When can I go back to work?????

Christmas this year hasnt been much fun, Gramps was rushed into hopsital xmas day, making xmas dinner and presents fade into insignificance and feel like it never even happened.

Now we ae spending time babysitting nan and none of the family are ever together at the same time. My dad has practically moved in, only coming home if there is someone to stay with my nan when he isnt, and its ripping us all apart. After a completely messed up xmas day (I know, its no ones fault) all I want is a bit of time with my folks, but no, nope, not a chance at the moment.

this weekend hasnt felt like xmas at all, I might as well have bypassed it completely and not spent any money on presents cos none of it was worth it. Lottie keeps asking me when christmas actually is, and I keep replying 'we have had it'. Somewhere along the line.

So Im hoping all of you that read my blog had a better xmas than I did and are enjoying your breaks from work, all I want is to go back to work and forget about the huge mess that wasn't xmas in our family! Selfish arent I?

It's here...

and I am the only one up! Its lovely and peaceful, sitting here with the tree lights on and the darkness. Thats the thing I love the most about Christmas, the tree lights in the dark, they give a warm glow, that is so relaxing.

Im wishing everyone out there a fabulous xmas day, filled with laughter and Christmas spirit.

Santa Claus is coming, Santa Claus is coming, he's not very far away...

and Billy and Barbara the elves are hiding out in Lotties tinsel in her bedroom (well thats the game that we are playing anyway!) They are watching for good Lotties and Bad Lotties to see whether its pressies or coal this year!

Have been and done a quick trip to sainsburys and at 7am this morning it was quite a respectable visit too, hardly anyone there so we could dawdle to our hearts content and just chill, still forgot the marie rose sauce for the prawn cocktails though!!!!! Bless mother she sorted it for me.

Right have a few more pressies to wrap and mince pies to make but Im almost on top of xmas, Steve is happily jetwashing all the snow and ice off the drive and is going to salt it too, just so we dont fall flat on our bums in the morning when we trek up to mums for dinner!

Right baking calls me, have done my cleaning and ironing and even put it away so the kitchen is saying 'make me mince pies. make mince pies!'

Things can only get better....

and they sort of did, by lunchtime Lottie had stopped being sick and then grandad babysat so grandma and I could brave Tescos, and brave is the word!!!! I had to leave my mobile for my dad in case he needed us as our home phone doesnt allow you to make calls to mobiles, so I was phoneless and believe me that was not good! Try as we may we stayed together for the first 25 minutes, then I turned round and mum was gone, I felt like a little lost kid in the middle of Disney (yes it was that bad!!!!) Eventually about 20 minutes I could stop crying and found her!!!!

The queues were about 10 deep so I raced mum and changed lanes - Yay!!!! I won!!!! through the checkout 20 minutes before her and I got to sit down the other end after I had paid as there was a seat waiting for me!

So thats it, xmas food shop done, no more, not at all, no way, anything we dont have is tough, not that I think there is anything missing the fridge is full to bursting, the freezer is stuffed full and we have more than enough booze for 10 xmas's put together, so my tasks now, to put away the 4 baskets of ironing I have just done, hoover and wash all my floors and then wrap the last remaining presents, I am also going to make some mince pies as it wouldnt be xmas without home made ones, even if steve doesnt like them!

By the way he is at the docs with suspected tonsilitus...... wonder where he got that from..... La La La La La!!!!

Oh and the cat... i think she has round worms after lots of googling!!! Have bought some tablets and if still not sorted after xmas will take her to the vets!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Oh what a night..... (not a nice way to start the morning

no was not cheery and fun, like the song! Started with the snowfall, took Steve till 9pm to get home from work, Ill grant you he did go into the pub to eat cos he couldnt get anywhere, but that wasnt good seeing as he left at 4pm!

Then Lottie was complaining of a bad tummy all evening, at 8pm finally was sick, fortunatly in the bathroom sink, so I was chuffed, nothing really to clean. However at 1.40am I had a rude awakening and at that point had plenty to wash and clean, trust me! Bleary eyed I finally got back to sleep at about 4.30am.

So this morning when everyone was up, I went to put the bedding in the tumber. The lock jammed and I was locked in! So Steve trundles round the front of the house in a foul mood, swearing and cursing that I always let the door slam so no wonder its broken, opens the garage door, lets me out then shuts it with tools inside and everything. Not a problem most of you would think wouldnt you????? Well it is for us, as you can't actually open the garage door from the outside as the dimwits who lived her before us decided to paint over the handle and paint it shut so it can't be opened! So there we were stranded outside the garage with no tools or anything. Could my day get any worse - bear in mind its only about 6.45am at this point! Eventually he got it opend but now there is no handle or anything on the door, he went to work took the lock with him and now I cant go down the road and get a new on cos he has it.

Now if you feeling a bit squeamish dont read on.....

Then I walk into the kitchen and instead of using the litter tray the cat has used the floor, but not only that inside whatever she left on the floor were these very strange flat white ribbony things, which means now there is something woring with the cat too, anyone any ideas!!!!

So right now, my bed seems like a good option, only I cant because I have a sick year old. So I guess Ill just sit around waiting for the next bad thing to happen. Anyone want to swap with me for the rest of the day????? No takers, Im not surprised!

Turns out...

that the reason that I didnt make itto my crop, and felt awful on sunday is that I once again have tonsilitus, the only problem here is that I keep forgetting to take the penicillin, its the same horrible stuff as last time that tastes wickedly foul and gives me raging heartburn. However I only have 3 more days of it so why am I moaning!

Yahooooooooooooooooooooooooo! School has finished, my 2nd 1/2 terms review is complete and emailed tomy tutor, the only job left to do is send my mentor report in, which was fine, satisfactory all the way, wasn't expecting anymore in the first term, and Like I said, next time it will be good and the final term will be outstanding!!!!!!

I am officially now 1/3rd of the course through!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have survived and next term Im working with year 3, how cool!!!!! I can't wait!

My spare room is covered in mountains of presents to wrap, my JYC is severly behind and you know what, I don't care!!!!!!!! Im just enjoying chilling out, the chillin started at 2.30pm when I walked through the door!

Im planning on a chill out day tomorrow, as it snowed last night its too cold and icy to go anywhere so I intend to spend tomorrow wrapped up warm and snuggly indoors until 5pm when we are going out for a meal to celebrate the fact it is xmas!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway Im off to bed, yes I know its only 9pm but I love being in my bed all cosy and warm and snuggled!

I don't like mondays....

well except for today, I have the day off as study leave (hmmmmm, now I wonder how much study I will actually do!) I am going to meet my mum for lunch and visit the shops for a little light xmas shopping and may get round to some studying if Im lucky about 2pm an hour before I collect Lottie from school!

Had a busy day yesterday, was supposed to be at a crop but felt rough so decided to stay home instead and I managed to get 3 mini books done, all acryllic albums, sparsly decorated at the moment but I know that I will end up adding lots, lots more throughout the day today!

I also did a quick 6x6 album of our disney holiday for Lotties godfather who came with us, just need to put a few more disney embellies on that and its done!

Got my bargains yesterday in sainsburys, 2 new pinifore for Lottie for school with 25% off so they cost me less than £6 and will fit well into next year cos they are the next size up! Ive been trying to get new pinnis since a week into sept and nowhere has had any, so im now a happy mummy!!!!!

Best go check what she is up to have left her writing xmas cards!!!!

Lovin it!

My pogo, its so cool!!!!

Its so cute and fits right inside my handbag so I can print and go! Everyone should have one! I got it weeks ago and have finally gotten around to charging it up and putting it to use, Ive taken pics of charlotte and printed them out to go inside a keyring for peeps for pressies (not telling which peeps though!)You tube them and you'll see how easy they are to use!

Im beginning to feel slightly more human today although I am in quite a bit of pain still. Ive spent the day baking, prob not the best use of my time but I have enjoyed it, Im off to get my camera in a bit and show you all the cakies we made for the xmas fayre, the little snowmen ones are sooooooo lovely!

Hooray!!!

Ok so an update, One thing that I didnt say this morning when I wrote my post was how ill I felt today. I struggled in knowing that my assessment was due and that I had prepared for it so needed to do it!

Well it turns out (after I stuggled through the assessments - where I forgot which child I was talking to each time I spoke to them and whose turn it was to read!!!!) that I have tonsillitus, so am now cram packed full of horrible anitbiotics, tucked into the spare room bed with my laptop playing iplayer episodes of eastenders that I havent seen for weeks, and guess what, I have 2 more whole days where I can sit like this and chill out, may even take friday if I fancy it too!!!! YAY!!! well not yay Im ill, but yay I can be lazy, perfect time to find my mojo I feel!

Anyhow I have been told (despite being completely off the planet with tonsilitus) that I have the potential to be a grade 1 outstanding teacher, and to pull my socks up, stop worrying that Im not good enough and get on with it! So I can now believe what Im good at and get even more stuck into it than I was, but I am lovin what IM doing and Im happy in my job for the first time in a long time!!!

If you see my mojo

Please can you send her home.She has gone away and I don't know where she is :(I miss my little crafting inner self and I am sitting here surrounded by lovely things and nothing ........ not a thing is being created!

Perhaps Im stressing over my assessment today, I have a very nasty sore throat and temperature which is giving me the shakes and the shivers, Steve almost walloped me to death last night because I was snoring soooooo badly, he always knows when Im ill cos I snore when my throat is poorly. Fortunatly I am only teaching a 20 minute lesson for my assessment - that was well timed, I dont think that I could have done much more esp. the way Im feeling! I just hope my children perform, its gonna be pants because Im ill,, why didnt my tutor come 2 weeks ago when she was first scheduled and then lesson would have been perfect!

Marzipan muffins anyone?????

Here is the recipe for the marzipan muffins I made the other night, totally addictive for those that love marzipan and there is a hidden layer of it half way through the muffin, complete indulgence I believe!!!! and oh so Christmassy! Will upload piccies at some point!

INGREDIENTS:
250g mixed dried fruits
grated zest and juice 1 medium orange
175g softened butter 175g golden caster sugar
3 eggs , beaten 300g self-raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
5 tbsp milk
175g marzipan

Tip the fruit into a bowl, add the zest and juice and microwave on medium for 2 minutes (or leave to soak for 1 hour).

Line 12 deep muffin tins with paper muffin cases.

Preheat the oven to fan 180C/ 160C/gas 4.

Beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, spices and milk until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes) - use a wooden spoon or hand held mixer. Stir the fruit in well.

Half fill the muffin cases with the mixture.

Divide the marzipan into 12 equal pieces, roll into balls, then flatten with your thumb to the size of the muffin cases. Put one into each muffin case and spoon the rest of the mixture over it.

Top each muffin with another peice of marzipan, I usually use a star cutter for this in then brush with beaten egg or milk.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until risen, golden and firm to the touch. Leave to cool.

I always find that these are best the next day!

And some more cards!

Even more snowman cards!

Two in one day...

posts that is, here are some of the Snowman cards that I have made, loved this decoupage set, have to say!

Yes they are slightly different!!!!

One of my fav's!

Have to have lots of him flying thats what makes him the snowman!

Doesn't he look daper!

Mmmmmmm I smell muffins.......

Had a baking session last night and the whole house was full of christmassy smells, from marzipan muffins to mincemeat muffins, note the xmas feel, im getting into the spirit already, thansk to the huge amounts of xmas songs being played on the radio at the mo! Who can fail to fall into the christmas spirit. Am disappointed though as last year I had a lovely recipe for mincemeat muffins and can i find it anywhere this year, the one I used last night isnt as nice, so might have to turn the house upside down till I find it I feel!

Will photograph them in a sec to make your mouths water!!!! Karen(one of my teamies over on UKS) has sent me a yummy scrummy recipe for jam doughnut muffins, will be trying that one out later this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the recipe for mincemeat muffins if you want to have a go! I always add loads more mincemeat, but thats my personal taste!

Mincemeat Sultana Muffins
Makes 11-12 standard size
10oz (280g) plain flour
2 teaspoons (10ml) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) salt
3oz (85g) caster sugar ( use golden caster, for fairly dark coloured muffins)
1 egg
8fl oz (240ml) milk
12oz (350g) ready-made mincemeat
3oz (85g) butter, melted 3oz (85g) sultanas
Icing sugar for dusting the tops, optional

Prepare muffin tins (either grease or line with paper cases). Preheat oven to 190-200C or Gas Mark 5-6.

In a large bowl, sift together: flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and sugar.

In a separate bowl, beat egg with a fork. Stir in milk, mincemeat and oil/melted butter.

Pour all of liquid ingredients into dry mixture. Stir until just combined, adding the sultanas in the final few strokes. The batter will be lumpy but no dry flour will be visible. Do not overstir.

Fill muffin cups three-quarters full. Bake for 20=25 minutes until tops are lightly browned and spring back when pressed gently. Allow muffins to cool for several minutes to make removal easier. Sieve icing sugar over the top.

Eat and enjoy!

Another year older...

at 9.50pm tonight Ill be another year older, Ive had some lovely pressies including some flowers from my very good friend Em, yellow and orange roses, mmmm and they smell lovely too!

Im now the proud owner of a new pair of boots, a lovely new necklace from my beautiful baby girl (she will always be my baby no matter how old she is), some lovely new ribbons as my stock has dwindled beyond belief, a lovely rubber stamp that isnt a cute bear or rabbit or penny black! and a very annoying satnav, I hate those voices on them! useful, but annoying!

I also have a lovely cake with butterflys on too, so im very lucky today! Anyway off to get myself dressed and ready to go to my nan's and give her, her cards and pressies as its her birthday too!

Here is my yummy scrummy birthday cake!

UKS CYBER CROP

The cc has started over on UKS, I don't think there has been much hype over this one, normally there is loads of excitment about them, but I haven't felt that this year, maybe Im too busy with other things to notice!

This was the first class that I completed last night - twister and shout, lots of rolling paper and trying to get it to stick, but I enjoyed it!

This was the first challenge that I did 'We're off to see the wizard' all about a journey you have taken, may want to take etc, we took a ride in a helicopter when we were in Florida, what a way to travel!

Here is the second class called over the rainbow, I liked this one as I wasnt quite sure how to scrap this pic that we took in Florida but now it has all come together.

Not sure whether I will get much more done this weekend as there are lots of other things to do, like get another year old tomorrow!!!!! You never know I might even get treated to lunch out!

I passed!!!!

Im in total shock at the moment, I have passed my Numeracy Skills Tests for QTS, I passed my Literacy and ICT during half term, which was fab, but I was soooooooo worried about the maths one, maths has to be my worst subject and I hardly have had time to revise!

I walked into the test centre and was about 1/2 hour early, I said to the lady at the desk, 'Im here to fail my maths QTS test' she looked at me and laughed, my reply was...'no, Im deadly serious, Im going to fail!'

Anyway they let me jump the queue of driving test takers and put me straight on to computer No7 - seven has now become my lucky number!!! I panicked and stressed all the way through the first 6/7 mental maths questions but finally got into the swing of them, (did help that the last few were easy, even by my standards!)

Then the normal q's which you had a reasonable time to go through and work out, Im so glad I revised percentages and a bit of data handling the night before as loads came up on those, I did spend lots of time playing around with those answers to make sure that they were right though!

Anyway, I came out convinced that because the mental maths was terrible, I had failed, she had my print out right there, on the side and wouldnt let me look until I had collected all my stuff my locker (you even have to take your watch off incase it has some kind of supery dupery computer in it to give you the answers!!!!) I just pulled everything out quick and chucked it on the floor beside me and went back over and said, 'ok everything sorted!' and there was this huge pile of coat, bag and umbrella just dumped in the middle of the floor and me thinking 'GIVE ME IT NOW!!!'

I opened up the paper and it said 'Dear Joanne, Congratulations you have passed your Numeracy Skills Test' My goodness my jaw dropped about 2 meters (which is impossible for those of you that have me me as im a shortarse!) Anyway I ran like crazy out of the test centre in case they had the worong person! No one is making me take that again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyhow here are some cards I have made for my bro's anniversary and his birthday, they arent fab but heyho!

Here is the card that I made for Rob's birthday, thanks Claire Im still using those little robot stamps!!!

Here is my latest project, stamping on candles, Im loving this, Ive made this one for Charleys teacher, for xmas and it cost a whole £1.39 including a glass base to stand it on, bargain in my opinion!!!! Have more to do now though!

Bad, bad, bad Blogger

Gosh when I look at last years posts and see how many there were I begin to realise how busy my life has gotten. Last week was half term, we did very little which is always the best way I feel. Lots of lunches out and a swimming trip made it an interesting week. I did no work for uni which now makes me worry because I really should have and over the weekend whilst I could have worked I chose to scrapbook!

I really do have my priorities sorted dont i! Well I have lessons to plan for tomorrow, but I can't get my head around them at all, prob best if I just leave them tonight and get on with the brignht and early in the morning!

Not much to tell really, I have ordered lots of new cropper hopper storage and some other stuff too to keep all my old scrapagogo kits in that are partially or not even used, I need to have a complete blitz at them and start using them, but as we secret stash strokers know, it isnt easy cutting into a lush sheet of paper, or use one of thos yummy prima petaloos!

I have signed up for the cybercrop over on UKS but doubt Ill get much done, inbetween lesson planning and evaluations its also my birthday that weekend, and yes I know everyone of my birthday pressies from my hubby and mum and not one is a scrappy one!!!!!! NOT ON!!!!

Some piccies at last!

My little monkey, would she give me a serious pic on the first day of school, nope of course not! But if she had I would have worried!!!

Been a month!

Can't believe how long its been since I blogged, well I guess I can, knowing how busy I have been the last few weeks! Charlotte is loving school, Steve has a nasty tummy bug (here is hoping that I dont get it!) adn me, well Im busy with lesson planing, lesson planning, lesson planning and marking! I ahve never had so little time in my life!

Have done very little crafting, an album for my mother in law for her birthday at the beginning of the month is about all I have had time for, oh and some decoupage ready for xmas cards, but still need to pop them onto some cards! The world keeps turning, and I keep getting bogged down, but is it fun.

Yesterday was a bit of light relief, we fed the ducks, took some wax crayons and paper to the park and did some rubbings, I dont think Charley has ever done that before, she seemed to enjoy it! Then we topped it off with lunch in the pub, not sure why I do this as its always sooooooo dissapointing, its never as good as a home cooked lunch and always costs a fortune, ah well never mind eh!

So this week is busier than normal, no uni today, an extra day in work, parents evening that I have to stay for tomorrow night, and thursday and friday uni for me and a pirate party for charley, we had to make a treasure box this week for it, not funny, I still have splashes of pink paint around my kitchen - NEVER AGAIN! Will have to post some pics at some point soon, esp as I havent even put any USA ones up yet!

As promised some pics of the mini book, this is the one that I made for steves mum I think! I also made one for Steve for his birthday! So actually thats 2 mini books this month so far! If you look carefully you may even see some of the florida pics I took on holiday!

v

Second week of teaching and my baby is all grown up!

Well my second week went far better than my first and Im hoping that this week is going to be even better, Im being observed on wednesday, so that should be interesting!!!!!! I only hope i dont do too badly!

My bubba is all grown up now, she has started school and looks so grown up!!!! Photos to follow and I cant find the lead for my camera - nothing changes does it!

Ive had a productive day today, manage to get a whole lesson planned and half of another, Im trying to make my lessons a bit more interactive so have planned some simple games into my maths lesson as Im finding them a littlle bit dry at the moment!!!!!

Anyhow, as you prob all know charley is still into dummies and at 4 its just not funny anymore! So we have told her, no more during the day, every morning she has to put them in the dum bag and they are hidden, its working so far! So next saturday the dummy fairies will be visiting us, on saturday morning we will be popping them all into a pretty bag and just before we go to bed we will hang them on the tree in the garden (please pray it doesnt rain!!!!!) then in the morning they will be gone and the fairies will distribute them to all the babies and maybe leave a little gift! Bless!!!!

A whole week...

of being a GTP student and I have survived. In this week I have been told how HARD it will be, how i will never have time to be a FRIEND, how my family will be lucky if I get 10 minutes will be lucky. So... Ive asked my mum to be my cleaner, have decided that ironing will only be done if absolutely necessary (and am hoping if I leave it out the cleaner will do a bit too!) and that I will only change the beds during school holidays! LOL, that will save me about 2.5 hours a week!

I have been teacher this week too, for a whole horrible afternoon, and it went completely wrong, maybe I have chosen the wrong career!!!!!!!!!!!!

No crafting this week although I did treat myself to some new christmassy bits and I am a bit tempted to order some of the snowman papers and embellies too as the snowman is soooo cute I cant resist!

Lovin it. lovin it, lovin it!

Thats how I am at work at the mo! That could be cos Im no longer teacher in charge, and all Im doing all day is observing other teachers and chatting with children and keeping them on track!

Thats all set to change in about 2 weeks time when I HAVE to start real teaching! LOL! Im working in Year 2 which is a bit of a step up from nursery, but its great fun!

So today Charleys teacher is visiting, a 'home visit' as they call it, basically its an excuse to come and nose round your house, so I havent done loads of cleaning, or tidying, I like the 'this is what we are like, this is how you find us!' kind of attitude. Ive been on so many home visits where you can just smell the cleaning products that have been used to disinfect every surface and make you feel like a good parent, even if its the first time the house has seen a duster in 6 weeks! But that is not my house today, my house comes with 6 weeks of dust, the crumbs of toast on the kitchen floor from breakfast and the washing machine, dishwasher and tumbler running at great noise, cos thats what always happens on a friday morning! Only benefit today is that I get more time to do it all! Hooray, hope I get that second load of washing on before the visit is over!!!!

Learn Something New Every Day

Ok, so today I started Shimelles class LSNED, yes, yes, yes, ok I started it last year and didnt really get round to doing it, so Im making a promise to myself that I will this year! So today, I learnt, that being a mummy is flippin hard work, but I wouldnt have it any other way!

It was the last day of the school hols for me, not for charley mind she still has 2 weeks to go before she starts school!

I treated myself to 3 new tops, well I am going to be a trainee teacher, so I have to look smart, well thats my excuse and Im sticking to it, so there!

Ok, so new term, new challenges, new things, I have the new clothes, challenges, well charley starting school is a big challenge and starting my GTP is a heck of challenge, so there we go, but besides that I have also joined a new team on UKS, the Bitty Blossoms, unfortunatly my Fruitloops have disbanded, leaving just a couple of us chatters on there so I decided a new team mught be what I need to get back my scrapping mojo! We shall see!!!!!

Well off to read some more and do more prep work for my course, am I fed up with maths and science yet, ermmmmmmmmmmmmmm wellllllllllllllllllllll YES!!!!!!

Back!!!

Well its been ages since I blogged, thats cos I was preparing for my Florida holiday where I got to cuddle mickey mouse, stay up very late, and eat loads of yummy foods! Esp the fudge from Busch Gardens, highly recommended - the maple walnut is to die for.

We Im back with lots of new scrapping stuff which I lovingly look at each day but do not dare to cut into as I cant decide what to use first! Michaels was fabby, spent a near fortune in there on prima flowers - well it would have been if I hadnt of had 40% off vouchers! Joann's was even better as all the cricuts carts were on $39.99, although a few did slip into my cart as I was wandering around walmart too! and at $30.00 they were even better value! SO apart from cricut I have lots of Mickey/universal/seaworld stuff too having spet $118.34 in Mouse Memories, well worth a visit and a lovely man in there too! - thank you for my roll of sellotape, it came in very useful at the airport! Don't ask questions, just trust me!

Anyhow so home I am and between us we took over 2500 photos and several video tapes too! We had a fantastic helicopter ride over the disney parks, and a fabulous apartment. So all in all wasn't too bad. Charley found it hard to adjust to the time zone difference and that caused a few problems but we ironed them out and at the end of the 2 weeks none of us wanted to go home! We wish we were still there, Id be ok in the scrapping shops at least!

Wil load some pics tomorrow, Im just too tired now!

16 days!

Thats all, till we fly out, im sooooo excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cant wait for my holiday! Am in the process of deciding which scrappy shop to hit first!

As for home, nothing much is going on, just the norm, work, work, work and started the studing for my new course in september, I must be mad!!!!!!!1 Another flaming course, will I ever give up studying?

Have several crafty projects that I need to start but dont seem to have the mojo, I need to make some pressies for Charleys preschoool teachers but havent a clue what to do, answers on a postcard to.... lol! I made post it notebooks last year, sticker holding pots and notecards, now completely stuck, might decorate some bags and make pamper bags, trouble is there are so many flippin staff it costs a fortune, may just make some for charley's fav teachers, aothough that may not work either cos then Ill feel guilty that I havent given everyone something!

Can I take my bed with me...

to work that is, I feel that I have lived there this week, and certainly done more than my fair share of hours!!! Monday was staff meeting which seemed to go on forever discussing sports day and was imo a waste of time, then tuesday was a meeting for the new FS unit, which went on till after six, fortunatly I had Charley with me so I got to leave a bit early! Tonight is the FSU parent meeting so thats why I feel that I need to take my bed with me!

Tomorrow is sports day for both charley and my school, bad clash but IM off to Charleys in the morning and will have to catch up on our school one in the afternoon!

Not done any crafting and feeling a bit guilty at the moment too as I bought myself a cuttlebug the other week and havent even used it yet! I know I have a my cricut, but I still have loads of dies and embossing folders, so really should get on and have a play. Anyhow work is calling!

Another album!

Here is the album that I made for Emma after her wedding I wanted to get something made for when she returned from Honeymoon and I managed it, she was sooooo pleased with it, and so was I.

A card!

I made this one for another challenge on CSSR but never uploaded that either, it was to use blue and brown together. Im quite pleased with this card its certain not a colour combination I would use normally, as I hate brown!!!

Been busy

Ok, so life hasnt been that easy for me recently and I have managed to do some crafting, mainly in the form of albums for everyone except me of course! This album is of steves friend, which I made him for his 50th birthday!

These are just some of the pages I have done 20 layouts in total, so am well pleased with myself, they are a bit simple but then they are for a bloke so you dont want loads of flowers everywhere do you!

Long time!

The last few weeks have gone by in a whirlwind, i can't beleive that we are past the middle of June. I cant explain a lot of whats been going on, its better that way, but things are fairly tough at the moment.

Ive done very little crafting, very little of anything, I did make fathers day cards, but, didnt photograph them as I wasnt proud of them, my heart wasnt in them this year due to unforseen circumstance, I know that the next few weeks are going to be hard work for me, so dont expect I will be blogging that much and for those of you who have me on your contacts for facebook, i will be deactivating my account in the next week, reasons best left unsaid!

Life seems to be taking unbelieveable twists and turns for me, and Im not sure where I m heading at the moment, hopefully next time I come on here I might have some answers!

Havent blogged in a week!

Life has kind of taken over again, so much to do all the time, there is 7 weeks till we visit the states and I can't wait. Spent most of this week in and out of the house, have loads of school work that I should be doing but just dont get the time to do, got to start discplining myself and get in with it as come september I dont have any excuses for not doing it all. Im beginning to wonder if going back to studying is the right thing!

I have managed to get a mini book done for MIL as she is now in hospital and the ongoing saga with my nan and grandad is still going on. SS have told mum and dad that if grandad doesnt go home soon they will drop his case and it will have to be restarted whenever he does decide to go home, so they are taking him back wednesday for a couple of days and for a ss assessment. Its sooo hard because after 60 years of marriage they dont want to be apart but we cant see nan ever being able to go home, maybe a nursing home, but the chances if them then staying together is slim. Cruel world we live in isnt it. Nans 3 weeks in the rehab unit is up this week so we will wait the outcome of the case conference and see what happens!

Will upload my mini book, I did it for the CSSR challenge last week, be chic, which was to use the range in anyway to create anything, but seeing as i didnt get it uploaded I didnt link to their blog, i wasnt in with a chance of winning any prizes! I did it the other week for the brown and blue challenge, I still have the card here should try and upload it at some point I guess!

Yesterday we were supposed to be going to Basingstoke to see the kite festival, but decided that the weather was naff so stayed at home, we did end up in basingstoke however but at the bear factory!!!!!!!!!!! Why is it that you go in there and spend so much on a t shirt for a bear than you do on one for yourself in Primark!

So this week holds: inset day for charley tomorrow - shes in preschool, not school, why do they need inset days! a maths day where i get to teach all of foundation stage and KS1 -Im not a teacher yet!!!!!! A maths meeting on wednesday evening at 6.30pm, not a very helpful time for a mummy! I have to pop to woking wednesday night too to get some books that i won on ebay for my teaching course, friday my mates over for pizza and a bottle! So the week is pretty packed and Ive pormised to see another friend too this week, not sure how im going to fit it all in!!!!

I also have 2 60th birthday cards to prepare for sunday, when we are off to a meal to celebrate Steve's best mates birthday oh and his brothers twins birthday! It never stops does it!!!!!!!!!!

Mini book!

Here is a little mini book that I made of our trip to Frimley Lodge the other week when it was bright and sunny, we had a lovely time!