Scarey Stuff!

The guys got themselves all dressed up to go Trick or Treatin around the village. A fine time was had by all.

J helped with the carving of the pumpkin....why does pumpkin smell so horrid????

Little Amber came to say hello.....she is such a beautiful little girl.....I want one!!!!!
Im off to her house tomorrow to go and take some piccies so it will be dressing up and playing lots of silly games....I cant think of a better way to spend an afternoon.

Laterz hunniez.
XXX

Mediocre

WOWZERZ! Im back from the most scraptastic weekend spent with the yummiest and sweetest people of all.....The Jelly Babes. T'was fanbloodytastic to get to spend 48 hours + scrapping with my UKS team buddies. We giggled, we drank, we scrapped and we deffo chattered lots.
Actually meeting people you develop online relationships with can be quite nerveracking....I mean for all I knew they could have been an army of hairy arsed truck drivers - thankfully they were not :)...they are beautiful, beautiful people who are all so very talented.
MWG made the most adorable tag book which was just so inspiring, AllieT's ickle canvas was stunning, Theresa's 9x9 "this is me at paradise" LO was so delicate...she spent hours hand cutting her papers and the effect she acheived was well worth the time she spent snipping away.
Rach's LO's were just so yummy...all of them and Miss Debs...well she is, as I have said many many times before, a walking body of pure unadulterated inspiration...in the words a famous scrapper....awesome- she rocks...only I really do mean it.

I arrived late Friday after sitting on the M5 for what felt like forever due to roadworks and a pretty bad accident....you always know its bad when the screens are used to prevent the rubber neckers from seeing more than they would like! Hubs phoned to check I was OK because the accident had been reported on the local news...apparently there were fatalities :( I sat in the car feeling very thankful that I was safe and the waiting didnt matter anymore.

Arriving at the hotel later meant I didnt get to share supper with the Jellies, I did however meet up with Linz and we spent pretty much the remainder of the evening chatting shop talk with other UKS sponsors until the very early hours of Saturday morning. I have so much respect for two of the sponsors I spent time with....they are a really genuine people - no sides - no ulteria motives - the salt of the earth...Ok business is business and we are all competeing against each other trade wise but it doesnt mean we cant be civil with each other and supportive through the bumpy times.

If Hubs hadnt phoned to check I was awake I would have slept in on Saturday morning and missed the start of the day...its not often I get to sleep in a bed on my own and despite it being the hardest mattress in the history of mankind....I wanted to sleep and sleep and sleep. I dashed down to feed my hungry tum and then moved on to scrappin the day and night away....I didnt get to sleep on that mattress again because I scrapped right through! I was the last one standing and am now paying the price! Im shattered...I could sleep for a week but cant because new stock has arrived, Ive got classes to put together and I wanna scrap so much. Im filled with so much inspiration that the old brain is working overtime...now to find the time to make a start on the class kits I bought home.
Saturday evening we all had a photo sesh and it was a hoot....I cant wait to see the images....it really was such fun despite me hating every minute...I hate being infront of the camera!!

So what did I do....ermmmm well I spent most of my time creating a canvas for my friends daughter...Emily.
Em will be 13 on Saturday and at this precise moment in time her bedroom is being Punked!
Her Mom asked me if I could put together a canvas for Ems bedroom using ribbons and 'bellies that have been used to Punk up her bedroom....I made a tag book for Hubs to say thanks for being the wonderful guy he is and for waking alongside me on this jorney I am travelling...I completed one LO! Debs classes were awesome but the others didnt really inspire me at all, so I just took the class kits and will play at home. I made a Trash book for J because he loves the tactile feel of these books and as they are only made from scraps and cardboard is doesnt matter too much if he tears any of the pages...after all arent the books you make supposed to be looked at over and over again or else whats the point??? The papers were awful in the challenge kit...really really awful but with a little splash of acrylic paint here and there and a good session with the scissors they didnt look too bad....well they did but it didnt matter this is a book for J to play with...

Ive learnt so much from the weekend...people want quality and not quantity...a selection of good classes with new techniques using up to date products...not the swankiest of hotels but somewhere were the food is good with a varied selection for both meat and non meat eaters... a nice clean room with decent bathroom facilities....plenty of room to move in the cropping room and all rooms need lots of natural light....spending a weekend with very little fresh air and not seeing daylight isnt so good for your head/eyes sanity etc etc.
Ive got lots to plan over the next week or so in preperation of announcing the dates of our weekend retreat :)

Anyways......

My Punked canvas won the challenge....wish it hadnt though because there were some stunning LO's in the same category which were so much more deserving....after all my work is mediocre and nothing special and bad enough for someone to look at it and turn her nose up/pull a funny face - wish I had had the camera at the ready - SI want the LO's of the strangest thing you have ever scrapped....a piccie of her mush would have been perfect!!
I actually love to receive constructive critsism about my work...I can only develop and get better if Im told where I am going wrong....but mediocre???...it means ordinary and average and the canvas was neither...it was wacky and OTT, bright and inyerface....it was supposed to be!!
She obviously didnt "get it" and well, Ummmm Ive seen her work and..............................................................

I cant load any images because Blogger is pants!

Will try later....in the meantime Im off to go play whilst I stew and simmer......lol!!

LATERZ...XX

Pink n Fluffy

The bags are packed and Im almost ready to whizz up the M5/M4 to Scrappers Paradise.
I managed to get some PJ's for the PJ party on Saturday night and have bought the silliest slippers I could find - they are bright PINK and have flashing lights!!!
I didnt realise they were so blingy until I got home and J wanted to try em on...they are totally naff but I wub em!

Hubs has his weekend all planned....Bobs is taking part in a huge Skate Jam tommorrow so Hubs and J are going down to support him. Bobs has been practising his routine everyday so fingers crossed he does well on the day....just sad that I am going to miss it :( Hubs has promised to take lots of piccies of the skater guys all hangin out.

Yesterday I bought J a Tamagotchi...you know those little virtual pets...well he is mesmorised by it. He hasnt stopped feeding and training it and so far so good. I thought it might be too technical for him but he is whizzing through the menu and managing fine with a little support from us all. It is so wonderful to see my boy being able to complete tasks that we never thought possible.....my only concern is that he becomes obsessed about his "little pet" that when it does finally splutter and die he will be devestated....ummmm must make sure Hubs and Bobs are on the look out at all times to make sure J doesnt over feed or play the thing to death!

I messed around a bit with a couple of photographs I took yesterday ...ummm not sure about em.
I was reading Elsies Flannigans blog, as she hosted a photography Q&A session. In it she talked about desaturating photographs and then messing about with adding colours etc. I didnt have much time so just played very quickly...deffo want to play some more with photo editing and have myself booked onto a course which is starting very soon.

Another job for Hubs this weekend....take Bobs to get his bloomin hair cut...he may be a surfer/skater guy but there is no need for him to walk around with his mop looking so unruly!!

Do you need something for the weekend??
If so check out the Friday Night Challenge on the Forum and dont forget to drop by here to discover this weeks Dare.

Want to do a little shopping?
Quote Paradise at checkout here and you will get 10% discount until 8pm Sunday.

Laterz. xx

Jellies are off to Paradise!

I am manically trying to get everything done before I head off to Scrappers Paradise for the weekend.
Tis so exciting and feels just like the run up to Christmas. Im going to be meeting the Jellies... the sweetie bag will almost be full
Debbie, Rach, Allie, Theresa and Mummy Wine Gum will all be there and of course not forgetting Ali...well she needs to be as she is organising the weekend of awesome classes for our entertainment. Poor Mandy couldnt make it over from Ireland, neither could Ching from the US and Mags is on her hols....they will all be missed.
Debs is teaching and Im so looking forward to being in her class....she is just pure inspiration on two legs.

The larder is stocked full of yummies for Hubs and the guys whilst I am away...all the washing, ironing etc done ready for school on Monday so all I need to do now is pack my tote, my wheelie, my overnight bag and away I will go.

Be prepared for lots of piccies next week of my awesome weekend away.

Laterz hunniez.xx

Flip, Bags n' Bangers

We popped the New Flip Book from Lippy Chick onto the site today. These books are bloomin marvellous to use and I do wub em lots. The little wallets they come with are just so fab to decorate. They make great gifts and Im just about to start on a couple for a wee project Im working on.


My buddie sent me an email a few weeks ago linking me to this fab site in the US. My mate knows I have a thing about bags and she spotted these groovy totes whilst she was looking for a pressie for another friend. Im so glad she sent me the link because I am now the proud owner of the most wonderful bag. The best thing about this company is that you get to choose just how you want your bag to look. Go check em out they are stonking!

I was such a bad Mommy tonight! I burnt the guys sausages whilst I was busy drooling over the new Blonde Moments website....I want it allllllll and I want it NOW!


Laterz hunny beez. xx

Rock Inn around the Christmas Tree

Oh my I am so excited!

A date for your diaries- 3rd December

The Cottage Christmas Workshop










with classes designed and taught by

Alison Docherty

Debbie Jewell &

Kirsty Wiseman

Where - The Rock Inn Georgeham. North Devon...we have sole use of the wonderful conservatory for the whole day

Time - 9am - 6.15pm

Cost - £50 all inc....thats 6 classes, all the tea, coffee, cake and Christmas buffet you can munch on

The classes are fab and you will go home with your arms filled with so many wonderful projects.

Spaces are limited so if you want to book a space please email

info@littlecottagecrafts.co.uk

There's a new "Dare" on the block!

The ever so talented Rhi from Little Cottage Crafts forum is amongst some of the gals who have formed the New Cardmakers Dare blog...it works along the same pricipal of The Speshals or Pencil Lines dares as the gals release a new card making dare each week.
If you go check out the blog you will see this weeks dare is to create a card with a Friendship Theme and here is my attempt.


Its for my buddie to say thanks. Neither of us have family down this way so we rely on each other to lend a hand when crisis hits...like today...my guys are all ill and I needed some essentials to ease their sore tums and of course some chicken to make up a huge pan of Jewish Penicilin for tomorrow when they will all be wanting to eat.
I know I can pick up the phone and yell for help and she will drop things to do whatever is needed....thats true frienship and I owe her big time for all she has done today.

Off to go tend to my men folk.

Laterz Hunniez.xx

Lets play schools!

Its been mighty busy down here at the Little Cottage for the past few days and I really havent had the time spare to update my blog....sorry!

My godchildrens Mom asked me if I would go round for a cuppa and a natter as its been a while since I have been able to take some time for "me". She gently reminds me that all work and no play is not good for ones soul and gives me a dig if I start to neglect my RL friends....which I know I have done a little over the past couple of weeks.
My mates are all a fab bunch and understand that the demands of life sometimes mean that we cant always be around "in body" for every social gathering.

I headed over to see Linz and her guys and thought I would take my camera with me.
Max and Tom had set the playroom out all readyfor my arrival. We were going to play schools!


We had a jolly good time, sat crossed legged on the floor, whilst Tom educated us all....although Im sure Big Ted wasn't paying as much attention as he should have been!

I snapped a few piccies of the guys and their Mamma.




Max, the youngest of the two, is on the Autistic Spectrum and at nearly four is still non verbal. He is such a sweetie and reminds me sooo much of J when he was his age.

Im going to make up a mini album for her using the snaps of the guys...thats one Chrissy pressie I can knock of the list!

Last week I asked if anyone knew why and Orange was called an Orange and Chrissie responded with the answer! Thank you :)

Whilst having a look around Chrissie's blog I spotted this quote, from Mother Theresa, which she has used on her blog.
It pretty well sums up my attitude towards life so I thought I would share it with you...

"People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
People may cheat you.
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight.
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough.
Give the world the best you have anyway.
You see, in the final analysis it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway." - Mother Theresa

Laterz hunniez
xx

His World.

Hubs and I have spent the afternoon at J's school today. They dont do the traditional parents evening that you would get in a mainstream school. Instead they hold parents afternoon. Its a fab way for the parents to spend an afternoon in the classroom with their children showing them their work. J took us around his school and I was amazed at how confident he was. The school and staff offer him the protection he needs to be able to shine in an environment where he is understood by others and not just Hubs and I.

Teachers report was excellent....but we knew it would be because he is such a changed boy. Given that just a short while ago we were told things would never get any better and that he was stuck at where he was at....so much for the professionals knowing my son eh?
There have been massive improvements all round and J is now almost age appropriate with his language skills...not bad for a guy who didnt utter his first sentence until he was 6!
Ok he is no angel and will never be a brain surgeon but there is so much hope for him....and hope is what keeps me sane.
Im so very proud of him. He fights daily battles with things that are so insignificant to you or I that we woudnt even notice them.....everything has to be just so in "his world" and today he let me have a little peep at just what "his world" is like from 9-3pm Monday - Friday and I liked it, lots.


I finally found an hour today in between chasing orders and packing boxes to complete one of the cyber crop classes! I feel awful that after everyone gave their time to make up a classes that I havent completed them! I promise that I will eventually get round to them all because I do wubs each and everyone lots and lots.

I made up Michelle's canvas class because my sister, Bags, wanted a copy of this piccie...well now she has one, complete with easle!

Laterz hunnyz.xxx

Why are oranges orange??????

My young man loves sitting on the kitchen work surface and looking through circle journals when they arrive.
The morning my latest journal landed on our door step he was sat perched ready and waiting.

On the work surface was a huge bowl of oranges....
“Mummy” says he,
“Who decided an orange was to be called an orange?”
“ Im not sure” says me
“ummmm maybe it was God”.... Ok so bad Mom alert>>>Im not always able to give him the answers...so I improvise!!
“Oh” says he.

A long silence followed as I unpacked the journal from it’s wrapper when all of a sudden he asks
“Who then decided the colour orange would be named after an orange”?????

It had me thinking all day and just thought it was such a random question that I would include it in my latest journal which belongs to Kim.....theme random thoughts!

So come on then....tell me who gave oranges their name and then which bright spark decided the colour orange was to be forever known as orange????

Another quizzical question popped up during supper last night. He wanted to know how to describe the taste of salt without saying it tasted salty!!!!!!!!!!!

My guy is really opening his eyes to te world around him and his thirst for knowledge is so inspiring especially considering we were told by the "proffessionals" he would never be aware of his surroundings....yeah right...he's proving them wrong and making his old Mom a happy bunny.

Laterz hunnyz xxx

Friends Forever

I sat in the garden one sunny Sunday afternoon watching a friends daughter with her buddie whilst they were chatting....they were giggling and whispering their secrets to one another and it reminded me of my own teenage years.

I would sit for hours with my friends talking girlie chatter...."who do you fancy?"...."go on tell"....always followed by long silences and then I would splutter out the name of that weeks hunk and my mates would all fall around giggling with laughter because I always fancied the geeks!

The girls were sat chittering away and I happened to catch snippets of their conversation....yep! it was boy talk...both bashfully revealing the names of the boys they fancied. I grabbed my camera and started to snap away and I just loved this piccie of them....



















R looks so surprised as J, slighty blushing, reveals the name of the boy she really does quite like...noone was as surprised as me when my boys name fell from her lips.....they've been dating now for 5 months....I'll be buying a hat next!LOL!

This photograph was scrapped as my Ready Steady Scrap challenge for Scrapbook Inspirations magazine which is available to buy now!
My buddie K congratulated me today informing me that it had won the challenge....oh how exciting....thats means there are some scrapping goodies on their way to me....yippety skips

Ive got some really exciting news to share too....just need to dot the i's and cross the t's and then I will be able to reveal all....

Laterz hunny beez xx

A Cwazy day!

The Cyber Crop is up and running over at Little Cottage Crafts and its been a crazy busy day!
There have been some fab classes so far from Cath, Emma Jane and Eva.

I used a combination of the techniques taught by Emily Falconbridge and Kirsty Wiseman at the recent workshop I attended to put my class together! I pulled all the elements together and created this


ummmm not so sure it was greatly received though????


I used yummy ribbons for the class which came from Carole at Ribbon Mad.....I do wub ribbons lots and lots and lots and I wubs my wall hanging too :)


I planned on having a couple of hours away from the computer as Ive been hard at it for the past week collating everything together for this weekend. What I hadnt planned for was the fact that good old power company decided today would be a good day for us to have a power cut! Oh the joys of living out in the sticks!

Thankfully we are back up and running and I escaped having to cook supper!
Im shattered and havent scrapped a single thing b/c its been one endless stream of answering PM's, emails and posts on the forum.

Im hoping to be able to scrap tonight b/c I so wanna do the classes the design team have put together....they really are scrapilicious.

We will be doing it all again tomorrow with classes from Tina Sue, Debbie Jewell, Alison Docherty and Kirsty Wiseman.....I cant wait.....its so exciting

Laterz hunny beezxx

Bizzys Babes

The Friday Night Pre Crop challenge was such fun.
Bizzy aka Beckie emailed me a piccie to scrap and in turn I sent her one to play with!
This is the piccie she sent me....
just look at those happy smiling faces :)


and this is was the LO I created using
Urban Lily Additions and Cherry Arte Rubons.



Its quiet possibly the quickest LO I have ever created...30 minutes with two interuptions because Hubs is home from the hossie and was feeling a little yucky!

He's tucked up in bed now sleeping off the after effects of the GA and Im going to join him because I want to be up bright an early feeling refreshed and bushy tailed....plus I wanna snuggly cuddle him because Im still drooling over the book he bought for me.

We have 63 people signed up for the Cyber Crop tomorrow.....fingers crossed it all runs smoothly!

Laterz hunny beez xx

I wub Hubs so much.

Hubs is at the hossie having his hooter fixed.
Im missing having him around the place and just hope so much that he will be able to come home tonight or else the bed is going to seem mighty big without him. Its horrid when in the early hours you reach out expecting to lay your hands on warmth and all of a sudden.... thud it hits a cold and empty space.

My darling wonderful man really is so very special and I am a mighty lucky woman to have him by my side. For years I have been a fan of the art work of Robert Lenkiewicz...he isnt to everyones liking but for me his work is so full of emotion. I look at his paintings and I feel.

Sadly this master passed away in August 2002 and in October 2004 most of his art work was sold to cover his massive debts.
At the time of the auction we were so skint I couldnt even afford to purchase the catalogue never mind a piece of his artwork. The cheapest item sold for £35 and that was a plasticine model of a man made by Robert!

This afternoon as I kissed my darling Hubs good bye he gave me a parcel and begged me not to open it until I was at home....I didnt and drove home from the hospital wondering what on earth was hidden behind the lilac tissue paper.

I sat with a mug of tea and gently opened my surprise and there sat in my lap was an original auction catalogue in pristine condition.
I have ever so gently turned each of the pages and marvelled at the work which lies before me.

4 years ago I couldnt afford to buy the catalogue....I now have one thanks to my man.
Who knows maybe in 4 years time I may be able to afford to buy the plasticine man which is currently valued at £350!





Off to go see Hubs now and give him a very gentle kiss and tell him how much I totally do adore him.....Oh I do hope he can come home.

Then back for the Pre Cyber Crop challenge!
It all kicks off at 9.30am in the morning!!

C U there.

Laterz hunny beez xxxx

Ive been tagged!

Ok so Debs got me....Ive been tagged!!!

The rules are: List 5 weird things about yourself or your pets.Tag 5 friends and list them. Then, those people need to write on their blogs about 5 weird things, and state the rules, and tag 5 more people.

Weirdy fact number 1.....Im scared of chickens!!No I really, really am. I cant even walk past the farm yard up the lane from our house because the bloomin things are wandering around up there. Its their beady eyes and that horrid slow cluckity sound they make....their horrid wrinkly legs and their peckity peck beaks...Oh they make me shudder and quake at the knees!

Weirdy fact number 2....I adore beans on toast with marmite and banana!

Weirdy fact number three....I have a serious shoe obsession. Its almost as bad as my stash obsession! Last count I have over 70 pairs of shoes and some Ive never worn!

Weirdy fact number 4....I can touch the end of my nose with my tongue and its not a pretty sight!

Weirdy fact number 5....I hum all the time and it drives Hubs to distraction! I hum the most bizzare songs...mainly from the old musicals....the hills are alive with the sound of music being the latest top hummed tune in this house.....and I deffo aint blessed with a voice like Julie Andrews!

Im tagging Fiona, Allie, Rachel, Michelle and Cath.

Apparently Im Blue....what colour are you?

Laterz hunny beezxx

Your Power Color Is Blue

Relationships and feelngs are the most important things to you. You are empathetic and accepting - and good at avoiding conflict. If someone close to you is in pain, it makes you hurt as well. You try to heal the ones you love with your kind and open heart.

What's" Your Power Color?

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay,My, oh, my, what a wonderful day!

I have just received the email and I am now officially a member of the Lippy Chick Design Team!I cant believe it!
Im in...Oh WOWZERS Im soo excited :) That excited I might just have to go and play with another of the fab Lippy Chick flip books.

Mrs Lippy Chick for selecting me to be on your team.....Oh Yippety Skips....Im a Lippy Chick!

I need to go and play now!
Laterzxx

Busy Scrappin!

I had a restless night and decided to have a go at the Lippy Chick DT call...not that I stand a chance of getting in when there are so many talented scrappers out there....fingers crossed though eh?
Lippy Chick books are fab and I adore the little wallets that accompany them. I used 3 Bugs in a Rug Tickled Pink papers and Chit Chat cardstock stickers....some lovely 3 inch Angel Kisses Blooms and Bazzil Chips.
I selected the theme " Our Family"because the size of the wallet is just right for popping in my bag.....a perfick little Momma's Brag Book. The piccies are of us 4 ...Hubs and me getting close up for the camera...Bobs giving us his look and J just being his happy smiley self!
I even managed to incorporate some of the yummy ribbons that Carole sent me from Ribbon Mad



I love it and need to make one for my Sis now cus she loves getting piccies of her nephews.


The Cyber Crop is only 3 days away now and the forum is getting busy with new members joining up to take part.
The first of the pre crop challenges were announced and 'twas to make a door hanger for your craft room.
This is my attempt....made using the scraps left over from the Lippy Chick project above.



Ive been really busy scrapping and have completed a two other projects in the past couple of days...I cant upload though cus they will give the game away for my class for the Cyber Crop as I have used a similar technique on the LO's.

Im getting excited now....its wonderful to see everyones creations and the classes we have are really, really scraptastic.

I wanna take this oppurtunity to say a huge thanks to my Jellie team mates Alison Docherty and Debbie Jewell for both making up wonderful layouts for the CC.
A massive thanks to our Design Team gals Cath Stannard, Tina Sue, Eva Birdthistle, Michelle and Emma Jane for producing such stunning classes as well as the fabtastic projects using this months kit...just take a peep at all their work in the gallery here ....they sure give the 3 Bugs DT a run for their money!
And finally a huge huge thanks goes to Kirsty Wiseman because despite being so busy with her own projects, she managed to find the time to create a wonderful class showing how to make the most of the papers in her CC kit...2 layouts and 2 cards all from a few sheets of patterned papers and 2 sheets of cardstock!

Laterzxx

Hey Ho!

You know those times when you feel like curling up in a ball and wimping out of everything....well its been like that the past few days only I dont do wimping! I roll my sleeves up and say "come on then life chuck some more crap for me deal with cus I is waiting!"

Hubs is going into hossie on Friday to have his nose fixed. After the Doc bashed and bopped at it he announced " in 30 years of fixing noses Ive never had such a job to get one to go straight"....er excuse me this was Hubs nose he was whacking, twisting and poking! 3 times he gave it an almighty twist and still it wouldnt play ball. In a typical manly fashion Hubs announced it "didnt hurt"....he may have said it but I knew different!
His PJ's have been retrieved from the deepest recesses of the bottom drawer and given a quick rinse through to freshen em up...new slippers purchased ( Hubs never wear slippers) and the overnight case is packed.

Wish him luck!

Whilst  was busy doing Mom stuff around the house I received a rather frantic call from Bobs school...he had injured himself whilst playing rugby....did I want an ambulance to take him to the hospital or could I get there asap...I whizzed around the house grabbing the car keys, mobile and my purse...my heart was pounding as any Mothers would.

This is were I will go off on a tangent so skip this paragraph if you are in a hurry!

J my beloved DS2 has a habit of wanting to be in control of life....not just his life but everyone elses too! Its part and parcel of his ASD and forms a huge part of his character....sometimes I could scream at him for having the need to control my every move....but I understand that he needs routine and control to be able to feel safe in this crazy world we live in.
One way J has ultimate control over me is when he hides my keys. Hidden keys mean Mom cant escape the house and go off "swanning around" during the day whilst he is stuck at boring school. Mom has gotten wise to this and has three sets of car keys hidden out of J's view and reach....well she thought she did...silly old me. I should know better.
J had left the car keys on their rings and all was well....well it would have been if he hadnt removed the garage key from each and every key ring in the house!! I could drive my car if only I could get to the blooming thing as it was safely hidden away behind locked garage doors!
I ended up having to get a neighbour to crow bar the lock off the garage door!

Tangent over....I eventually got to Bobs and the poor mite was in a mess.
He has cracked his collar bone, broken his arm and dislocated his thumb....all in the name of Rugby! The silly thing is that he wasnt in a head on tackle....he wasnt messed up in the scrum....nope....he slipped on some mud whilst running to score a try!
He's all plastered up and feeling sore and needs Mommy cuddles. Im just so glad he didnt have to have a GA to reset his thumb....he managed with gas and air and it " bloody hurt".

I guess you could say we are getting our monies worth from the NHS!

I hate blogger....it wont let me load any piccies argggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Laterzxx

warm and fuzzie wuzzies

There are some people in this world that really do offer so much inspiration, encouragement and a good shoulder to cry on when the going gets tough and I am fortunate to know such people.

When I very first started scrapping I stumbled upon a small online community of like minded papercrafters. They took me under their wing and encouraged me all the way. Its just over a year now since I started scrapping and way back in my early days I wasnt quite so sure what I was doing. I just threw stuff on my LO's and created these pages that never looked quite right to me BUT I was always given soo much encouragement from my cyber buddies. One of them was such an amazing scrapper and her work would take my breath away. She offered me so much encouragement and always posted really positive comments about my work. Its because of her words that I plucked up the courage to enter the Best of British competitions and when I was selected as one of the winners she simply said " I told you so".

I joined the huge community over on Uks and met so many wonderfully talented scrappers, but there is one who's work I really admire. She is just so inspirational. Her work stands out from the crowd and it is instantly recognisable as being hers.
When the knives have been thrown she has been the one who has spent the time talking me through the grey mist...you know those days when you feel like the world is against you and think you are just a huge pile of doggy do do... she has supported me, listened to my woes and just been there when the proverbial has hit the fan and I needed to rant.
Through scrapping I have met these people who have touched my life....they have been instrumental in me being who I am today and they dont even know it!
There are those who phone me up just for a natter and they make me smile on the inside as well as the out....others who are so willing to lend a hand with the development of the shoppey that they amaze me with their genorosity ...they dont have to give up the time but they do and Im eternally grateful...others who just say "hey missus remember you are you and you need to get away for a day and come play"...these are the people I adore.
I adore their work, their personalities, their friendship and support and I thank them from the bottom of my heart because each and everyone has played a part in me getting to where I am today....a stronger and happier woman who for the first time very is comfortable in her own skin.

You are all amazing and so talented and to save this from getting too gushy I just want to say that I am extremely grateful that you are who you are and that you have been part of this path I walk.

Seeing the people I admire finally have the recognition they deserve really does make me so very warm and fuzzy inside.

Congratulations to you all...you so deserve it.

BAM POP!

BAM POP has landed!
Designed by Jennifer Richardson who is a Garden Girl over on 2 Peas....how quirky are they?
I just adore them and am so pleased that they have been received with loads of "WOW's" and "Yummies"by the customers who have just happened to slip a collection pack into their baskets.
The pack contains 5 fab patterned papers and 1 sheet of 18 assorted die cuts....Im really lovin the quality....Oh they are just so yummilicious.
Wanna buy a pack??? Then you can get your mitts on them here

Im having a full on scrap day tomorrow and have so many projects to do....some because I have to and some because I want to.
I am using the BAM POP papers for the speshals dare this week....theme "He Said".
Fiona was invited to be the guest speshal this week....how lucky was I that I got to scrap with two Speshes on Saturday :) Just lovin Fionas work soooo much. Go check out her gallery on UKS....its amazzzzzzzzing and she's only been "at it" for 7 months! Now that is natural talent.

Back to the speshal challenge....I just knew which piccie I wanted to scrap and with a little bit of tweaking I managed to get it looking a lot better....its not perfect at all cus I am hopeless at this PSP editing malarky BUT I am getting there slowly!
The adorable guy in the pccie is my mates son "Matty Mouse". Twas taken in the pub and I managed to edit out all the background....now thats a first for me TOOT TOOT! Just need to get rid of the bottle and straw in the bottom right hand corner and I'll be a happy bunny!!

Ive got a couple of projects in the pipeline and have managed to secure two of my fav scrappers in the whole wolrd to agree to come and play with us down here in Sunny D ....Im bursting with excitement and cant wait to get the ball rollin....tis gonna be sooo much fun and its not so far away......66 days infact! Oh heck!

Jellies on Tour!

Im so lucky to be on a fab team over on UKscrappers. My team mates are stars and I do wub our daily natters....they add a splash of colour to my day.
Theresa managed to win a bid on ebay for some lil jellies for us and Ive decided I will take mine with me when I go croppin....so here he is...sat perched in my AMM absorbing all the goings on at yesterdays class. He really is a cheeky chappie and Im sure he was giving the hotties the eye!


Just look at the shape of Hubs nose....OUCH! It looks like a boomerang! My poor darling man.
We trekked up to the hossie to see the specialist this morning....what fun...NOT! 5 hours just sitting around waiting and waiting for the guy to come and see us....apparently he was on call and had to drive from home to come see Hubs.....later we found out "home" was in Bristol!
That really is dedication....driving 100 miles to come check on a patient...and on a Sunday morning too!!
The nurses were all tittering to themselves when they peeped their heads around the door to take a look at the guy with the busted nose!
Doc came and poked and prodded...he was a brave man cus Ive seen what comes outta that nose and it aint nice!
7 days we have to wait....swelling needs to go down and then Hubs will have it rebroken and set again.......all because I took a day off to go play!

Its so hard trying to live life when you have a child whose life revolves around routine. Each and everyday has to be the same or else his world starts falling apart. We can tweak and change things slightly and with loads of pre warning we can get to do most things BUT Mom going off for the day to play....well that was just a little too much.

Hubs said the day wasnt so bad...he had walked the guys on the beach, went to visit Gran and then home to harvest the grapes. J was quite OKish until X Factor came on...I always watch X Factor snuggled up with J on the sofa and I wasnt there. He lost it....meltdown happened and whilst Hubs was trying to calm J down he headbutted Hubs in the face.

He didnt mean to do it...it just happened...an accident BUT sometimes I wish...........