Do you want to know a secret?

Lets just say that this Heidi Swapp paper isn't my favourite from the Homegrown kit, but i'm quite happy about how the page turned out...

Here's Lola enjoying her 'Spa day' this evening... she really totally loves it and now tries to get up the ramp before she has her life jacket (shhhh... it's a secret - don't tell any other Newfies!) on!

Snuggly Bugs!

When you've got a picture as cute as this one, some subtley gorgeous paper is all you need... all Homegrown Summer Survival Kit again..  I love that my girls love each other,

A couple of classic Martha pictures to share today.... Wet dog? Check! Stick? Check!

Total submergence of head? Check!

Retrieve this!

Here's another of my pages using the Homgrown Scrapbooks Summer Survival Kit - love this circle pattern paper.... it's a slight variation on my usual favourite - dots!

Martha rejected her all encompassing love of sticks for a while tonight.... she thought it would be much more fun to try retrieving this little terrier instead! He was a bit less keen on the whole premise!

Pulled over at the side of the road in the Forest on the way home to take a few pics of some Donkeys... but while I was grabbing the camera out of the bag a friendly pair came over to say hello! This little person then proceeded to snuffle Martha through the window!

Cute as a cupcake!

Another page today using the Summer Survival kit from Homgrown Scrapbooks. I've added a few bits and pieces including an uber cute cupcake case!

It might be a bit of a British Cliche, but it's almost been too hot the last few day! So a bit of evening rain is quite a welcome change. Before the heavens opened Martha of course insisted on an evening paddle! Love this shot of her shaking... looks like her head is about to twist off!

Reeeeeeesult!

After much distress at a possible failed loaf... 30 mins in the oven and this is what popped out!

I slopped a bit of margarine on top of a slice and it was soooo scrummy! If my slightly bodged loaf was this good, just think it'll be with a machine that actually WORKS!

Distressing....

... and not in a fun, CrackleGlaze, inky way.... popped to the shops to get some yeast etc, merrily measured out the ingredients and then popped it all in the machine to cogitate for 3 hours.... 2hours later the electricity tripped out... it turns out the bread maker has a fault!!!! Tried several times, but it just doesn't want to cook... so as a last ditch attempt to salvage something even a bit bready i've bunged it in the oven.... while I wait with baited breath, Amazon has mugged me of a few quid for a new one. I'll record the evidence a little later however badly it all turns out! Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Quoted... from an unexpected source!

'She makes me want to squirt Fairy Liquid in my eyes!'

I never thought Dale from Big Brother would be the source of a classic quote of the day.... ;-)

Kick Start...

Just adored this cloud paper from the Summer Survival - Homegrown kit.... so much so i had to cover up as little as possible of it.... so one scallopy frame, a chipboard bird and a title later, and i'm done!

As John  Barrowman would say, today was HOT, HOT, HOT! All I could muster was another scrapbook page (going to try and share one a day until the homegrown kit is gone!) and some paddling for the girlies! Far too hot to do much else,

I've pledged to give the ol' breadmaker a kick start, so i'm going to grab some ingredients together on Monday and give it a go! Louise has gorgeous homemade bread everyday and everyone in the office looks on longingly at it, so she's really inspired me to try harder and at least give it a try! If anyone has any fab bread recipes, please feel free to let me know!!

Surviving Summer....

Here's the first of my Homegrown Summer Survival kit pages - more stick pics of Martha Moo, she's so funny in them! LOVING the kit,,, it'll certainly keep me busy for a little while!

Just to prove that Mo's obsessed with the sticks.... look what she got up to after work today!

Homegrown produce....

As well as baking... she also scraps! Another Homegrown page to share today as well... i'm on 8 so far for the kit! I'm lovin' it!

Obligated?

Continuing my ongoing love of woodgrain, I couldn't resist this sheet of 'Love Elsie' from the Forrest range. It was almost too scrummy to cover up, so i added a few simple bits and pieces including some of the truly wonderful Woodgrain dymo tape. The big swirl is Grungeboard covered in a nice thick layer of Distress-Crackle paint which I adore!

No pic today and i'm surprisingly ok about it! I'd resolved at the start of the year to post a photo a day, but after nearly 7 months i'm happy to let it slide the odd day if it's not convenient! So today is a celebration of blogging without obligation!

Irresistable...

The July Studio Calico kit contines to come up trumps. I've used more Crakle Distress paint on chipboard this time for this quick page. I've also snuck in another October Afternoon 'Rubbery' charm as I just can't resist using them!

I was looking back through my photo archive looking for some suitable seasonal pictures for a project for the September Issue of Creativity magazine and came across this excessively cute picture of baby Martha snuggled under a bush in the garden, and just had to scrap it straight away! Somehow I missed it at the time, (probably through total lack of sleep....) but it's great to revisit older pics!

New pics are good too though, like this one of scrummy Marthlet tonight!

Another exciting event was that my Homegrown Summer Survival is here! I've already done three pages! It's fab!

It's all in the details....

I hope I can be forgiven that I sometimes don't include enough detail in my blog post about the supplies i've used on my pages. Shelly left a comment asking about the big red edged heart on my page from yesterday.

It's an acrylic heart from the 'Clearly Bigger' Fancy Pants set. It's actually clear, so I've just edged it with red acrylic paint.

Hope this helps!

Secrets...

It's new challenge time over at a True Friend again today! (doesn't time fly when you're having fun!) This times it's true confessions and secrets! My page features a VERY slobbery Lola. It's not a secret that Newfies are slobbery.... lots of people can attest to that fact first hand, but I'm happy to reveal that it doesn't bother me one tiny bit! In fact I love those big slobbery kisses! ;-) Pop over to see all the rest of the DTs pages! My page features some of my favourite Scenic Route on top of lovely Core'dinations cardstock.... and yes there is some woodgrain dymo tape on there!

And I leave you tonight with some pictures of some cute critters; a Donkey convoy plus a very happy big puppy!

Just testing....

If this works, it'll be a shining endorsment for a really fab feature that lets you blog from your iGoogle hompage and which you will therefore just *have* to have.... Or... it could just be advertising a bug laden pile of doo doo that would be best left alone!

I guess if you are reading this it's a succes!!! Hurrah!

Making the most of it...

You can tell you've made the most of a kit (and can be a bit smug all at the same time that you've put it to good use) when you start using the waste sections of chipboard etc on your pages. There were some fab white 'chipboardesque' frames in the July Studio Calico kit and after twigging that the outsidey bit was exactly 8.5x11" it just *had* to become a page! I've stuck a row of photos down one side and then used various left over patterned paper scraps from the kit to back the holes that are showing. With a few bit's and pieces and a title... job done!

Just for Laura... another donkey picture from this evening. Check out how big this baby is getting!

Plus a gorgeous skewbald pony, i'm not entirely sure what she's doing with her hoof!

And of course Martha Moo...caught mid munch on a tasty stick!

Shock Horror!

A very rare couple of pictures of Martha on dry land... ok... she's soaking wet but it makes a nice change to get a bit of grass in the shot! Going to have to print and scrap these straight away!

Watering....

Martha had a ball today playing with a very fun Springer spaniel at her favourite watering hole! She positively dwarfed him, but he totally outpaced her so on land at least he had the upper hand! He was at a distinct disadvantage in the water though so he tried to stay well clear!

Finally!

Finally got to a scanner so i've got lots of pages to share! These are all using July's Studio Calico kit.

First up is a page about Lola's new nickname, ever since her ops (where she was waited on hand and foot) she's been quite the diva! I wasn't immediately in love with this background paper when i first opened up the kit, but with something simple in the centre I've changed my mind!

Next up is Martha in a standard pose.... showing off in the water!Added some Loopy Lou, Doodlebug alphas - it simply has to be done!

Baby Martha next, she still sits on this step, but now hangs over the edges on every side!

This is favourite ever picture of Bella - it's rather blurry, but goes to show you don't always need an amazing shot to get great memories.

This page (as well as having a very cute shot of Matha) is in homage to my love of Monty Python - Check out the vid of 'Four Yorkshire Men' to 'get it' or perhaps just be even more baffled!

And lastly Martha's love of TV.... she must be addicted...  she's even started watching Big Brother!

Oooh... have you noticed how cool that woodgrain dymo's looking?? I've used it on 5 out of these 6 pages! Get yours over on the right!

Snooze! I wish!

Tired! And by the looks of it so's Martha! Yaaaaawn!

Sniff... sniff... *wipes a tear*.....

At the Copa....

Just got back from a fun evening of fun, food and frivolity at Sandie's, plus a little bit of karaoke with Anita as the *very* strict taskmaster! Martha and Lola had loads of fun too, but I suspect the second pic of Martha might suggest how she felt about the singing!!

Consider yourself challenged!

Today saw the first monthly challenge over on CreativityLife.com here's my page using that 'Mostly Martha' song i was rambling on about a couple of days ago! The other girls have done some scrummy pages, so pop over for a peek and of course please do join in!

Martha had a great time swimming tonight including putting a retreiver to shame with her stick saving capabilities, she also tried to rescue the dog... it was distinctly unimpressed! More cute donkey's tonight too, check out how big this little girl is getting!

Snorkle...

I've got loads and loads of pages to share.. i just need to find a spare minute to do a bit of scanning! So as i'm absolutely rubbish, here's a pic of someone lovely! Martha having a little snorkle!

Deluge...

Defying all the meteorologists we had a rather splendid weekend of sun! I can put the Ark building off for another weekend! Even so, it was still of course a day of getting wet despite the clement weather, what with Martha's paddling escapades and giving her a bath after, I certainly felt like i'd been caught in a veritable deluge!

Mostly Martha...

Been thinking about how appropriate the song title below is for Martha... 'Who made all the muddy footprints on the kitchen floor?' 'Who's making all that noise?' the answer now can be 'Mostly Martha!' I feel a page (and quite possibly a challenge!) coming on!

A couple of pics today in her natural habitat! She's blowing coat like a demon at the moment (check out how skinny she looks in the bottom picture! So I think she might be in for a bath tomorrow, followed by some lovely conditioner to inspire it to grow back!