Plans for 2017

As we are closing the door on 2016 (Im bolting mine closed)

I am trying very hard to start off on the right foot I have bought myself a diary/planner

I had one years ago and used it daily when I worked 2 jobs, ran a home, brought up a young child and everything else involved with the above. And my life was very organised and I knew what I was doing and when etc and I really did notice a huge difference in my organizing from simple things like bills and making sure they were paid on time, budgeting for birthdays and Christmas and holidays.

As well as the obvious work rota as when I returned to work after the birth of Jordan he was 18months I needed adult conversation and interaction and I missed working full time, so my plan was to go back to work in the nursing home part-time and cover any staff shortages little did I realize how short lived it would be as unknown to us at the time, mum and my younger sister had agreed to help with childcare in the spring-autumn while Ian worked and they were happy to help but no sooner had I gone back to work that mum was moaning or ringing me to ask when I was finishing or when Ian was collecting Jordan being in the nursing home if staff for the next shift failed to show up or there was an emergency on the unit you had to stay and do what you could, you dont just clock off like a factory when you are working with people, so after just a few short weeks I had to speak to my boss and dropped my set hours and just did bank nursing, covering sick or holidays when I knew Ian could do the child care. I was livid at the time with mum, but only weeks later mum collapsed with a brain aneurysm and that was why she had been so short tempered and was so drained looking after Jordan who despite his teenage nonsense was a brilliant and content child.

But my diary then went from shift patterns to EVERYTHING, as I was running 2 houses, a toddler a partner who worked, caring for my siblings who was then 17 (going on 7) and 14 and my dad still had to work full time to keep money coming into the house so it was full on, trying to remember everything was impossible, so I jotted in everything from banking needs for both houses, bills for both houses, shopping needs for houses, appointments for mums consultants and care team, figuring out childcare while I had meetings and even when mum got home I was up and dressed me and Jordan were in a taxi to mums for 8am to make sure my younger brother was out for school on time and then make sure that mum was organised for her care team doctors and nurses, and physio it was 24/7 and making sure that dad was ok to get home from work get a decent meal and then I went home in time to bed Jordan down and collapse myself. 

If it wasnt for my trusted diary I would have been still spinning around trying to do it all x

But I got through it and was still standing (all be it just lol)

But for 2017 I have decided it is time to get back to that headspace and hopefully having everything jotted down will give my brain some rest periods.

So my first project for my youtube channel is already uploading as I type to be scheduled for 2nd Jan 2017 it is a lovely simple card that emanates just what I hope for 2017 for all my family and friends x

Details for the card tutorial

Nitwits Collections Happy - https://goo.gl/2NjagR

Card 280gsm 100 sheets for £7.25 - https://goo.gl/nxTZPb (does other card weights also)

The card base measurements are 8" x 4" scored at 4" to make a 4" x 4" square card

The 1st mat layer is 3.5"x 3.5" 

the second mat is 2.5" x 2.5" 

I used one topper from the "li'l bits" folder

and I used the bling button embellishment from the "Fat Quarter" folder (these will make sense when you buy the collections)

for the bling button I used a 1" circle punch to punch it out and 

then added Stickles in "crystal" to bling it up

I then added a bit of wink of Stella to the florals and the Large S in "smile" to give it a little twinkle.

All my cards are also stamped with my personalised stamp which I bought from stampingallday - this is the one I use simplistic but efficient http://www.stampingallday.co.uk/stampingalldayshopfront/prod_1349579-Bracket-Frame-personalised-stamp.html

Also made a birthday card for my sister it is her birthday tomorrow (Hogmanay AKA new years eve)

Lovely easel card, using paper from the country garden collection, some pale pink seam binding, distressed the edges with tattered rose distress ink, and used a decoupage floral topper that I added stickles to and gave it a bit of sparkle, then added some small pearl with metal rim embellishments so cute x 

Also made this project, one of ians customers had an extremely bad house fire last year and they have only recently moved back home and I made them a wall hanging using a vintage chair back

lots of vintage colours and textures just beautiful

lots of different materials burlap, cotton, muslin, seam binding, lace, feather, chiffon, just tons and I love it I am going to add to the top 2 small tabs for the hanging and vintage up a coathanger using some trims and muslin, x sorry the photo is a bit pants but I'm sure it gives you the general feel for the project x

until next year x 

Happy Crafting xx