Sonia's Blog

This blog has moved!

2010-11-29T16:09:00.000Z

Hi there ..... Thank you for visiting my blog. I have now merged my blogs under one website. You can find my new blog link below

Four Little Pixels Blog

Please remember to change your bookmarks

A little catch up

2010-09-24T10:44:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone. I just thought I would post a little update from my world....

I am really sore today with my back and have been forced to take the day off work... this isnt great though because I just end up laying here feeling sorry for myself... which never did anyone any good did it, so I decided to occupy myself doing the little things that I never get around to because I am always too busy, so far I have managed to work out how to get my videos off my blackberry :) and am now updating my blog. After this I have my expenses to do .

The weather is changing here rapidly and autumn is definately upon us. I am definately feeling the strain this year as I am still in a lot of pain alot of the time. The cold weather and rain isn't really going to help the situation but there is nothing I can do about that. Normally this time of year we are gearing up towards another week at Butlins. This year however with all 3 of them having started new schools it is just not possible to take them out. I think the kids are feeling it too because this last couple of weeks they've had the Butlins albumn out and Archie insisted I make him a Bud outfit. Bud was his favourite character from the Skyline Gang at Butlins. Last year he really bonded with him. When we went to Butlins this year they were selling Skyline gang costumes but only Dude. The boys like Dude but Archie really likes Bud the most, unfortunately they don't make a Bud one so we have had to improvise. I have made him some hair out of one of my old t-shirts and hopefully Ann, who made our bridesmaid dresses will make him the dungarees now we have brought the material

Archie with Bud Oct 09

Archie Sept 10

In the meantime they will have to make do with dressing up as very cool dudes!

and here is their X factor audition to be part of the skyoine gang (sorry its a bit dark I am still getting to grips with all this :) )

Kayleigh is settling in well at Senior School

2010-09-09T20:12:00.000+01:00

Kayleigh started senior school on Friday. After telling me for months she didn't wan't to go there she has settled in amazingly and is totally loving it! We are having a few teething problems regarding getting ready in the morning, leaving on time and homework but I'm hoping she'll soon get in the swing of it although the early signs are not good. Still I am sure a couple of detentions will do the trick and get her focused on what she needs to be doing! Sometimes learning the hardway ends up being the best way LOL. Am really glad she is so happy though as she was really upset that alot of her friends ended up going to another school.
She does seem so grown up now in her uniform... Makes me feel soooo old!!!

The Twins have started school

2010-09-08T22:12:00.002+01:00

I can't believe how quickly this has come around!!! It only seems like yesterday they were snuggled up in the same cot. I don't know where time goes so quickly. Mind you they are both more than ready for it! Having done nursery for a couple of years now they really do need the constant stimulation and Emma and I certainly need the rest!!

Here are some photos of them last Thursday on their first day. Don't they look just sooooooo gorgeous.

Thursday and Friday went really well. They just ran off ahead to the classroom with out a care in the world. Monday can only be described as a morning from hell for Emma as both of them decided that "Nope they weren't playing the game today!"

In fact they had an all mighty hissy fit on the classroom floor clinging on to Emma for dear life. Understandably Em was really upset by this when she had to come home and leave them, but their tears soon stopped and the school rang to say they had settled well within a couple of minutes of her being home and there were no further instances that day. A good chat with them when they got home and a sticker chart each with the option of winning a trip to Old MacDonalds farm at the weekend seems to have done the trick and touchwood yesterday and today have gone fairly smoothly. Long may it last that way!!

They do seem to spend the majority of their time at School playing in the Garden and yesterday when it rain the teaching assistant asked them to both come in. Harley eventually did after a bit of protesting but Archie refused and his teacher had to come and get him. By which time her was absolutely soaked. Today they insisted on taking their wellies and coat so they wouldn't have to come back in to the classroom if it rained!!! LOL Mind you today they were really happy when I got home as they had 2 new friends come to school back from their holidays - Chucky and Rebecca the school chickens... Not sure they may be laying many eggs this term with my boys there and if they do I wouldn't be surprised if they end up scrambled!! LOL..

Hollie's Exam Results - Am so Proud

2010-08-24T12:20:00.000+01:00

Just got off the phone with Hollie and had to share Hollies Amazing Exam results with you all. She went to the school this morning to collect her GCSE results
Science - 2 A Stars
2 A's
Health and Social Care - 4 A's and a Distinction over all
English B
Business and Communication B
Humanity B
Maths C
Art C

This is so amazing Hollie. You have done so very very well and I am really proud of you as I know everyone will be.

This year Hollie will be taking A levels before going to Hadlow next year to start her vetinary training. I am also pleased to say that Hollie has decided to take a photography A level which will give her the creative outlet to balance all the academic studying.

Well done Hollie!!!! xxxxxxxx

Still not back to work

2010-08-24T11:39:00.002+01:00

I am still not back to work!! Nitemare. I had hoped for Monday and then Wednesday but this morning I had to face the reality this is going to take a lot longer to heal than I had planned for. I have rung the GPs and asked for a sick certificate for another week. I can't remember the last time I had a sick certificate. I am hardly ever off sick and then only for one or two days.
I can't even do much paperwork as it is hard to type flat on your back and the pain killers make me a bit drowsy. I have had a bit of fun playing with a friend's blog. I would be lying if I said I hadn't enjoyed having a bit of "me" time to do creative stuff on the computer and it has opened my eyes to "services" I could provide.
Funny I do miss work alot but it actually makes me think more and more about what I wan't to do in a few years time. This job is amazing. I love selling medical equipment to the NHS and offering patients solutions to improve their quality of life but equally it is extremely hard work and alot of pressure. I am constantly juggling one thing to do another and to be fair have been extremely successful to date. I also work for an amazing company and my boss is great too. However it is hard physical work. I spend alot of time humping boxes in and out of the car and carrying stuff all the way from the car parks. I am not sure I want to be doing that when I am 50! I've often dreamed of retiring at 50 but with the way things keep changing who knows when I'll be able to retire! Still worry not, I've still got 12 years until I'm 50 , although today it feels an awful lot closer. In fact I feel more like 60!!!
Oh well lets hope tomorrow is alot better than today!

Still sore

2010-08-22T16:52:00.002+01:00

Well for a little up date. I am still very very sore but getting about a little more today. Yesterday was awful and I was very disappointed I didn't feel a little better but today whilst still very painful has been bareable with pain killers from the doctor.
Hollie came round this morning which was lovely and I spent the majority of the morning upstairs with the kids. It is a bit hard to get the twins to stop bouncing though... at 4 they see a big bed and it is instinct just to do it!!
A couple of the neighbours have popped in today and I have managed to get downstairs for a bit. I even managed to sit at the table and eat my dinner but I wouldn't wan't to stay there too long. Sitting is still a bit of a problem.
I have received some wonderful news from my friend Joyce who is branching into designing digital scrapbooking kits. She is amazingly talented and I know she will do very well. I am sure you will see many of her products highlighted here as she gets herself established with a blog. Its always great getting news of her and her family in the US.
I am missing Kayleigh who is staying at my Mums for a couple of weeks but I spoke with her yesterday and she is having a great time. Emma has been running around like a headless chicken the last couple of days trying to manage it all. It is really hard with the twins off school and me unable to do anything. Nitemare!! I had hoped to be going back to work tomorrow but I now know it is not going to happen. Especially as I can't even pull my own trousers up without help. I am hoping that Wednesday may be a little more realistic but again I am not sure will just have to see how each day comes.

In the meantime I have done a bit of internet browsing and come across this fantastic site with great photography tutorials. I would recommend anyone give it a look if you are interested. I have bookmarked it and will definately be going back there more.

iheartfaces

Ouch update

2010-08-20T16:31:00.001+01:00

I have spent the majority of the day laying on my bed. Emma collected some stronger painkillers from the doctors earlier and they are taking the edge off the pain. In order to stem the boredom I have been scanning in some of my mum's old photos. Trying to do it laying on one side without moving too much has been tricky at times but I got there in the end.
It has been quite nice spending time doing this as there is never enough time in a day for doing things I enjoy. Just wis h I didnt need to be in this much pain first!
Here are a couple of the amazing photos I have scanned today.

My brother Kristen when he was at Raynehurst School

This is me!!! Oh my look at those ginger locks... didn't think they could get anyworse but I was wrong!

Very 1990's. Think this was my new romantic look! LMAO

It amazes me how much my girls look like me. This photo is the image of Kayleigh at about this age.

One of my favourite photos. This is my Mum when she was about 8 or 9 with her pet hamster.

Ouch!!!

2010-08-20T09:40:00.004+01:00

I am laying here as I write this, flat on the bed. I can only lay in one position. Moving one inch means awful pain shooting through my back.
It all started yesterday morning. I was doing my usual mad dash out the front door before one or both of the twins escape out into the front garden. no.... they are not toddlers they are 4 and starting school in september! So why be worried then? let me tell you it can take the powers of a top level negitiator to get them to freely go back in straight away. So then starts the game of "distraction". i read it in one of many parenting articles or maybe it was on the "taming toddlers show?"... Anyway the theory is having told them to go in 20 times you try to distract them in that direction with "Oh I think Dora is on tele now" or "shall we go play xxx". The actual truth is it ends up being a game of bribary and that doesnt even always work! Then comes angry Mum face followed by fine stay out there the bad man can have you. Top level negotiators could learn alot by studying my two little men. Infact I might even rent them out to the united nations!

Anyway anxious to avoid this I rush out the door trying to get out before anyone notices. Having got out and shut the door I then got to the bottom step. I totally forgot that my dad had been round the previous evening and repaired the crumbling bottom step. The cement hadn't set properly and I slipped. It was agony and I felt really rough. I knew I had hurt myself and after a visit to casualty it was confirmed I have fractured my coccyx. The bottom vertebrae of my back. Fortunately my ankle was not broken but badly sprained. I am hoping to get back to work Monday but right now I am not totally convinced. I spoke with my GP on the phone this mornin and he is doing me a prescription for some stronger pain killers so hopefully I will feel better after that but right now I can only lay on my left side and type with one finger. (Apologies for any typing errors in this post it is more difficult to do than I had imagined!)

Recent Layouts

2010-08-18T20:12:00.004+01:00

This blog is definately looking too bare for my liking so I thought I would share some recent layouts. I have recently joined the Sweet Shoppe Community and they have a wonderful set of challenges every month. The different challenges have different points that can be earned. Earn 10 pts in a month get 20% off a purchase. Earn 20 pts get 30% off and 30 pts gets 40% off their store. The discount is great for buying new goodies for your stash but for me its spurred on my creativity and got me to create layouts that are a little different to the norm. Every month one lucky scrapper gets 25 dollars to get their portfolio published by Shutterfly... Really can't be bad!

Here are some layouts I have done for August's portfolio.

supplies

Lliella Happy Camper

Heather Roselli Chubby Bunny

Alphas KCroninBarrowMullens The Reason Why

JBillingsley Smart Chic

Font - DBaldwin Maggie Boone

All available at Sweetshoppe.com

Supplies

Kristin Cronin - Barrow

Happy go Lucky

Weatherman

Seaside

All available at sweetshoppe.com

Supplies

Kristen Cronin-Barrow

Splendid

The reason why

Darcy Baldwin - Journal Bits font.

A mini album for Emma - Which I gave her on the Boys fourth Birthday just to say thanks for being a wonderful Mum!

Supplies

Kristin Cronin-Barrow

The reason Why

Brotherly Love

Tropical hideaway

Cato Baldwin Write More Stuff

DJBaldwin Constance Font

DJBaldwin Journal Bits Font

Good intentions

2010-08-17T21:43:00.002+01:00

This is becoming a bit of a repetative post.... sorry I am a bad blogger. The last entry back in April said exactly that but I have had requests from friends and family to start updating it on a regular basis as it is a great way to stay in touch etc. I thought I would share some photos I took the weekend of Hollie. I really enjoyed the photoshoot as did she. I have been thinking alot lately about the composition of my photos and I think it is really starting to pay off. For the first time I can see a glimpse of what potentially I could be. With some more training and a huge load more practice I might even turn it into my career one day and retire from the exhausting pace of the business world for a more leisurely creative one. Wouldn't that just be divine!.

Oh my I have been such a bad blogger

2010-04-29T10:02:00.005+01:00

I started this blog with great aspirations and very quickly got distracted. I have decided to set myself the challenge of getting it going again. Here are a few recent layouts I have done

These photos were taken at Leysdown Beach. We went there the weekend before last. It was a beautiful sunny spring day and was quite warm down on the beach. Whilst we were there several paragliders flew up and down the beach. It was an amazing sight but a little unnerving having them fly just above your head!

Supplies for this are Brandy Murry ABR Clouds

Brandy Murry Squirt collection

Brandy Murry Dynbrush Twinkling stars

All available at Scrapgirls.

Whilst Emma was on Jury Service I took time off work to look after the children during the school holidays. We did loads of baking to keep them entertained. Only problem was they liked making the cakes etc but weren't really keen on eating them. Not good for my waist line!!!

Supplies Brandy Murry A gardeners Diary

HollieWood Studios Kitchen counter.

I love Twilight

2009-10-14T11:46:00.006+01:00

Phew this month has been work work work!! With no time for scrapbooking. Talk about frustrating with a whole bunch of new goodies sitting on my hard drive waiting to be used. I did get 5 minutes today though to do a Twilight layout for my daughter Hollie.

The pictures are pretty small for a double page layout so below are the left and right pages seperately but you can see a bigger version at my scrapbook gallery link to the right.

These layouts were made from Scrapgirls monthly club kit Here and Honey Designs amazing I love Twilight and Waiting for New Moon kits which you can find in her store Link to her store from her blog. I love Twilight is absolutely free from her blog and is a great kit to have if you have a daughter like mine who lives sleeps and eats the Twilight Saga. I can also thoroughly recommend Brandy Murry's sketch actions which come in black and white as well as colour. An absolute must for anyones scrapbook toolbox!! You can find the sketch it action Here. This is the photoshop link there is a seperate link here for photoshop elements.

I love the first of the Month

2009-09-30T19:05:00.001+01:00

I am so excited because tomorrow is the first of the month and all my scrap clubs renew on the 1st and there is always lots and lots of goodies. Only problem is I am 8 hours ahead here in the UK so its often the following day before I get to have a rumage through all the scrap goodies. Hey ho... Sometimes they are there early... Oooo so excited!

Delight in Every Moment

2009-09-30T12:49:00.005+01:00

This layout is of my eldest daughter Hollie and her bestest friend also called Holly. They have been the greatest of friends since they started year 10 together year before last and are truely inseperable. This photo was taken at leysdown at the end of summer and really symbolises their friendship well. Walking into the sunset hand in hand knowing the other will always be there for them.

Supplies

Durin Eberhart SS Tools Styles Distressed. SyndeeNuckles SS Tools Shapes Brackets e-lena designs Where my Dreams live ptitesouris Sun Sea Holiday Photoshop CS3

My blog is up and running!

2009-09-30T12:03:00.002+01:00

Wow I can't believe my blog is finally up and running. After days of tweaking this on photoshop and tweaking that and then fiddling with code... It's ready!!! Yay!!! A big thanks to the designers at ScrapGirls for their wonderful kits which were used to design the layout for this blog. I've been scrapbooking for nearly 2 years now. It started with paper scrapbooking but then moved on quickly to digital - far less mess to clear up afterwords and fits in alot easier around family and work!

Here is the latest layout I have done of my twin boys Archie and Harley using Angie Briggs Kit JustBU. I had great fun making the vellum pockets and then stuffing them full of stash.

All the kits shown on here have come from the ScrapGirls monthly club. It's a real bargain you basically get loads of goodies which would normally have cost about 30 dollars for 10 dollars give or take a cent. There is also a special members gallery to give and receive love it is definately worth a look http://store.scrapgirls.com/category.php?cat=30