of pieces, including the flower above. The colours were so rich, the beads so beautifully arranged ... I just had to buy it! But there was one slight hitch ... I didn't have enough cash in my purse and unfortunately there were no facilities to use my "flexible friend" (I'm showing my age now, aren't I?!?!).

Now, I'd never met Vikki before and she had every right to say "Sorry - no money, no goods!" ... but she didn't ... instead she said "Go ahead, take it and post a cheque to me when you get home". Seriously? Wow! Such generosity. Such faith. Such trust. Well needless to say, I posted the cheque and a thank you card straight away. But I've been thinking about her gesture ever since, and so I wanted to say it once again ... "Thank you Vikki" ... I wish there were more honest, generous and trusting folk like you in the world ... it would be a lovelier and very much prettier place if there were!

Shocking fact #1 ...

It's only 53 days 'til Christmas. Fact!