{Going Overdue}

Still using up leftovers from my Metropolitan kit - I think I've got 2 more layouts to show you after this one, and then the kit is gone gone gone! This page is all about how I never really thought I'd go overdue, how much the time dragged and how I wish I'd enjoyed it a bit more (difficult with painful SPD, but I do miss being with bump!). Totally worth every second we waited though. 

I'm keeping up with my 'stamp on every layout' goal - this layout has two - one gorgeous border from MME, and one Cats LIfe Press sentiment. Yay, go me!

{New toy!}

On Monday I picked up this little gem - the Canon 50mm 1.4 lens, and I am absolutely loving it! 

Here are a couple of my favourite photos from the last few days. This is his new "lip-smacking" face, which is is constantly pulling right now! 

Also still a big fan of putting anything and everything in his mouth. These two fingers being the favourite - they have to get a suck between every mouthful of food too, which is proving to be quite messy!

{One Happy Saturday in June}

I'm on a mission at the moment to use up some stash - it's taking up too much room! I've been on a 'kit-killing' rampage lol, to make space for some of the lovely new CHA goodies I picked up at Sarah's retreat.

This page is made using Studio Calico 'Metropolitan', which is very almost gone now - I think that may be the first time I've used up a whole kit & it feels good. Just a few more bits to use up & then I can truely say that kit is killed! I added some Dear Lizzy fabric paper which I've been holding onto since last March (!!!) & I embellished it with perfect pearls. You can still get this paper in the shop and oh my it is lovely!

{Storytime with Daddy}

Benjamin really enjoys storytime before bed, and so me & Michael take it in turns tor ead to him. When it's not my turn, I sit downstairs and listen in on the baby monitor - I adore listening to his 'daddy' voice, and how he does all the characters and points out things in the pictures. I'm not sure Benjamin appreciates it all yet, but I love it!

{5 months old}

Just sharing a couple of pics from Benjamin's 5 month photoshoot.

He's such a wriggler now! He loves to sit up, then flop forwards onto his tummy, do a little swimming motion, roll over onto his back & then wants to be pulled to sitting again lol! He also tried to eat the prop this month!

{Newborn Baby Smell}

I can't believe I'm feeling nostalgic about Benjamin's newborn days already - he's only 5 months old! One of my favourite things about those early days was the newborn baby smell - totally scrumptious - I couldn't stop snuggling & sniffing him haha! To be fair, he still smells pretty darn good, like a baby should, but it's not that 'brand new smell' anymore.

{Little Man}

At the Sarah's Cards retreat there were a few fun challenges for the delegates, with amazingly awesome prizes! Unfortunately we as DT weren't eligible for prizes, but we decided to join in anyway!

We all loved the sketch challenge - you can see all of the DT's pages on the blog. This is mine - I used Echo Park's Little Boy papers which went so perfectly with a picture from Benjamin's 4 month photoshoot! I hionestly didn't dress him to match these papers, but you might think I had. I love this photo - it makes me giggle every time I see it.  I also borrowed a gorgeous punch from Rach - Martha Stewart 'Starburst'. Annoyingly, I can't find this punch in stock anywhere and I think it's been discontinued :( If anyone happens to know where I can get my hands on one, I'd be very grateful! Can you also spot some of the gorgeous new Maya Road trim on my page - so many lovely new ones to choose from.

{Almost sitting}

This is a photo from about 3 weeks ago - Benjamin was almost managing to sit unaided, just needeing to hold onto my hand and I loved that - he's growing up so fast already & I don't want him to become too independent too fast, although each little milestone is amazing !

He can sit my himself now - not everytime but he can do it. Often he ends up face-planting into the sofa or bed, which he thinks is hilarious!

I used a couple of stamps from Cats Life Press on this page, recommended by Laura - they are just fab, there are so many great little sayings and images. I love stamps and I don't use the ones I have enough - maybe it's because they aren't very visible on my desk. Hmm, off to try and find a solution to that problem!

Note: Challenging myself to use a stamp on every layout I do.

{March Sketch Challenge}

It's time for another sketch challenge at Sarah's Cards.

This time our sketch was created by Vanessa, and here is my page using lots of lovely new stash that I picked up at the retreat.

I can't help thinking Benjamin will look really odd when he has teeth! I'm so used to that gummy smile and I absolutely love it that I'll be sad to see it go when the time comes. He's only 3 months old in these photos so hopefully a while to go yet!

Find more details of the sketch over here and enter to win a £10 voucher - whoop!

{Documenting February 2011}

Staying up to date with this year's Document project so far yippee!

So, here's my pages for February, starting with the 'Benjamin update' page & his 4 month photo. I think the best thing about this month of his life was the proper laughs we had - so adorable. He also learnt to sit up, to screech & to roll onto his side. He now sleeps all night long, from 10:30pm - 7:30am which is pure bliss!

Next up, February's main event, which was a weekend away with the family to a lovely barn in rural Suffolk. We spent the weekend eating lots of yummy food, playing silly games & going for walks. It was a bit chilly but I made everyone line-up for a photo lol!

Lastly, February's mini pages. This month included lots of photos going up on the walls, waffles with malteasers & ice cream for breakfast, playing with great-granny, valentines day, and Mungo sleeping in lots of silly places!

The retreat

At the weekend I had a wonderful time up in Warrington at the Sarah's Cards Retreat. It was great to get together with old friends and to meet those I hadn't already met.




The weekend included 6 classes from my talented fellow DT, and whilst they were ongoing the crop room fell silent & looked like this...




I had the pleasure of working the shop and oh my there were lots of goodies! Gorgeous new stash from Echo Park, American Crafts, My Minds Eye & Sassafrass amongst others. Yes I did buy a few things, I'll share later! I tried not to go too mad, after all new Crate, Cosmo Cricket, Fancy Pants, Maya Road, October Afternoon & more are due in soon!

It was a little odd being away from my little boy for the first time, but we all managed, and while I was away he learnt to do this...




Amazing how quickly they change!

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