Warning: Long Post!

I haven't updated my blog for a very long time so this will probably be a very long post! I'll make sure there are plenty of pictures though :)

Hows the wedding planning coming along? Well, we are nearly there! We have 12 days left and only a few small things to finish off. My dress is home and is perfect, the bridesmaids dresses are done, jewellery has been polished for extra sparkle factor and all the bits and bobs are falling into place. Favour boxes are made but not filled, confetti is here and the printing should be coming hot from the press tomorrow so we should have placecards, table plan, order of service, menu cards and table names by the end of the week! Our honeymoon tickets arrived this weekend which is very exciting and I'm generally on a wedding high at the moment! No nerves (yet!), just a big grin!

I had my hen do a couple of weekends ago - we went up to Alton Towers for a couple of days and stayed in some fab little log cabins that Cat had found - they turned out to be perfect, and the little pub at the bottom was very friendly too. I had the obligatory pink, fluffy, flashing headpiece to wear for dinner of course!



This weekend I have been on GoGo Getaway - Scrapagogo's first retreat, and my first retreat. I had a fantastic time - met some wonderful people, did 4 fab classes, ate too much chocolate torte (but managed to lose a pound!!!) and chatted far too much!

My first class on Saturday was by Jane Dean - an exploding layout of sorts with the impression of being a simple one photo one page layout, but actually being a 3 page layout! I haven't quite finished it yet, but I will post pics when I have. I also took Jane's class on Sunday, which was to make this gorgeous mini-book. The front cover is made from a wheel that spins round to show 5 photos. I love the style of it with all the freehand cutting and doodling, and the papers were right up my street.


My second class was by Fiona Beckman - a painting class. I loved it! I don't often use paint, and I am always stumped by customisable papers but this seemed to come very naturally and I'mn very happy with the finished layout - the painting was very therapeutic too, I even bought some more of the papers in the shop to have a go at home. I used some more of our photo from our shoot with Anna.


The last class of the day was taught by Shimelle, and I had been looking forward to this class the most as I love Shimelle's style. The class was to make a "mini" book, although in my opinion it was anything but mini! I love all the products used in it, and the opportunity to use so many photos. I haven't completed it yet - I wanted to wait and do the journalling quietly at home rather than in such a busy, noisy crop room, but here it is so far :)


There were also a couple of make and takes on offer throughout the weekend - I completed this mini book, again with photos from Anna, and lovely Scenic Route papers.


As well as all that, I managed a few layouts of my own - this one from a sketch by the lovely Jennie Leon, one of the design team and who very kindly offered me a lift to and from the Getaway - thanks Jennie! The photo is my sister on her 21st birthday - Mum made a cake with a design in hundreds & thousands, which blew off everywhere when she blew out the candles!


This layout features our wedding invitations! The production line was quite a sight to see so of course I had to take pics and document all the work that went into making them, from my original rough sketch right through to the hand-finished product!


This one I managed to finish off - it was almost done already, just needed a few more tweaks - it was taken when we went to Ayia Napa last year.


I loved some of the pages by the Scrapagogo design team that used this transparancy as a background, making a see-through layout, so i pinched the idea! This photo was also from my hen do - we didn't want to get soaked on Ripsaw so we donned these gorgeous ponchos - we felt like we were in a cult, especially when we put the hoods up lol! Everyone was laughing at us in the queue, but they weren't laughing when we got off the ride dry and they were drenched!!


Here are a few more pics from the weekend - firstly the crop room, everyone beavering away! Then me and Caz - my old team mate from UKS, it was loevly to meet you Caz. Finally a fun pic of Me, Leanne, Katherine and Laura, thanks for lots of laughs girls!




I can't wait to do it all again next year - in fact I've already booked and paid my deposit!

There, I told you it'd be long one! I'll try and update more regularly now, although there will be a 3 week gap whilst we go on the holiday of a lifetime! :)