TAKE LIFE BY THE HAND

So where have I been????

2011-08-08T05:35:00.000+01:00

Well now, that would be telling wouldnt it! To be fair nowhere really! Well nowhere with a camera! We went away down to the caravan last week, got out my little friendly camera only to find that I had taken out the battery and forgotten to put it back in! Cant believe that I did that - well ok maybe I can!

We got back wednesday and found some little visitors in our garden - which I will post pics of later but its too early in the morning to do that now! They were baby hoglets, little known to us tha these little critters should not be out in the day on their own! After a bit of research we fed them then on friday found out that they shouldnt be out without their mummy at all. So we rang Jayne at The Happy Hedgehog and took little Millie (as Lottie named her) down to Jayne, apparently she is eating a little now so fingers crossed. She told us to be on the lookout for more! So about 7.30pm we found bubba 2, down to Jayne that went too, unfortunatly he didnt survive long. Well now yesterday morning, I just chanced to look outside and low and behold there was bubby number 3, again quite poorly, so Jayne is now looking after 2 of the hoglets.

Now Jayne is a wonderful lady, because she takes in these critters for nothing, she isnt a registered charity, so pays out for the care for these little animals herself/ So I have made her a stack of cards to start selling from her home, car boots or any other means she see's fit (and I will continue to in order to support her). I have akso had a clear out and a little shopping spree in order to provide her with ramekin bowls, cotton wool, cotton buds, fleece blankets, poultry based cat food/biscuits and dioralyte, all of which are of huge use to her! So any hedgehog fans living near Yateley can drop any of those items in to her at any time and I know that she will be ever so gratefully or if you prefer to make a donation to support her work then there is a dontate via paypal on her website http://www.happyhedgehog.org.uk/ she also has a facebook page too where you can read about their progress!

I have finally lost my 2 stone at slimming world, only another 3 stone to go till I am at my personal target!!!!

Anyhow will keep you updated on hoggy things over the next few days

Why does nothing go to plan!

2011-07-27T18:25:00.001+01:00

Ok so today we were meant to be castless. but no we are now sporting a rather florescent (spelt wrongly Im sure!) pink cast for another 2 weeks. When the took the shoulder height cast off, Lottie started crying, when the doctor examined it she cried more and told him it hurt. So he said, back to the plaster room. I suppose that at least this one is only up to just under the elbow. Working it out the hospital has had over £20 in car park fees off us this time, you would think they could have the decency to at least sweep the cigarette butts out of if, bearing in mind how much money they must have had out of us including canteen and shop sales too!

So that was today gone!

The holidays have finally arrived!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-07-26T17:02:00.000+01:00

Yay. I finished work today, I have had a ball at my school and ma now very sad that I have to leave, but excited to be going on somewhere else. Im with a very different catchment of children this coming year so will prove to be very interesting.

We are off to the hospital again tomorrow, fingers crossed that everything is ok and we may have no cast after tomorrow!!!!

The Wanderer returns

2011-07-22T20:20:00.000+01:00

Been a while since I was last here again, Ive turned into one bad blogger, but to be fair life is just busy, busy, busy. Ive started selling handmade cards on ebay again - so in need of the extra cash, so most nights I am churning out personalised cards leaving little time for anything else!

Lottie broke her arm in June so have spent the last few weeks back and forth to hospital appointement, Im hoping that when we go on wednesday the cast will be off for good and everything will be ok again! Fingers crossed.

Well while most people have broken up from school we still have 2 days to go next week, so unfair, I need a holiday!

An Amazing day out!

2011-05-08T10:07:00.000+01:00

Last weekend we visited this place. It was a totally amazing day!

If you ever get the chance to go to this scultpure park, then do, take a picnic and enjoy the day!

Nearly Easter!

2011-04-22T08:23:00.000+01:00

Well the wedding over thank fully, some of you will know that I amd sister in law arent the best of friends, so I was glad when the night ended and I could go home. The glasses of wine made the day more bearable. Anyway, the cake looked lovely the sky was blue and se looked like a Barbie Princess Doll. Enough said I feel!

Anyway, thats over and we can now get on with our lives! Hooray!

So for the rest of the weekend there will be loads of chocolate and eggs so all will be well.

Wedding Day

2011-04-21T08:42:00.000+01:00

Well today my baby Bro gets married, here are just some of the bits and bobs that I have prepared for them!

Popping in!

2011-04-13T20:41:00.000+01:00

It's been a while again, Im not much good at this blogging stuff lately, life is soooo busy. I found out that my contract at the school Im at will finish in August, there may be a post but no guarentees, however I have bagged myself a new job already, first one that I even went to an interview for, so Im well pleased, especially after last year and going for about a million interviews! Its in a school that has just come out of special measures, so Im not completely convinced Im doing the right thing, however, I hope I am and I am looking forward to it!

Over the past 2 months I have been religiously going to slimming world and lost myself a whopping 1 stone and 4 lb. I have a long way to go, but have set myself a target of loosing another 2 stone before the end of the year, and I will do it!

Its been a year since Gramps passed away and I did find the last month really hard. I had a shocking day at work, where I felt so pressured that I just couldnt stop myself from crying, prompting my head to offer me a phone number for the LA counselling service, which I did decline, Im not into all that counselling stuff, had it years ago, it just messed with my head more I think! What she didnt realise was that she had put my class assembly on the day that Gramps went into hospital, and I felt so pressured to perform and be on form that I just snapped and couldnt cope! Anyhow, Im over that and spent some time down at the crem in the blazing sunshine on the anniversary of his death, which made me feel loads better.

Next thursday sees my baby brother getting married, big mistake, I keep telling him, but he is adament that he is going to, so good luck mate, you will need it, its a life sentence!!! Shame gramps wont be there to see it, he would have been very proud! Lottie will be a bridesmaid and is very excited to be one, she is on count down, only7 more sleeps to go now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyhow I am going to sign off, wont be around for a few days as off to see MIL!!!! Big mistake after the last time, but going to be charitable, hopefully this time she wont throw us out after 1/2 hour of being there, you never know though!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another postbox!

2011-03-12T16:08:00.001Z

So I am finally getting around to finishing bits and bobs off for my baby bro's wedding in April, here is their postbox, yes it is meant to look a bit like a royal mail post box as he is a postie!

What do you think?

Time for a face lift!

2011-03-07T17:11:00.002Z

What do you think of my new blog background then?? I thought it was about time I gave it a new lease of life ad a new colour!

So whats new then?

2011-02-25T18:00:00.000Z

My goodness me, 2 posts in one month, I must be mad!!!! Anyhow the painting in the bedroom still goes on, yes I know I wanted to be done by wednesday, but life never goes to plan, tomorrow I WILL be putting her room back together, complete with pink fairy curtain!!!!!!!!!! Daddy will love it! or maybe NOT.

So today i visited Make-It at Farnborough, as I do most years, this year was more disappointing that last, but hey ho! Saying that I did buy some bits and bobs, including, loads of glue roller refills - at 99p each would have been a crime not to, about 8 million rolls of DST - ok a lie, a bout 8, some fab templates for making yummy borders with for scrapping, I had seen someone at my crop on monday using these and tried everywhere online that I could think of to get some but to no avail, today I walk in and spotted them on the every crafts a £ stall, bargain!! I snapped them up quickly!!!!

I also purchased a kit to make these roses:

and these lovely flowers:

They are from personal touches with ribbon.

So I keep promising to show you stuff Ive been working on, so here are a few pages:

hope you like them!

Now where is it???

2011-02-19T17:55:00.000Z

I am certain that my mojo hath left the building, and has been gone so long I really dont know what I am now looking for! My camera has dissappeared to the far side of the earth never to be seen again too!

I have had loads of non scrapping projects on the go, but till I find that blinking camera I cannot post piccies of my latest hobby!

I am in progress of redecorating Lotties room at the moment, today was day 1, we gutted under the bed, and in the wardrobe too, I have filled my black wheelie bin and a bit more besides! so tomorrow is the other side of the bedroom and hopefully a little bit of decorating too! We are going for the same boring white colour that is throughout the house, DH does not do colour! The reason for the re decoration, well since my little Lottie turned 6 last month, she is no longer young enough for a cot bed! As lovely as out Mamas and Papas one is, she needs a proper sized bed, so my half term holiday will now be spent decorating and re-organising the tiny room to cram all her stuff back into! Good luck to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T09:52:00.000Z

to anyone who reads my blog, not that there has been much to read over the last 5/6 months. Life is so busy, there barelt feels time to breathe sometimes.

We spent yesterday early evening at the panto, it was fab as ever and well worth the money then we trundled onto the local Chinese restaurant and had a even fabbier time. Lottie was well behaved and excited to hand Grandma her card made with lots of love - for her birthday. This year is the first year in a long time that I actually went into a shop and bought a card, to be fair it bought home to me why I now make all my cards - £3.39 for a printed card with a few words! Will be making them in future I can tell you! I did however manage to make her pressie which I shall post later when she actually has it!!!

So the rest of the day will be spent chillaxing with a video and a glass of wine I feel. Ive not made New Years Resolutions because I can never keep them so dont see the point in bothering, I always say yo blog more, eat less and get fit none of which I manage! So, leave me a comment and let me know, whats your resolution if you make one!

Oh My Goodness!

2010-12-04T06:58:00.002Z

Just how long has it been since I have blogged! The saga with my laptop has only just been resolved so I guess now that I am properley back online, I should get on with it and start blogging again!

So much has happened, Im loving my new school, its fab! Lottie is now in Year 1 and loving that - well most of the time.

The weather has done a complete change and we have had snow and as for crafting, well there hasnt been that much I guess! Will try and upload some pictures at some point.

Life seems to be on a more even keel at the moment, which I guess is good. Its the cyber crop over on UKS this weekend, but to be fair the likelihood of me doing much is slim, have lost the will to live as far as pages are concerned, I can just about manage some xmas cards and crafty gifts! Maybe my mojo will returneth now I am back blogging!

Gone again!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-09-05T16:47:00.000+01:00

Remeber whe I said that I had no laptop as it had died and gone to laptop heaven, well medion revived it 3 times and Ive had it back since the end of july, guess what happened yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It died again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am therefore waiting for a rep from Medion to ring me, fat chance that will happen I am sure, so I am mightily annoyed at the moment!!!! Anyway thought I woud let you all know that posts wil lbe few and far between again!!!!!!!!!!!!! And Jackie your stamp will be back in the post this week, sorry I ended up keeping it a lot longer than I anticipated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But and soooooo grateful that you let me borrow it!

Wedding postbox and guestbook!

2010-09-02T18:20:00.000+01:00

So here it is, I do hope she likes it!!!!!!!!!!!!

And a guest book to match!

Oh what a day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-09-02T18:04:00.000+01:00

We had an emergency this morning (as I was making my mates wedding postbox) Lottie calls me mummy, mummy come quickly! So off I rush, mummy I just swallowed a sylvanian families orange! Then we had pandemonium when she realised what she had done and kept saying her throat hurt, so being the dutiful mother (who was more than prepared to just leave it and wait for it to come out!) and then rang NHS direct because I was worried that it may be stuck.

After being told to get her to calm down ( my daughter calm down she is neurotic!!!! Like her dad) and if she still had a pain in her throat to go to A&E. Well after 1/2 hour of trying to calm her down she still wasnt, but by that point I had turned the lounge upside down in haste hoping it may be somewhere I put my hand into her hoodie pocket and there low and behold was the flippin sylvanian orange!!!!!!!
So crisis averted, well sort of! Then my brother arrived to take her out this afternoon (we all know 5 year olds and shops do not mix, dont we????) well he took her shopping and said you can choose a toy (now we all know that kids that are told this think that they can have any toy be it £1 or £21) and thats what she was doing asking for every toy under the sun that was £15 or more, therefore the temper tantrums started and both my brother and his fiance got several temper tantrum whacks and kicks!!!! They promptly bought her home and we then had a barney as she was down right rude to me!!!!
So all in all as days go this one was pretty terrible, all remaining sylvanian mini things have been removed from the lounge and she knows that she must not touch them unless there is a grown up there, and the reason for this little crisis - she wanted to see how far she could spit it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On the upside I did go to tk maxx and get some yummy adhesive badges and mini days of the week stamps, and I got the chance to make a loads of cupcakes and finish my mates wedding stuff, so am off to chill out this evening with a glass of wine and a cupcake or too, I guess it wasnt so bad after all!!!!!!!!!!!!! Will post pics of the wedding PB later!

Thanks for stopping by!

Our Town!

2010-08-23T20:22:00.000+01:00

So Gill over on Docrafts set this challenge to tell each other a bit about where we live so here goes!

I live in camberley!

Camberley is a town in the Surrey Heath district in Surrey, England, situated 31 miles (50 km) southwest of central London, in the corridor between the M3 and M4 motorways. The town lies close to the borders of both Hampshire and Berkshire; the boundaries intersect on the western edge of the town where all three counties converge.

The town has a population of 30,155!

Before the 19th century, the area now occupied by Camberley was referred to as Bagshot Heath, which was known as a haunt of Highwaymen such as William Davies - known as the Golden Farmer - and Claude Duval.

The town as it now stands has its roots in the building of The Royal Military College, which later became the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, in 1812. A settlement known as "New Town" grew in the area around the college which in 1831 was renamed Yorktown, after Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany.[4] At this time, the population was 702.
Later, the Staff College was established to the east of the Academy, and a property speculator built the nearby Cambridge Hotel. The surrounding area became known as Cambridge Town, but was renamed "Camberley" in January 1877 due to avoid confusion by the General Post Office with Cambridge in Cambridgeshire. The renaming of Camberley was mentioned in the 1963 film adaptation of Lord of the Flies. The character Piggy states that the new name consisted of three parts; "Cam" taken from the original name of Cambridgetown, "ber" taken from the name of a nearby river (though in fact there is no river with this name), and "ley" because it is a common ending for English town names (as in neighbouring Frimley). Hugh Edwards, the child actor who played Piggy, attended Camberley Primary School which was demolished to make way for the town centre redevelopment.

Wow werent we lucky to be in that book!!!!!
So which weird and wonder people live/lived in Camberley!!!

Well we were home to some fantastic groups (well in their times!!!!)

5ive, boy band 1997-2001. They were the subject of the television programme 'Neighbours From Hell' whilst living in Camberley

Tony Barker-May, former journalist and advisor to two Leaders of the Opposition and to the Premier of Western Australia, and senior advisor to the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, lived in Camberley from 1960 to 1971

Darren Barnard, former professional footballer currently playing for Camberley Town F.C.. Has also played football for Wales.

Bros, late-1980s boy band who attended Collingwood school. - delivered the local newspapers in their road!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sam Brown, 1990s pop singer.

Five Star, 1980s pop group (this band live near Blackwater). Then they moved to Sunningdale to a very posh house!!!!
Brian McBride (Director) MD of Amazon UK and Director of Celtic FC

Tim Sills, professional footballer currently playing for Torquay United.
Spice Girls, who lived together in Camberley for a while.

Richard Stilgoe, lyricist and musician.

Arthur Sullivan, of Gilbert and Sullivan fame, started writing The Golden Legend whilst living in Camberley. The site of his house is now occupied by a McDonald's restaurant.

Bruce Woolley, writer of 'Video Killed The Radio Star'

Dame Ethel Smyth, lived as a child at Frimhurst, Frimley Green, and as an adult for some time on the Portsmouth Road, Camberley at the house that is now The One Oak pub.

Andrew Meechan, the champion bull fighter.

Arent we privilledged to have so many famour peeps in our town!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have extremely important landmarks in out town

The concrete elephant is extremely popular as a tourist feature - hmmmmmmmm well peeps like to graffitti and put antlers and a huge red nose on it at xmas!

The local donkey derby pulls crowds from not very far away!!!!!!!!!

and we trained the finest in the country!

Seriously our town and local area are home to some of the bravest men and women in the world who have been posted to many wars including the afghanistan war too. In Yateley last weekend the streets were lined with hundreds showing their sympathy and respect for a young 25 year old lad who was killed out there, his grieving wife was a credit to him and a true tribute was paid!

RIP Adam Brown

A true hero for our country!

My Mojo doth returneth!!!!

2010-08-16T08:29:00.000+01:00

Well after weeks of no scrapping, my mojo came back!!! 6 layouts I tell you 6!!! I had this little guilt trip when I looked at my credit card statement and then my ever growing mound of stash and kits and realised that actually, I would at some point have to make some headway on clearing and using them in order to be able to get more!!!!!

So here goes, the first is the Docrafts challenge which was to scrap in green! Yep, def done that! and also to include the title 'Home Sweet Home' I played with the words for this one, but in my journalling there are the words, home sweet home, the pic is of my baby bro, when we were clearing out my nan and gramps house as they moved down here! 60 years of memories were in that house and about 5 layers of Linoleum, which took him and me hours to pull up and break up to go on the back of the dump truck!

Number 2, Lotties rainbow promise ceremony earlier this term, used an old scrapagogo kit which I thought that I would never use elements of, funny how your opinions and styles change over the years isnt it!

Again using the Scrapagogo kit for a layout with her and her first teacher who left at the end of the year, I wonder whether she met her match in Lottie and thats the reason that she went!!!!

This one is an old pic that we polsihed up of my grandad on a beach holiday, looking very young and handsome! Ive use the Bo Bunny Mamma Razzi papers, from a Cleo Crafts kit earlier this year, I hated this kit the most when I got it, but funnily enough Ive managed to find pics that look good with it and have completely changed my view!

Now Shimelle had a weekend crop, to be honest I didnt have a lot of time over the weekend but I did manage to fo a couple of layouts.

The first being Shimelles saturday sketch challenge

and the second being another saturday challenge, scrapbooking with a little pink! I used lots and som shocking orange to go with it!!!

So there you go a crafty weekend was had by all!!!

I do have a couple of other pages that I started for the crop and will try to get them done and finished today so that you can see them!

The hols are flying by!!!

2010-08-11T19:55:00.000+01:00

Can't believe the weeks are flying by so fast for the summer hols, blink and you will miss the rest! We have booked a week away for october this year, so are waiting patiently for that, even though we would rather have been away in the summer, but finances arent as such that we can afford a summer break!

So this is where I have been spending heaps of my time, my new classroom, looks a complete tip doesnt it, and after 3 days of being in there it still feels like it to be honest! They arent deep cleaning till the end of next week so Im still quite limited as to what i can do in there at the moment, since these pics were taken I have managed to fill 3 display boards with bits and pieces that will stay as static boards, meaning I dont have to change them for the whole year, maybe just add some bits to them every so often!!!! Yay! I love boards like that!

What a tip!!!!!!!!!!

I have spent this week working on wedding orders and bits, my friend from work asked me to do her wedding stationary a while back and her invites were completed and delivered, but the order of services and table plan are on the cards for this week!

I also have my baby bro's wedding invites etc to do too, wedding season is upon us!

Today I went to the crem and sat chatting to grandad today on his bench, Im sure that everyone who was there must have thought I was crazy, but it does make me feel much better chatting to him there, I left some flowers and checked that everything had enough water and now feel at peace today. They say time is a healer, I guess it is in some respects, however memories certainly live on!

Have done a little bit of scrapping this week including a mini book for MIL and a couple of pages, will upload them later in the week if I get a chance and am making more cupcakes this weekend for Emily! She will enjoy them!

Some cards

2010-08-04T06:04:00.000+01:00

Here are a few of the cards that I have put together to sell for charity.

Sorry none of the images are cropped properly!

Have a crafty day!

A busy weekend

2010-08-02T06:09:00.000+01:00

So here are my cupcakes, and delicious they were too mostly all vanilla cupcapes with sprikles of glitters on them

but these little lovelies were coffee and walnut, yum!

So the past few days have been extremely busy we have:

been to birdworld where we watched the pengiun feeding, a bird show, petted mice rabbits and guinea pigs, chased chickens, ridden a pony (all time fav part of the W/e for Lottie) and had a fab time!

We also have:

been to a fun day at my old school where we got to brush donkeys'

play Indian drums!

and have panned gor gold at Paultons Park as well as a few roller coaster rides and splashes in water kingdom there!

Phew! am a bit puffed out now!

Yummmmmmmmmmmmm

2010-07-27T20:33:00.000+01:00

The house is filled with the smell of cupcakes, inspired by the ones we had last weekend at the music festival! mine are better of course, both in look and taste! i even went all professional and piped the icoing on and everything, topped them all of with a bit of glitter and well posh! Will post a pic in the morning.

Havent scrapped for ages, but I am card making at the moment for the residential home that my nan is in and also for the forces out in afghanistan, so have 2 charity projects going on, but I want to do lots for both as they are both worthwhile causes!

Anyhow, Im off as Lottie is trying out her new bike - its not a new one - but a hand me down from some friends, but it looks good enough!

Where has the time gone!

2010-07-24T21:07:00.000+01:00

Whoa, slow down! Life has been a bit of a whirlwind lately, Ive had no laptop since the 3rd June, and I am finally back online now!!!! I did get my laptop back from the dead, for 3 days, before it died again! Never buy a medion!!!! They have spent more on new motherboards than the computer is actually worth!!! Each one costing £236.00 including the person to fit them!!! Its had 2 in the space of a month! But never mind I am back!!!!

So what have I been up too... well I have a new job in an infant school, its a maternity contract but will do! I have left my own school, which was good to do, but I shall miss some people like crazy, esp Steph, who will I laugh with about 'Rat' and the 'bear fruit' ! Long story, but bought tears to my eyes!

We scattered Grandad's ashes last week and I was very lucky to be able to go, I nearly wasnt! It has helped quite a lot with the healing process, and I do like going to the crem to sit on his bench in the peace and quiet!

So the summer hols are upon us and we are going to enjoy them, hopfully my laptop wont give up the ghost in the next few days!

Will be back soon!

Yum Yum!

2010-05-28T20:09:00.000+01:00

I just found 3 mini selection boxes left over from xmas that i bought for my neighbours kids, I wonder whether I can eat all three tonight!!!!!!!!!! I think NOT!

Im still not posting because of the depression Ive sunken into again, I was in the same place last year, but this time is worse, mainly because Im going for all these interviews and still not getting any job offers, I feel like a failure, ive never been for a job and not got it! Now Ive been for 3 and not got any of those, Im hoping that something will turn up soon!

So this month we have:

Seen these very funny morris men at the yateley may fair.

Listened to these fabolous men and women, they are at the fair every year, this year there were less than normal, but they are a joy to listen too, and work really hard there!

and finally have made these little babies for my baby bro and his wife to be....

The weekend has landed!

2010-05-21T15:43:00.000+01:00

So the weekend is here, Im not posting much at the moment as Im not in a happy place. Im struggling to cope with much and even my usual crafting online haunts arent seeing me either. Im struggling with uni work, preparing for my final assessment, preparing for my 80% teaching a week and still trying to find a job amongst all that!

I went for and interview this week for a job I really wanted and didnt get it, over one little thing! However that does mean that my confidence is talking a huge knock and Im now struggling even more and despite what everyone thinks primary school teaching jobs in this area are pretty scarce, which is then causing me extra worry because there arent many that I can apply for!

Anyhow, Lottie is off on her rainbow sleepover tomorrow, not sure how she will be but hopefully she will enjoy it! And it means that i can watch over the rainbow in peace - Sophie to win!!!!!!!!

Busy, busy, busy!

2010-05-19T20:55:00.002+01:00

This week has been hectic beyond belief and it isnt getting any easier. I have three job interviews over the next couple of day, which is very scary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wish me luck, there is one that I really want, and one that would come a close second!

My 80% placement is proving tough, and even harder work with interviews and job applications to sort! Im snowed under, cant wait for the weekend! Im hoping that I might have some good news by then on the job front! We shall see!

A long ole week

2010-05-15T08:30:00.000+01:00

This week has been a long one, I start my 80% teaching next week and Im totally exhausted before it is even happening. Still busy job hunting, studying and teaching, its a full time job this job hunting malarkey isnt it. I sooooooo can't wait to have half term. My folks have finally agreed to take Lottie out 2 days for me to give em some study time and I feel that i will need it by then!

Last night I spent making my friends wedding invitations and we are still not done! They are getting there tough, will show you a sneaky of them later when I find my camera.

i did a couple more pages over the week, but again need to find my camera in order to photograph them.

Tomorrow we are off to see London Nights, Broadway Nights, a musical medely, with loads of songs from the musicals, I cant wait, Im going with mum, and my sister in law and my sister in law to be! Should be a lovely night out!

Will be back later with some pics hopefully!

Another Lift!

2010-05-03T08:39:00.000+01:00

Still in the scrapping mood at the moment, but not in the mood to design my own pages, so Ive lifted this one from clare33 over on UKS. Its of Grandad and Lottie taken when he still lived in London and I love this pic! Ive used some old papers from the Fancy Pants Sweetpea collection which were just sitting around gathering dust, and now they are no longer! It does feel good cutting into all these papers and making things with them!

Anyway, off to look for more easy scraplift pages! Thanks for stopping by!

Said I would be back, didnt I!

2010-05-02T19:28:00.001+01:00

Well here are three of the layouts that I have done today, I didnt realise just how much stuff I really do have for scrapping with, its beyond a joke really! Too many pretty papers to stroke and look at and not actually do anything with, I have 10 scrapagogo kits which have hardly been cut into and now a few others as well that I am beginning to accumulate and when I went under the bed today I found 3 huge pads of papers including a WRMK tiffany pad i bought from QVC months ago and had forgotten about, so Im going to start using them!!!!

The first layout is made using a Scrapagogo kit from April 2008, Ive done a few layouts with this kit and their is still loads left! Sorry the pic isnt fab, it looks completely skewwy, but thats just me and the angle that i have taken the photograph in!

This next page is a very young Lottie! from April's Gottacraft kit, its a total lift from their booklot, but I like it! I used a few prima essentials and also my Martha Stewart corner punch. The chipboard stems are from an ancient pack of cherryarte chipboard which I have inked in pinks and reds.

This final layout is from a set of MME Jack and Jill, from favourite thing and Life is good! Ive used some of my QVC primas and a journalling card from etsy. This page is a bit of a scraplife from Laura's blog here!

Im pleased with all of my layouts, I know that they are basic, but Im still happy!

Thank you for stopping by to look!

Its raining, it's pouring...

2010-05-02T11:51:00.000+01:00

It must be bank holiday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyhow, Im busy with uni work and planning, I cant wait for the year to be over and I can be qualified and think about uni again! Won't that be nice!

I have been busy making Emily's wedding invitations this weekend and really enjoyed cutting and snipping whilst watching over the rainbow, the question is who will go tonight????

Anyway only a quick post for the minute, will be back later with any updates and hopefully a new scrap page too!

My UKS challenge!

2010-04-26T19:19:00.000+01:00

So today was my turn to set the challenge over on UKS, Scrapdolly asked for volunteers a while back and Id forgotten that Id put my name down! Anyhow so here is my challenge:

As today is the 26th April, there are 249 days left of the year, use 2, 4, or 9 of something on your layout,

Make and use your own paper - glimmer mists, stamping, doodling etc,

In 1993 The queen opened Buckingham Palace for the first time to the public, so use, red, white and/or blue on your layout somewhere.

and finally some bling!

So if anyone else wants to join in, please feel free and leave a link to wherever your work may be!

The UKS cybercrop has started...

2010-04-24T14:09:00.000+01:00

and as I have learnt, you only do the classes that interest you! Well thats true this time, I didnt do any of the mystery kits stuff as I have refused to buy one each year since the really nasty one! It didnt look too bad from the work that peeps have done, but I have so many unused kits here, Im taking my chance and using them up on the crop myself. I have tapped into 2 old scrapagogo kits this morning and am hoping to do more tomorrow!

So I did 2 classes, these were last nights ones, as todays havent grabbed me in the slightest or I dont have the materials! so here they are:

This is the Angel Of Islington class, Ive used an old picture of my mum and her family on holiday, we hace the pic all cleaned up and reprinted! Im quite pleased with it and I love using black and white.

And here is the second I completed - Bow Streeet, which was actually the first one, but I didnt have paint free so left it then realised that you didnt have to use paint anyway! You are meant to have used the lettering as a mask and painted over it and around it then peeled them away, but I like it the way it is.

Its a pic of Lottie about 19 months old in nana's garden pulling up the freshly planted marigolds that nana had just popped in the ground!

So we shall see whether anything else grabs my fancy this weekend I feel, Im not too worried about points but its nice to get a bit of scrapping done!

A bomb has hit...

2010-04-17T07:18:00.000+01:00

my house, or so it looks! I cant believe how messy it is, could be that I lost a really important letter yesterday and searched high and low for it turning out all the cupboards etc trying to find it!

Welll I did hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyhow, today I need to crack on with some work, so will drop by later!

Bye for now!

OMG What's happened to Docrafts

2010-04-14T19:22:00.000+01:00

Now we all love craft forums dont we, Ive been a Docraft forum member for 6 years, but today they have turned it into a pay as you go type site, sure you can stay a member for free and have access to specific areas, or you can start paying £2.50 to acess 'special' bits of the site. To me thats a slap in the face, I buy their magazines, I spend copious amounts of money on their products in their stockists stores and visit the site daily.

However it was ofline while they performed their changes and tonight I have been on and what am i faced with, advertsing banners that blink horribly at you from people like match.com, do they think all crafters are saddo's that need dating agencies????/ Or catalogue banners that people end up getting in debt when they are only going to visit a crafting site, to me its a complete disgrace, crafting is about crafting not finding a partner or encouraging you to spend money on crafting products, not junk.

Sorry Ill get off my soap box and off to scrapping, looks like UKS will be getting my vote now and not docrafts anymore!

A grey day

2010-04-14T10:58:00.000+01:00

where has the sunshine gone? who stole it? Well its hiding, some place that i can't find it anyhow!

So today we are having lunch with steve, at the moment Lottie is still in her pj's and Im lounging around thinking that I really must get on and do something, Ive written half of my response to the science article and not a lot more as I have been blog hopping and stash shopping, I have just ordered myself another kit, this time from Gottacraft, thought that I would check it out, its quite different to the one that I got from Cleocrafts this month, I feel like some scrapping so Im off, will be back later to show you what I have done and you never know I might get round to uploading some kittie pics too!

Kittens

2010-04-13T16:35:00.000+01:00

well not for us, but my folks have picked up this week 2 of the cutest little kitties I ever did see, they are so tidgy! Will put some pics on later, she has called them Teddy (after grandad - Edward) and Dolly (after my nan!) How sweet they are.

So today I have spent doing some work, i got my second school file almost up to date, still have some annotations to make on the lesson plans, but Im pretty much there now, so thats all good! Last night I did 2 ICT reviews/evaluations and today I have read and annotated my science article that I had to do and am about to start on my maths one, I feel like Im winning a little now! Still have a mountain of work to do, but Im plowing through it, Im hoping that my folks will take Charlotte a few mornings or afternoons this week so I can crack on even more!

Right well Im off as I need to get on an do my maths article, will be back later with pics!!!!

Two posts in one day!

2010-04-12T18:22:00.001+01:00

Well I never!

Here are some layouts Ive worked on recently, I dont think that you have seen them!

Here is one from Universal Studios, from the cat in the hat land! It was the place we were very excited to go, but didnt prove to be the best place as she lost her favourite 'My Little Pony' baseball hat, and didnt she cry that she had lost that hat, well until I purchased her a minnie mouse one that was pink!

Peter Pan and Wendy, this was a classic photo that we didnt think that we would get as Lottie didnt want Peter in the photo because he is a boy and she didnt like boys, so, he hid on the window ledge behind her until the shot was about to be taken and then sat in the background so he got into it!

Here is Lottie with Ariel, this is th first character that she sat with, and swore that she would only have pics taken with the girls - that all changed!!!!

Not sure if I have posted this on here or not, I did this one quite a while ago, but thought that I'd stick it on here anyhow!

My final layout, this one was the first that I did in 2010, it signifys a year of change, I knew 2010 was going to be different and lots of changes were to happen but at that point I didint know what, Im glad that I didn't as I wouldnt have wanted to start the year I dont think! Anyhow here we are in April and have already have had big changes, Nan and Grandad moved into the nursing home and then Grandad died! A complete year of change with many more changes to come!!!

I made myself a layout...

2010-04-12T14:02:00.001+01:00

now if I could only find the blasted camera I could upload it!

The boys are off to Nottingham tonight to get my car, so Im working flat out to tidy and sort the house out for Steve, seeing as he is doing me a huge favour by driving 3 hours there straight from work and then back! So downstairs is hoovered and Im about to go find the mop and bucket and get on with that now.

So today I have managed to complete a page, about Easter this year, we were determined with all the bad things that have happened so far this year, that we would get on and enjoy Easter, and we did, so my layout features my simnel cake, which just gets better and better each year!!!!!!! Even if I do say so myself! I have used my Cleo Crafts kit from this month with a few additions, some cheap shop foam alpha's, some QVC glimmer gems which I picked up on a one time only price (they werent that much cheaper really!) but I love them and some primas flowers from the bigger bag and the big bag! Im really pleased with it I have to say. I have to say how much Im in love with these glimmer gems, and having realised that Sarahs Cards LTD stock them in other colours at a bargain price Im even more in love! So the handy little tubes they come in can be restocked at half the QVC price, I do like the jewel picker that you get with the QVC set!

So Im of to get on with my floor mopping and house tidying uping thingys that i need to do, I think I shall just leave my craft room door shut though as Im not brave enough to tidy that one up at the moment and then get tea a cooking so its ready for when Steve walks through the door so he can eat and go! Have a lovely afternoon all, and thanks for stopping by!

A lazy sunday afternoon

2010-04-11T17:29:00.000+01:00

has been spent at home doing very nothing! I am still carless as the part that we ordered never arrived despite being told it would one more than 5 occaisions! So a dispute has been opened with the credit card company and we have found somewhere in Nottingham that will fix it, so yesterday the tow truck picked it up and its arrived there, will be fixed tomorrow, then tomorrow evening there is a very long drive to be had there and back to pick it up! But it will be fixed!!!!! Its been so long Ive forgotten what it is like!

I have started doing an album from our spain holiday in 2003, pre Lottie! Its been started for quite a while now, but I thought that I would get on with it as its a cheerful, bright colourful album and after all the gloom of the last few weeks I could do with some cheering up. I bought some american craft mini albums from QVC last year and have a tonne of them still to use, you got something like 17 of the things! And although I have tried making a dent in them there are still about 11 to use!

I have a mountain of coursework to plough through as well as hand in date for my subject knowledge files is 6th May and currently I have a shedload to do on them!!!! So not funny, I want to get all my easter pics scrapped and do a grandad album too, I think that the chances of that are highly unlikely though this side of the summer! Ah well I can dream!

I have a morning to myself on Tuesday as Lottie is going to a party, Im hoping that I can use that time to study and achieve something! Who knows!!!!!!

Yesterday

2010-04-10T20:39:00.000+01:00

was one of the sadest ever for me, it went well though, the flower garden that we chose looked fabulous done in red and white (Brentford Football Clubs colours and Grandads team!) I stumbled with my poem and Steve had to take over, but when it got to my own words, I managed to compose myself and say what I needed, I was proud of myself!

A weight has been lifted and we had such a lovely sunny day, he would have pleased by that! My folks are coping better and my nan, Im not sure about, her parkinsons seems to make her a little emotional and she has an infection which meant that she was not on good form yesterday.

One of the carers in the home came to the funeral, she is a lovely lady, Ive seen here there many a time, she told my mum that my grandad was waiting for my nan, he knew he was ill, but wanted nan with him. We knew that all along, we knew he was just waiting for her to go into the home and be settled. A sad revelation, but so true. We appreciate the honesty of the carer, and thank her!

It was lovely to see the family united, and know that we all shared such good memories of him was lovely, both my dad and my brother spoke many true words and had lots of people in tears (so did I!) including my uncle, whom I didnt realise was so cut up! Distance does that though doesnt it, you dont understand it sometimes, but distance isnt necessarily a healer.

I would like to thank all those who came yesterday, all those who sent special wishes to the family and to me and all those behind the scene that ensured the arrangements, service and wake went well. It was a great send off for a great man! I love you Gramps! Sleep well with the angels.xxx

Goodbye Grandad!

2010-04-09T08:26:00.000+01:00

So here we are, on one of the hardest days of my life so far, the day we say goodbye to grandad. I found this lovely poem that Im going to read about grandad's garden and I have a few of my own memories to add.

I just hope that I am strong enough today! Im really pleased with the order of services that I made, proud in fact, my last tribute to a wonderful Grandad!

My creations!

2010-04-08T13:34:00.000+01:00

This is the picture that I have made of my grandparents.

This is the picture that I made for my Parents.

This is the picture that I have made for my nan.

Easter traditions

2010-04-08T10:37:00.001+01:00

Every year we do pretty much the same for Easter and this one was no different!

Simnel cakes had to be baked, one for us and one for Grandma and Grandad too!

Rice crispie cakes with butter, dark chocolate, mini eggs and golden syrup had to be made

And finally that Easter Egg hunt in Nana's garden.

To top it all off we have a yummy roast dinner together and a high tea of little sandwiches, cakes and easter biscuits! Yum! Why can't it be Easter Sunday more often!

So what Easter Traditions are alive and kicking in your home?

Been and gone!

2010-04-07T11:08:00.000+01:00

So Easter has come and gone, did you get lots of eggs? I got one! Thats enough though. Today Im finishing off the funeral booklets for friday, gotta go and pick up the photo's for the front of them soon, Im really pleased with them, will post a piccie when they are done.

Ive also got to get around to posting some pics of the egg hunt that we did the other day and some of my creations that I have been working on! Lets see if I can get round to doing this today!

And the winner is.....

2010-04-04T19:45:00.000+01:00

There were 192 eggs in the tin - 79 mini eggs and 113 mini mini eggs!

I think that makes

SUEBUBBLES

the closest, so send me your addy and Ill get your little prize in the post.

a little Easter competition

2010-04-02T13:57:00.001+01:00

When I was out in the States last year I got hold of some yummy prima tins, so Ive filled them with mini eggs and mini, mini eggs and the person who guesses the correct number (or closest number) will win a little parcel of stash, including prima's, ribbons and buttons and whatever else I find, so leave your answers below!

Simnel cakes a cooking!

2010-04-02T12:56:00.001+01:00

Well both cakes are in the oven now, one for us and one for my folks! Yum, Ive made round ones this year and Ill posta piccie when they are finished! Normally I make rectangular ones, but its all change this year and traditionally they are usually round arent they!

Check back later for a little Easter competition, if you fancy winning a little pile of stash, prima's, ribbons and buttons! Will be posting it as soon as I can find my sd card reader!!!!

I survived...

2010-04-02T07:14:00.004+01:00

the second term of my GTP training, now all I have to do is finish this third and final term! So 2 down and 1 to go! The final term being the hardest though, 4 days teaching a week and a million and one other things to do!

Anyhow yesterday we chose flowers for Gramps funeral they are a little unconvetional anda little bit quirky but they hav so much meaning to my brothers and I that they were absolutley perfect! We wanted something that showed the main passions in his life,his garden and when we were younger it was all about a neatly mowed lawn and a well kept fishtank, I may see if I can find a garden gnome on ebay in the dolls house section as thats the only thing missing from this tribute that I would like!

I got my first Cleocrafts scrapbook sub kit this month and was pleased with it, there are some lovely papers that will be perfect for the annual easter egg hunt pages, I had to give up scrapagogo due to the cost, but wanted to keep a sub somewhere, and at £8.99 these are perfect, I also want to say how lovely Louise is to deal with! So thank you so much for all your help this month, promise i wont be such a pain next time!

Anyhow Im off to surf as I want a nice layout to lift for some box frames I bought from here.
They were fab value and extremely fast on their delivery too! Thank you!

My Grandfather...

2010-03-27T20:11:00.003Z

passed away this morning, I went to see him and the scared look that I have seen over the past few days has disappeared, he was peaceful and at rest. I miss him so much already, we looked for the new star in the sky this evening, but its too cloudy for stars, we will keep looking till we find the one with his name on it.

The hospital staff were wonderful, we cannot fault them this time, a far cry from last time when we were swearing and cursing the poor care that he received at xmas, no this time they were wonderful and wish to thank the staff on MAU and F2 Fleming for everything they did for him.

Ill never forget his favourite saying when we were kids - put the wood in the hole! We always used to leave the lounge door ajar when we went out of it and it used to cause a right breeze on his bald head, and my brothers and I used to stand behind him blowing on his bald spot! The races we all used to have to be the first one to ring the doorbell and hear him shut, hang on, hang on Im coming - we used to hold the buzzer and keep pressing it in one loud and continuous buzz, must have been really annoying. I used to love it each year when he got out his paint and brushes and gave his gnomes a lick of paint - annual gnome painting season and feeding the fish in the pond, we would always be told off for putting in too much!

The look of joy on his face when I presented him with his first great grandchild, I will never forget that look, it was a picture! The proudness on his face, Ill dig it out later and put it up on here.

No Grandad you may be gone in body, but in spirit you live on, I have some of that Reed stubborness, I have the Reed lip when I want it, but I also have the many joyful memories of you and your love, which will carry on throughout future generations of the family. I will look after nan, mum and the rest of the family as best that I can and Im so glad I got to spend so much time with you in your last few days, I am a very proud grand daughter.

Rest in peace, Grandad and Ill see you one day in the future, look out for Uncle Oscar and Auntie Ivy wont you! I love you!

Grandad!

2010-03-26T14:59:00.004Z

I have been trying recently to keep my blog cheerful and light, but its with a heavy heart that I write this post, Grandad is extremely poorly at the moment, on wednesday night we really thought that he wasnt going to survive much longer, but he has, he is fighting, but it will not do him much good.

My folks are down the hospital as I type waiting to see the consultant, but there is talk of him being transferred back to his nursing home to finish his days there, so sad! He turns 90 on monday if he makes it!

I want to cry, I have cried, but at the moment I cant cry any more, I keep thinking back to the lovely memories that I have of him from my childhood, the look on his face when I presented him with his great grand daughter and I can smile, although there are tears in my eyes when I think of those things.

God Bless you Grandad, I love you! Im praying for a miracle for you! Jx

A much more productive day!

2010-03-21T17:06:00.002Z

Well having now put my stresses away from yesterday I can report that we had the most fabulous meal out last night at believe it...a local pub, we had fillet steaks to die for, with a dressed salad, sauted potatoes, baby tomatoes and mushrooms and the creme de la creme of blue cheese sauces! Dessert didnt disapoint either! Raspberry cheesecake with shortbeard, and Lottie and Steve had ice cream which was sheer luxury, and i should know as I polished off lots of the strawberry one and the vanilla one too!

So today I have been busy baking, Ive made a victoria sponge, fairy cakes - which need icing and a batch of scones, tomorrow Im going to make a fruit loaf too!

On top of that, remember the albums from QVC I mentioned yesterday, well I have painted 3 of them in gorgeous pearly paints and will be decorating them shortly...watch this space!

We have also been into the home to see Nan and Gramps, Gramps has really given up all hope of anything and he just sits falling asleep all the time, a far cry from the man he was 6 months ago. Its really sad, at the moment I am working on a mini book of the day they moved near to us, it shows all the grotty pics of where we were clearing out their house, we had to rip up all the carpets everything, not surprising that the council would have charged to do it themselves, what it did reveal under those carpet and linoleum mats was a wealth of old newspaper articles which we had so muc fun reading and reminiscing!

Someone chopped off my left arm....

2010-03-20T15:08:00.002Z

or so it feels, my car is very poorly, and it dont work no more! Well it does but it judders and shakes worse than a jelly! Why is it when you have no car you feel like you have lost a limb! i miss it and its only been gone since 11.30am this morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It started off a lovely day, we drove to Basingstoke to get Lottie her Bear Factory Bear in celebration of finally getting rid of her dummies after 5 and a bit very long years of them (another story) and we were 2/3rds of the way there and the car began to quiver, which quickly then turned to a shake and a jolting feeling, it stopped then started again, then sort of sorted itself out.

So we toodled around doing bits in town and then came the drive home, it was quivering, shaking and shivering all over the place. SO we stopped at a little garage and they told us what was wrong with it and charged us a fabulous £33 for the pleasure of it - not bad for 15mins work, then told me that the part will be over £200 and then there is labour to go on top of that! Hmmmmmmmmmmm a little annoyed, I feel so!

Anyhow, on the bright side, it means that i cant get to my second school placement on monday as I have no way of getting there, hooray!!!! but need to spend the morning on the phone trying to arrange with uni what I need to do to make up the time!

Oh well, Im looking forward to being given a lift to tesco to get some photo's of my mum's birthday party and doing a bit of scrapping tonight. Last night I made 12 malteaster cupcake recipe cards and an ATC which will be winging its way to its recipient this week, I have gotten terribly behind this month with everything. I also need to think about a 90th card for my grandad, my brothers wedding stationery and someone at works stationery too! Just a little then to keep me busy, inbetween all my work too.

Oh, just have a craft delivery, some very yummy chipboard books from QVC see them here! Can't wait to get going on them! I also had some 'fly' stickers that I ordered from ebay too which are yummy! Just wish that I have more time to actually do stuff with them!

Some cards!

2010-03-15T21:20:00.002Z

So here are some more of thos Dawn Bibby cupcake cards, I just love working with them, I know they are kanban, but when you need something quick and easy they are perfect, sorry the lighting wasnt brillain when I took these!

Things are looking up

2010-03-13T08:11:00.002Z

well I hope so. Steve went for an interview on wednesday and we got a call thursday to say that he had the job! Hooray! One less weight on our mind. Its a temporary contract, but if he behaves himself and works hard there is a possibility of a permanent post at the end, I have my fingers and toes crossed, cos if thats the case and he gets the perm post we will have a holiday this year, and by jove am I going to need it!!!!!!!!

My grandparents are settling into the home a little better, nan isnt happy, but then she has lost her independence so Im not surprised, Im off to tesco's in a bit to pick up some photo's to make into a hanging scrapbook for her room for mothers day.

Then Im off to a Docrafts demo day to collect some of the new punches and it's a mans world papers and stamps! Gotta treat myself after all our good news havent I?

I say treat myself but then again I did order the TSV the other day for lottie as she loved some of the elements and Ill just have to make use of the rest of it wont I?

Talking of Lottie she is loving being a Rainbow - I must take some photo's of her in her uniform, she is soooooo sweet!!! Well a while ago we tried our hardest to give up dummies, we even sent them to the dummy fairies, but alas, this didnt work she still found a few I had missed! So we are still on dummies!!! Anyhow last night we made a pact that if she gives up this week next weekend we will go to build a bear and get blossom bunny - who she desperatly wants, the deal is this time though that she can't get it till she has had a whole week clear of dummies! So last night we made her, her own worry doll and today we are going to get some more bits and bobs to make another few, she tells it her worry about not being able to sleep without her dum and then kisses it. She didnt want it under her pillow so she made it a little bed out of her old muslin and popped it beside her bed.

The night wasnt too bad, she woke 3/4 times but the first few she was fine, by the 4th I put her in the spare room with me, which I was expecting to do, but she got through the night with not to many tears, fingers crossed we will crack it this time. She has to learn to get rid of it as the Rainbows have a sleepover in May and she really wants to go, but knows she cant with a dummy as they will all laugh at her!!!! Bless her!

Anyway I will add some photo's later of the bits and peices I have been doing over the last few weeks, mainly cards, but I need to remember to photograph them!

Have a lovely day everyone and thank you for stopping by!

Sunday's sunshine

2010-03-07T18:46:00.001Z

Did you see it... the sun was shining this morning, I even got a load of washing dry on the line - i do love washing that has been line dried!

Been a busy few weeks, nan and gramps are both in the same home now and we are still all fighting and fed up! Lottie has joined rainbows and looks extra cute in her rainbow outfit and I have finally done a couple of scrap pages, will upload at some point if I get the chance.

Apart from that there is nothing else much to report, going to make the mothers day cards this evening and thats about it!

Even more blog candy...

2010-02-28T12:23:00.000Z

just here!

More blog candy

2010-02-27T16:29:00.000Z

over on digistamp boutique here!

Prima has a big secret...

2010-02-27T14:36:00.000Z

and some fab blog candy too, take a look here!

A haul from the Make-it show!

2010-02-26T14:37:00.003Z

So here is the little haul I came back with today, managed to spend over £60 believe it or not on this little bit of stash! I got some yummy K&Co 6x6 pads for card making, some craftwork cards scalloped edge cards, burgandy ribbons in preparation for my baby bro's wedding invites, lots of stick it roller refills.

Some more stickles in stardust, cinnamon, gold, cany floss and baby blue for making lots of sparkly flowers and some punches!

Ok so these are some of my new punches, Im in love with these woodware punches, especially when I cant be bothered with my cuttlebug, there are so easy to use and just look at the results from them!

Fab arent they, I cannot decided which one I love the most but have this feeling that they are going to look gorg!

Another blog award

2010-02-21T10:24:00.002Z

This time from Doodlesdumpkins over on the DC forum, thank you!

With this award I have to list 10 things that make me happy!

1. My family

2. My friends

3. Buying stash

4. Making with my stash

5. Baking

6. Achieving my dreams

7. blue skies

8. Birds singing

9. chilling out to music

10. Going on holiday

So I have to pass this onto 5 others now, descisions, descisions!

1 Helen a fellow teamie on UKS

2 Karen - a fellow teamie on UKS

3 Gill -

4 Suebubbles - whose blog always entertains me!!!

5 Sue C

Enjoy ladies and thanks again Doodles!

Kanban cupcakes, yum, yum!

2010-02-20T20:26:00.002Z

Here are some cards that I made recently, now Im not a Kanban friend, but just recently there are been a few nice kits around and I have to say, cupcakes are my fav's! So thank you to Dawn Bibby for these, i do like them even if im not keen on her!

Yay!!!!

2010-02-18T19:23:00.000Z

Thank you soooooo much Karen it worked, I dont feel like a total internet freek now, I can link!!!!!

Yabbbbbaaaaaadddddaaaabbbbbbaaaaadoooooooooooooooooooooo!

Linky things!

2010-02-18T19:20:00.002Z

Well just to prove how rubbish I am I have had to ask for a helping hand in sorting out how to link so here goes, Karen on UKS has given me step by steps to link to another page so here goes, pray it works for me!

So here is a link to Karens blog

Lets hope it has worked!

A blog award!

2010-02-18T14:04:00.004Z

This lovely award was given to me from one of my Docrafting buddies Alma, thank you Alma. As Im no good at doing those linky things here is her blog address http://www.tasselstagsandteabags.blogspot.com/ check out her work!

So the conditions of this award are:that I need to pass this on to 3 more blogs, so here are my 3

1. Karen - http://www.karensupermum.blogspot.com/ - and trust me she really is a supermum!
2. Helen - http://www.aconleyfamily.blogspot.com/ - one of my fellow UKS teamies
3. Tracy - http://www.craftytracy.blogspot.com/ - both she and bubba can
enjoy this one!

I also have to give three things that I would never do!

1. I would never let Charley loose with the pink paint again!
2. I would never stop buying my crafting stuff, there will always be space for something somewhere!
3. I would never intentionally hurt someone, physically or emotionally.

By the way if anyone wants to give me a crash course in how to put proper links in please feel free to leave me a message about how to!!!!!lol!

Anyway, thank you again Alma!

I will be back later with some crafty makes that I have busy with!

cake anyone.....?

2010-02-16T12:26:00.004Z

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, forgive me whilst I tuck in to some yummy treats I made for the family yesterday. My victoria sponge packed with strawberry jam and buttercream, mmmmmmmmm.

And here is the yummiest, gooeist, most delicious chocolate brownie, packed with dark, white and milk chocolate and walnuts (oh and I have another of these without nuts for those of you who are allergy sufferers!)

so if your passing pop in for a cuppa and a piece of cake, your more than welcome!

Cricut serenade

2010-02-16T10:58:00.003Z

Ok so this was my naughtyness the other day, I saw this over on Karens blog and fell in love, well who wouldnt, cutesy little birdie cages, flutterby's and pretty things...

so I had to have it, I scoured the net looking for it, and believe me it took hous, no one had it in stock, then I found it cute and crafty had it £44.99, so it whipped itself into my cart and paypal did its thing! So off I went surfing some more looking for the sweet treats cart - yes am into anything sweet at the mo. When alas I went to cutting edge crafts to find this little baby £10.00 cheaper, so I rang cute and crafty - thank you so much nice man - and cancelled my order and purchased from cutting egde, which left me with a handy £10 extra to spend on other bits!!!!!

So here it is in all its glory, had to hide it from hubby though, pain in the neck that they sent it recorded, couldnt really hide that, I am however a little miffed with QVC Im still waiting for my Martha Stewart punches, if they arrive sometime in the next hour I will be laughing, if not then Im in trouble as hubby will be home! please, please please let them arrive while he is out!

Gramps is still in hopsital so I made him a card to send to nan for valentines day, hope you like it.

We have found out that the hospital wants to release him but that he will have to go into some form of care home, not a problem you would think, but of course there is my nan too, she really needs more care than she gets, so we are ready to fight, we want them to go into the same home, we arent convinced though that they both need the same type of care, let battle commence - us against HCC!!!!!

Thanks for reading!

Are you ready for valentines day????

2010-02-12T19:34:00.003Z

I am finally, I was blog hopping earlier and saw a similar card, but Im sorry I can't remember the blog I was on!!! Anyway I love using buttons so thought that this was perfect, I used some Jillibeans cold raspberry paper - fresh mint as the background as Im loving kraft papers at the moment and some glittery black thickers for the' be mine'. Buttons are from my stash!

I hope that he likes it, we have decided that we arent buying any pressies etc as we need to conserve our cash incase he doesnt find a job soon, however I decided to treat myself and am now awaiting my martha stewart punch set that was this weeks tsv and a rather scrummy new cricut cart, oh and some new dies for my cuttlebug, but shhhhhhhhhh dont tell him that!

A fantastic week...

2010-02-12T12:52:00.002Z

well in the life of a trainee teacher anyhow, have had the most amazing lessons and the kids have been fantastic this week! Which makes a change as after last week I was beginning to think that I should change career completely!

Last week wasnt a good week anyway, Steve was made redundant and that in itself has been a shock! Who know what he will do until he finds something, we shall see!

Anyhow here is a little card I made for a colleague at work who turns 50 on monday, she has seen it so its ok to post it on here! Happy Birthday Helen!

Claires Weekly Challenge - Docrafts

2010-01-30T07:55:00.004Z

I decided that this week I would have a go at Claires challenge, thought that Id get ahead and think of some for Easter!

Here is my card, made using the Papermania Hugs and Honey paper collection.

Another goody bag card!

2010-01-29T19:02:00.004Z

So here is another casuple collection card and again I used my scrummy new stamps! This is my fav out of the 3 I've made from the goody bag so far! Hope you like it!

Papermania, capsule collection goody bag!

2010-01-25T17:42:00.004Z

So I was having a go with that fab new goody bag from docrafts and my new stamps and came up with these few cards - there is one more that I need to add so will get around to that later! Hope you like them!

Using my yummy new hero arts heart flourish stamp, colorbox chalk inks, bazzill cardstock, anitas card blanks, and everything else from the goody bag!

This were made using my new inkadinkadoo cat stamps, they are so lovely! The yellow cardstock is bazzill, colorbox chalk inkpads and the rest is all from the goody bag!

Stash Haul update!!!!!

2010-01-24T09:21:00.005Z

Ok, so I have stopped scrapping for a while, just because I get so little time to scrap and cardmaking has sort of come to the forefront as I can generally make a card in 15/20 mins and thats about all the spare time I ever! So what I should also have added to the stash haul last night was:

Brenda Pinnick scrap keeper album
Brenda Pinnick card keeper
QVC's multi technique kit - bit I got mine from readicut for £19.99 - bargain - QVC want about £35.00 for it!
A pack of 50 square cards
Black PM adhesive stone
Subscription to crafts beautiful magazine - which if you do subscribe to you will recieve a PM hugs and honey kit, which is worthwhile even if you only decide to subscribe to for the 3 months direct debit - £8.45!

So I admit, Im a stash-o-holic and that stash ban I put on my spending at the beginning of the month has made my spending worse, so I now have no stash ban and hopefully will stop buying cos I dont feel that I need to! Lol! SO here are some of the cards that I have made with the qvc kit aready, just some simple decoupage but effective nonetheless.

New stash, yum, yum, yum!

2010-01-23T18:35:00.003Z

Hellooooooooooooo out there, its been a whole week, and the week has been tough but fun! I started my 60% teaching placement, which Im loving!!!! Can't wait to get back to work on monday, if it wasnt for all the paperwor and planning that went with it I would have my idea of a dream job!

So this week to cheer myself up Ive been bashing the credit card, and now am wondering whether that was the right thing to do, Im sure the ladies over on DoCrafts will agree it was!

So my stash haul for this week includes:

Inkadinado stamps - the cutest cats and some loverly birdie werdie stamps!
Mr Men and Little Miss Paper and Embellies - yes I know these came out last year, but Im desperate for some man stuff, and Mr Men are right up my street!
Bam pop hello bot and bonjour bot stamps
Kaisercraft seals stamps - fabby stamps that are just perfect on the back of a mini album or in a scrapbook!
A very expensive set of hero arts card message stamps - which were more than I would normally dream of paying for stamps!!!
Some disney mickey mouse clear stamps - my ebay bargain!
Hero Arts wooden heart flourish stamp that I saw in crafts beautiful magazine and fell in love with!
2 glitter pot exclusive forever friends stamps
Stamps Away owl stamp
Cuttlebug scallop nesting squares dies

So here is just some of my new haul!

and then today I went and got even more....
I bought the Docrafts goody bag, which has the papermania capsule selection in it, now for me this was strange, I do not like yellow one bit, and sooooooo rarely craft with it, but I was intriuged, so bought it, have to say some of the papers, not my style, but I have sat and made several cards with it already and Im loving it!

So what do you get then?????
A pack of A4 yellow capsule paper
2 packs of the cutest, dinkiest buttons one in plain colours and the other in spots (I want more of these gorg little things, yes Suebubbles your button crush has worn off onto me!)
a pack of ribbon bows that co-ordinate with~
A pack of 4 ribbon spools each with 1m of delish ribbons on
A little flower box filled with flowers, brads of differing sizes, gems and other bits and bobs
Pack of flowers,
Square gem stones - love these!
An exclusive daisy and dandelion stamp - little rabbit holding flowers, perfect for easter cards
A scrapbook 12x12 wallet to hold page kits

I think thats about it, sorry if I have missed anything out!

Will be back later with some pics of the gorg cards I have made using my new cat and flourish stamp and capsule collection!

3 more days...

2010-01-14T20:40:00.002Z

till my baby hits the big '5' years old! How old do I feel now then! Tonight we went party bag shopping, so Im feeling a bit more relaxed, I was getting panicky that I had nothing ready, but now I at least have fillers for birthday bags, we have paper plates and pink napkins too!

Lottie has a horse in a stable cake, from tesco, she is sooooooooooo horse mad its unbelieveable, but we have bought a very pink sparkly fairy cake from M&S for her to have at the nursing home with my her great nan on sunday after the party, we thought that it would be a treat for Great Granny to share a slice of cake with her!

Hopefully we will get to see great grandad too if there is a chance and take him a piece, however he isnt doing too well, we really need him out of there, but to be honest, even if he does come out, we arent sure whether he will go home, he has given up, isnt interested in life at all which is such a shame as he was always such a proud man, shirt and tie man, and now he is a slip of his old self.

Work is tiring, Im shattered at the moment and all I have done is lovingly opened and stroked my card keeper and my scrap keeper albums, Im really pleased with them ,but just havent the time to play. Monday sees the start of my 60% placement and although I know Im going to enjoy it, the thought of all those detailed lesson plans fills me with dread! Ive completed 2 out of 10! Need to make sure that i get the topic planned for monday, thats the most important! So friday night will be spent writing lesson plans and more lesson plans! Am going to try and make sure that I do not do any owkr on sunday though, as thats Lotties special day!

Anyhows Im off for the night, prob be asleep in about 20 mins Im that exhausted, being back at work and the emotional strain is knocking me for six, still they do say, what doesnt kill you will make you stronger, so I guess thats what is happening here!

Thanks for stopping by and reading!

Glad to be back...

2010-01-11T17:55:00.001Z

at work! Well why wouldnt I, I have the best job ever, Im a trainee teacher, getting paid to train, in a fab school, with some fab kids!

Yesterday was a bad day for me, and too for my local hospital, they received the wrath of me and my folks. I got very upset when I went to see gramps yesterday, slumped in his chair,with no falsies, no glasses and no hearing aid in. He couldnt even talk to me without his teeth in. They had been left on his tray and looked disgusting! The fact that he is incontinent (he wasnt before he went in there!) was my biggest issue though. I couldnt believe how undignified he was sitting there in something he shouldnt have been sitting in. If its no good for a baby, then its certainly no good for a 90 year old man!

Degrading and humiliating I call it. Anyway I had stroppy words with the staff and walked off crying in dispare at their treatment of him. Needless to say my mum rang and complained, and lo and behold when my other half went back in the evening, he was clean and fresh. I felt so bad for him. My gramps is a proud man, a shirt and tie man, even at 90 and he was sitting there in horrid peach hospital issue pj's that werent even done up properly. Disgraceful. Doesn't surprise me really after the awful treatment I recieved when i had Lottie, but not a comfort either.

Mum has spoken to nan's social worker who confirmed that the ward he is on, she isnt surprised that my grandad is in that condition, we have asked for him to be moved to another hospital when he goes into rehab.

That aside, I got my new photo printer software uploaded this morning so Im hoping that I can have a play in a bit and print me off some pics to scrap - no snowy ones for me though, I havent taken any, I hate the cold!!!!!

My brenda Pinnick scrap keeper album and card keeper albums came yesterday so have been busily unpacking them and hiding them so hubby doesnt see!!!!!!! Shhhhhhh dont tell him!

Isn't this so cute....

2010-01-09T16:55:00.004Z

Its the new hugs and honey range from docrafts, isnt it gorg! What a perfect way to start out usinng it on a new baby card, congrats to Katie and Chris and their new arrival Holly!

Ive used the 8x8 paper stack, and the owl stamps for the sentiment. Flowers, ribbons and button from stash.

Sorting out

2010-01-08T19:15:00.001Z

Finally I have gotten round to organising my crafting space, been a while since I said I was going to do it and I was hoping that Steve would sort me some shelves out for xmas, bt alas no avail! So I went to argos and bought some pine shelves and here they are, laiden with all my goodies!

So I bought 2 sets, one to sit on top of the desk and the other sits at the side!

So on the desk I have my clear stamps and pads in the totes on the top shelves and my adhesives in the other. On the next shelf are my card blanks for card making and flower box as well as my odd bits and bobs that I dont really know what to do with! The next shelf down has my tins of primas I got in the states, love them! My tubs of buttons and all of my cats eye queue ink pads, which I have totally fallen in love with recently! The bottom shelf baskets house my basket of beloved pro markers, 6x6 pads and basket of tools!

My second set of shelves is my punching/die cutting shelves, it has all of my nesting punches on the top shelf, next down my cricut carts, the next shelf my manual die cutters and on the bottom shelf my cricut!

Finally, my paper store and bits and bobs rack still sit on top of my dolls house, I never use this doll house, but I cant get rid of it for some reason, I guess having lovingly built it and decorated it I see it as my first home! Probably the least tidiest part of the room now! Am awaiting some more cropper hopper paper stores though to put the rest of my scrapagogo kits into!

Good job you cant see the rest of the room cos there is still loads more stuff under the bed and all around the room, but it does look tidier now!

Another snow day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-01-08T08:22:00.001Z

Or for me, a sitting around in the warm day. Steve is back today, but Lottie is not, so no peace and quite there then!

Not much to tell really, have been looking at wedding invites for a colleague at work, she now has a few ideas which is good so I can get cracking on producing some samples for her so Im scouring the net now for bits and peices that I might be able to use!

Anyway off to make some breckie and hopefully today Ill get my photo printer set up too!

Snow day!!!!

2010-01-07T08:16:00.002Z

Well for the kids it was, for me it was uni work, now where is the fairness in that!!!!!!!!! Anyhow we are meant to be doing a group presentation thingy, which is very hard over the internet, but we are slowly putting stuff together.

So yesterday the snow did a fall, well it started tuesday evening while we were out visiting grandad, who by the way looks a lot worse than when he went into hospital - our NHS does our proud doesnt it! Well you have to feel sorry for him, he is in a bay on his own, and there is no tv or anything about for him to do, no wonder he is looking fed up and with still no sign of coming out Im surprised he hasnt gone stir crazy in there!

Last night I did a bit of crafting, I found some freebie papers from scrapbook magazine - must have been last easters edition - and made some cards, used some papermania elements sticker and lots of glitter and flock - which made bucket loads of mess, but hey ho! Felt a bit more human by doing that, I need to add some sentiments to them and inserts then I can pop them in my card box which is looking very empty!

Right off to find my new photo printer (my xmas pressie) and try and set it up, only had it nearly 2 weeks, but never mind!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-03T19:28:00.002Z

The new year always sees double celebrations, as its my mum's birthday, this year she was 60! Despite gramps still being in hosptial and they still dont really know whats happening with him we did have mum's 60th birthday. We all dressed up (yes even me!) in some fabby 60's gear - pics to follow and had a pretty good night!

I was the one that wrecked it by saying, 'they spelt your name wrong on your cake mum are you gonna complain' to which I was told to shut up and it didnt matter! Im just someone that likes it all fine and dandy, thats all.

Anyhow not much more to tell except that its back to work tomorrow, so Im busy getting sorting that out, am hoping to take down the tree tonight, but not sure that it is going to happen, I did do the xmas card recycling today though!

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

2009-12-28T19:56:00.000Z

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...

2009-12-25T07:32:00.000Z

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...

2009-12-24T15:19:00.001Z

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....

2009-12-23T10:14:00.000Z

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

2009-12-22T07:55:00.003Z

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...

2009-12-18T21:04:00.004Z

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....

2009-12-14T06:52:00.002Z

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!

2009-12-03T19:07:00.001Z

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!!!

2009-12-01T13:20:00.001Z

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

2009-12-01T06:14:00.001Z

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?????

2009-11-24T19:34:00.002Z

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!

2009-11-23T19:39:00.001Z

Even more snowman cards!

Two in one day...

2009-11-23T19:09:00.003Z

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.......

2009-11-23T17:14:00.004Z

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...

2009-11-15T08:53:00.003Z

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

2009-11-14T08:29:00.004Z

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!!!!

2009-11-11T06:26:00.003Z

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

2009-11-02T19:14:00.002Z

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!

2009-10-19T19:54:00.003+01:00

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!!!