You either love it or hate it!!!

Marmite that is!!



Today I have mostly been helping my aunt Wendy create a cake shaped as a marmite jar!



It is for her son, my cousin Daniel who is the groom of the wedding we are attending on Friday and it is tradition in America that as well as the wedding cake, there is also a grooms cake!




He loves marmite!!

The cake is not quite finished! Will post a photo of final cake!!



We also had breakfast out at Wendy and Alans favourite restaurant, Parc and I had French toast! The Americans are great at French toast! It was delicious!!



After lunch we had a little wonder around downtown Philly too!!










The weather is very hot!! We didn't managed to stay out too long in the heat! Unfortunately we had to keep nipping into different shops to keep cool!!!! ;)

Carla x

Our Philadelphia adventure begins!!

It started at terminal 5 this morning at around 9.30am!



We wondered around and had some sushi lunch



Before boarding our plane!



The kids were amazing on the plane for 8 hours!! They were so well behaved!!

Wendy and Alan met us at the airport and introduced us to their new dog Harry who they had adopted 3 hours before.

We then had a little walk to Rittenhouse square










The weather was still really hot despite it being about 7pm, afterwards we had dinner and put the kids to bed! Georgia was so tired she was actually asking to go to bed!! Hope they sleep in tomorrow morning!!!!

Carla x

The Meat Factory wins awards!!!

I am so proud of my dad! He has now won a national RIBA award as well as a local one and two civic ones for his newest house!!




He has done so well, although he has worked very hard for it!!

It's funny because having 'julian marsh, the architect' as my dad sometime affords some status and admiration, but to me.... he is just my dad, which to me, is far more important and I would love him no matter what he did or however successful he was!!!


Carla x

There were 10 in the bed!!!!

Well only 4 really.....but they only just fit!!

Every time we stay at Pat and Colin's, the kids get straight out of bed in the morning and head straight into bed with them!!! They then have stories read to them with great excitement! It is like Christmas more than once a year!!



I feel so blessed to have them as parents in law and for grandparents to my children!!

They are the most amazing grandparents and my children have such a lovely positive relationship with them! In fact when I asked Georgia who was here favourite person in while whole world, she replied 'Grandma!'

To be fair, Grandma is the most amazing person and I am truly lucky to have her as a mother in law! She has been one of the most influential women in my life and has been such a positive re model, friend and mentor to me! I have learnt so much from her!

She is a very rare gem that I have been fortunate to see twinkle in the jewellery box of life!! She is one of my most favourite people too!!!!!

Tomorrow we are off to Philadelphia to my lovely aunt Wendy and her husband Alan for my cousin Dan's wedding!!!!

My BFF Bindie is house sitting for us.......and always cooks us a yummy meal for when we get home!!!!!! Another gem in my life!!

Will keep you updated with Philly!!!!!!

Carla x

About time I had some time!!!!!

It's only three weeks late! I have finally found five mins to make Evie's welcome card for my sister!!!



This is all from Stamping up and I especially love the little treat cups which I have filled with ' it's a girl' confetti!!

Hope Hannah likes it!!

I have also been busy tonight trying to catch up with myself and plan tomorrows lesson!

We are going to make a bag of cards, all from one stamp set!




I have used the stampin up sweet and sour paper



















I have a very busy couple of days ahead as we are off the Philadelphia to stay with my aunt for my cousins wedding and I still need to pack as well as clean the house for my BFF Bindie who is coming to house sit!!!!

So although I will try and blog from the states, I may forget if I am having too gooder time!!!!!


Carla x

Wow! What an achievement!!

After doing my NNEB at 18 years old, I decided that being a teacher is what I wanted to do! However after taking my maths GCSE 4 times and only getting a D each time, I decided maybe teaching isn't what I was destined to do and went off into youth work!

Two and a half years ago I decided to take voluntary redundancy from the youth service and sat my maths exam again!!! This time I got it and was accepted onto the PGCE course which effectively turned my degree into a teaching qualification!

Today I finished my PGCE course and will get my final marks in two weeks!!

I feel so proud of myself! I feel that I have finally achieved what I wanted to 20 years ago! And the experience that I have had on the way will help to make me a better teacher!!!

This is the cupcake gift that I made for my tutor to say thank you for all her support!!



If you would like to learn how to decorate these cupcakes.....then come and book onto one of my courses starting on sat 11th June 9.30 - 2.30 for 6 weeks or wed 15 June 9.30 - 1.30 for 8 weeks! Contact karen at www.thetextileworkshop.com or ring 07809158606

Carla x

Who could ask for more!!

On Saturday along with one of my best friends Shan, I went along to a stampin' up training day run and delivered by the lovely Victoria.

In the morning we made a fab box out of the top note die and the big shot machine!!




I absolutely adore this designer paper!! It is the springtime vintage set and it is soooo cath kidston!!!!

In the afternoon we made cards and these were the cards that I ended up producing, which was completely different to the task set by Victoria, but I don't think she minded!!!!








But these ones were like the task we were set and I love them too!!









It was also lovely to meet some fellow stampin' up demos who produced some great swops!!

All in all, I had one of the nicest weekend that I has for a while!!! Crafting with some of my favourite people!!

Who could ask for more!!!!!

Carla x

Colour my world!

I have been doing a stained glass course at the textile workshop for the past 9 weeks and tonight I was able to bring my first finished piece home!!




I absolutely love it! I am going to put it in the window at the top of the stairs!!

My next design involves a beach scene, so watch this space!!!!

Carla x

Flower art!!

At last after 3 years of trying I have finally managed to get back to the sugar flower class that I started before I had Georgia!!

We made a lily today!




Has yet to be coloured but am pleased with how it turned out!!

I also started some flowers to go cupcakes!

Here's a sneak peek!!




Carla x

What's in a name?

Dan texted earlier to say that he and Hannah have decided on a name! Evie Thory which is lovely!!



Carla x

What a massive day!!!

It is a huge day!!! Not only have I just handed in my research project which was the culmination of 4 months work but I also met my new niece!

Hannah and Dan are still deciding on a name for her so in the mean time, she will be known as Baby Thory!!




She is absolutely adorable, so small and dainty and Hannah said she thought she looked a little like Felix when she came out!!



Hannah is up and about and is feeling a little better after a shower and some lunch!!



And what is really great is that Hannah has been moved to a ward that my lovely friend Jackie is the sister on!!!

Jackie was also my midwife when I had Georgia and then Jackie enrolled 2 years later on a course that I was teaching!! Such a small world!!!




Another miracle making it's way in the world! What a great world it is!!

Carla x

Welcome little girl!!!

Wow! After a long awaited birth, a little girl is finally here! She was born at 11.53pm on 3/5/11 weighing in at 7lbs 1oz. No name yet but is beautiful!

Off to meet my niece later today and can't wait!!!!




Carla x

The baby is on it's way!!!!!!!

Omg! I am sooooo excited!! Got a text from Dan this morning to say Hannah(my sister) had started in labour, and the another at around 4pm to say they were now in hospital and she is 3 cm dilated!!!

Still at little way to go yet until the baby makes it's appearance but watch this space!!!!!!!!!


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