Saturday, May 26, 2007

Just an update

Remiss of me. I was just looking at my blog and realised I hadn't said how well I'd done in my BAFTA predictions. Or not. Mostly not.

I got both the Actor and Actress categories completely wrong.
I also got Comedy Performance wrong. However I was quite pleased Ricky got it though (Reading boy that he is)
Also got Drama Series wrong (boo on their winner, boo boo boo)
Also, Casualty won best Soap, oh sorry...Continuing Drama. Surprise.
I was irritated that Ross Kemp on Gangs won best Factual Series. Stephen Fry should DEFINITELY have won that. In fact he got a loud cheer when the noms were being read out.
And I was also stunned that Planet Earth won nothing at all. WHAT THE...?!
Furthermore I also got the Sport and International wrong wrong wrong.
And the Comedy Programme. Yes, I was a bit bovvered actually.

But what I got right (which of course is FAR more important, being RIGHT and all):

Jonathan Ross was best Entertainment Performer. The fact that I split my vote between 3 of the 4 nominees is neither here nor there *superior raise of eyebrows*
I also got the Interactivity programme right (Hogfather)
And best Entertainment Programme (X Factor)
But my favourite two wins of the night...best Sit Com was indeed The Royle Family: Queen of Sheba (MUST get that on DVD), and Life on Mars won the Audience Award. Woo hoo! See...the British public know what they're talking about! Oh yes they do.

In other news...

Celyn had her MMR this week. I had been a bit antsy about her having this controversial injection so had left it alone for a few years, but I knew the time was right now to get it done as I was more concerned about her getting measles than any possible side-effects, which I no longer thought she would get, being much older now and all. I told Celyn all about the injection and what it was for and was highly amused after the event to hear her telling my Mum, "I've had an operation so I won't get the measles, the mumps and the bellas. Mummy's had the bellas, but they didn't hurt" [I had them when I was 19, or rather I had RUbella! LOL!!!]

Well, all done now. She wasn't impressed with the needle, although she didn't really cry...just looked at me with wide, slightly teary eyes, in a "You lying wench...you told me this wouldn't hurt" manner *guilt, guilt, guilt* She has had a bit of a temperature since Wednesday night, but seems back to her old self this morning. Which is a good job, seeing as she's eaten next to nothing for 36 hours.

Right, need to go as the post office closes in 3 hours and 10 minutes, and I have some more kits to post out, and then Celyn and I are braving the delights of Swansea town centre on a Saturday. Joy.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Sack the Continuity Bod

I love this ad...made me laugh like mad the first time I saw it. Not only because he's hilarious, but also her understated "Oh...oookay" at the end. Bwaahaahaaa. BUT. I spotted a continuity error on it the other day.

Look at the mum's laundry basket. There are 2 pairs of stripy underpants in there. He puts one on his head, and the other (blue and red stripes) is clearly on the top of the basket. HOWEVER, in the very last shot they are GONE. Gonnety-gone.

HA! I love it when I spot these mistakes *superior glow*

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Torn

So...anyone who knows me knows I love an awards ceremony, and this Sunday is the BAFTA TV awards, and some of my very favourites this past year are up for getting a gold masky face. However, one of the awards is voted for by the public HERE and I am so so so torn. One of the programmes up for the prize is the fantastic fabulous edgy, nostaligic, terribly un-PC (and therefore hilariously funny) and damn well written Life On Mars. I only discovered it about a third of the way through the second (and last) series, so I recently bought myself the box set of DVDs of the first series and am enjoying these no end. I've always loved stories around time travel. It has such brilliant one-liners (Gene saying to some children playing in the street "Oi kids...nothing happens to this motor or I'll come round and stamp on your toys" - bwaahaaahaa!) The acting is utterly spot on (travesty that Philip Glenister hasn't been nominated actually), and the stories are gripping.

However.

It is up against the most wonderful wonderful wonderful Queen of Sheba, which was the very last ever Royle Family episode (the one with nana... you know... I shall say no more in case it's a spoiler for you). Well I laughed my head off, I cried buckets, and then I laughed some more. It was absolutely truly BRILLIANT. Who can forget Denise's immortal "Muuuuum. Can you look after Baby David on Friday for meeeee" "Of course Denise. When will you be coming to get him?" *Denise, completely seriously and nonchalantly* "Oh...Sunday." *Barbara looks a tad perplexed but totally submissive* "Oh...okaaay." Priceless.

So who would you vote for? One of those? Both of those? Or perhaps another of the noms?

And as for all the other noms, this is what I hope will win:

Actor: John Simm (Life on Mars)
Actress: Ruth Wilson (Jane Eyre)
Entertainment Performance: (toughie this one) Either Ant & Dec (Takeaway), Stephen Fry (QI) or Jonathan Ross (Friday Night With...)
Comedy Performance: Liz Smith (Queen of Sheba - The Royle Family)
Single Drama: Didn't watch any of them
Drama Series: Life on Mars ALL THE WAY
Drama Serial: Again, didn't watch any of them
Continuing Drama: Mmm...don't watch soaps very much but I'd go for Eastenders there (I've always preferred it)
Factual Series: Stephen Fry - The Secret Life of a Manic Depressive (fascinating stuff, and I love Stephen!)
Specialist Factual: Planet Earth
Single Documentary: Didn't watch any of them
Features: Didn't watch them
Sport: Winter Olympics
News: Who knows!
Interactivity: Hogfather (definitely)
International: House
Entertainment: X Factor
Sit Com: The Royle Family - Queen of Sheba
Comedy: Catherine Tate Show (Am I bovvered?)

And as for the Audience Award I (probably a bit unethically) voted for them both!! LOL

Roll up, roll up, git yer basque kit 'ere!

This Basque Book of Sensual Loveliness was taught by the one and only Amber Lewis at our recent Brecons 2 Time Out. And falling over themselves to take the class they were too, despite the fact that it was a four hour jobby.


Since then, several people have contacted me to ask if they can get their hands on a kit and so Scrappers Unlimited are going to be offering various kits from previous retreats and seminars for sale. This is our first...which (as you can see) is a bit lush...and basque like. Ooo err missus.


If you would like to get hold of one, then I will be happy to send you the complete kit, including full instructions, for £13 per kit. Please leave me a message on here or email me at Chrissie@ScrappersUnlimited.co.uk and I will contact you for your address and details of how to pay.









Monday, May 14, 2007

What I SHOULD be doing...

...is putting the dinner on.

Let 'em starve, that's what I say! *snort*

I just wanted to share with you all our fabulicious (I made that up (can you tell?)...and am kinda not liking it...I sound like I'm 13) guest teacher at our upcoming Gloucester 3 Time Out for Scrapbookers. All our retreaters have known about this for a week or so now, so I feel like it's time to jump up and down on the roof of my house, swinging my pants round and round my head and whooping in an excited (and somewhat scary) fashion, to announce to the world that I need putting in the mental home. No, no...what I MEANT to say there was...announce to the world that Prisca Jockovic is coming to our retreat.

This is the blurb I wrote about her on the announcement to our retreatees (retreatesses?):

34 year old Prisca Jockovic lives with her husband and children in the small town of Morestel, near Lyon, France and is a super talented, published scrapbooker. From childhood she always had a passion for being creative and making things with her hands. She has tried painting, minatures and embroidery, but when she finally found scrapbooking she was hooked! She is passionate about her craft and has scrapbooked daily for almost four years!

Prisca enjoys combining different techniques in all her layouts, and her favourite theme is her 5 1/2 year old twin daughters, Elisa and Milla. She also loves photography and believes that a beautiful photo is 50% of what makes a great layout.

Prisca works with Sandra Charbonnel teaching workshops throughout France called 'Variations Créatives'. She is the author of two successful books, 'Scrap Embellissements' (Scrap Embellishments) and 'Scrap Couture' (Scrap Fashion), and her third book will be published in September this year.

Prisca has also had layouts and articles published in the French 'Scrapbook Inspirations' and 'Création Scrapbooking' magazines. She has also been published in 'Memory Makers' magazine and was a finalist in their Master contest 2006. British and German magazines have also printed her lovely layouts.

Prisca will be teaching two projects at Gloucester 3, with the help of two translators (one of whom is me!! Eeek!) We are honoured* (read "peeing our pants") to have her at our Time Out, as this is the first time she has EVER taught in the UK.
So here's the thing. If you fancy having Prisca teach you too, let me know...as we may be able to get some workshops going on over here too.
Take a further look at her work on her blog, Côté Scrap

My daughter's chewing her leg off and threatening to eat Gingernut. And I don't mean the biscuit. Better go make dinner :D

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Gingernut is in the building!

No time to write any more just now as I've got to nip out. But he's here...last seen falling asleep on my mum's shoulder. Awwww!

Sunday, May 06, 2007

Earley, Reading Seminar - 28 April 07

M'enfin!

Which means, "At blummin' last you big ol' procrastinator!" in French. Yes it does. True story.

So off Julia and I went to Reading a week ago last Friday for our Shape Up for Design seminar there. I picked up my mate Simon in Cardiff on the way (as we have mutual friends there (The Smiths) AND they live right behind (literally RIGHT behind) our other friends' house where Ju and I were staying. AND Celyn was playing with said Smith children on the Saturday. Small world, ain't it.

We arrived and then I had heart failure for we all became aware that one parcel that I'd ordered to arrive at my friends' house had duly been delivered, but *hyperventilate* the other, full of Bazzill cardstock and buttons, had been delivered and then TAKEN AWAY AGAIN *reaches for paper bag* by the dimwits that are DHL. Never mind...Shaun and Judith introduced Julia and me to the delights of Buzz to take our minds off of it. Blummin' marvellous game and I shall be purchasing our own family copy in the not too distant future. Julia already has! LOL We had such a laugh playing it. I highly recommend it.

I awoke at 5.40am on Saturday in a bit of a stress about the Bazzill that we DEFINITELY needed for the kits that day (yeah, yeah...so I should have ordered it further beforehand... give the girl a break... I had just organised a retreat too ya know!). I decided that since I was up I should make good use of my morning and zipped off to Savacentre (all Reading people will know where I mean by that!) and was wandering around picking up juice and cakes (for the seminar) and flowers (for my friends) and hair bobbles and a school pinafore dress (for Zoe and Celyn) before the clock had struck 7! Best time of day to shop...there was hardly a soul in there! And I was back before anyone in the Pine house was awake still. We always stay at the Pine's house when we do seminars up there and (amusing side story) Julia walked out of her (downstairs) bedroom, walked straight over to the appropriate cereal cupboard, opened it and as she stood there staring at the boxes on offer, said, "I think I've stayed here too many times. I know where they keep their cereals!"

Well we laughed anyway.

On the very stroke of 9am I was hopping from one foot to the other outside the DHL office (I think I (obnoxiously) rang the doorbell 3 times on the very stroke of the hour). I reeeeeeally needed to pick up 'that' parcel and be back at the seminar hall by 9.15! First problem was that it was addressed to The Pines and not me, so I had to convince the Gestapo-esque woman behind the desk that the parcel was in fact MINE. And then she wanted me to produce some sort of ID with my name and address on. I just looked at her (how I kept myself from raising my voice even slightly is beyond me) and said, "I don't usually carry my gas bill with me around the country. I don't live here. I live in Swansea" *said through teeth that were starting to grit* and then *smiling as sweetly as I could muster* "But here are several debit cards...see!" *thrust* She did relent, not without a headmistress type telling off which included the immortal "...just this once...but NEXT time..." but I had legged it out of the office with my package of Bazzill before she could change her mind.

And after that the day went swimmingly. Our hall was fabulous...airy, spacious, full of light...and we had a room full of lovely scrappers from all over the South/South-East. We gave spot prizes for our favourite versions of each of the class layouts. Here's one little group of winners (although Erica of The ScrapCafe looks like she's been on the sherry during lunch. Sssh. Don't tell. Hic!).

It was a thoroughly good day and everyone has said how much they enjoyed it. Also big shout out for La Baguettes in Blagrave Street who delivered our lunch for us. In NAMED BAGS. Oh how much time and faffing they did save us. AND they were delicious baguettes (etc.) too.

After the seminar we went back to pick up Celyn and Simon who (separately) had also had a lovely time all day. One had slobbed on the sofa watching football with mate Andy (I'll let you guess whether that was Si or Celyn...) and the other had played merrily with the Smith children and Zoe Pine (who is just lushety lush...Celyn adores her). Rachel Smith (who was born just a few weeks after Celyn...Christina Smith and I were pregnant together and used to waddle into the central swimming pool once a week to blob about in the water together) cried buckets when Celyn left. Must go back again soon for her to have another play date with them. Before we headed back up the M4, I grabbed some shots of the kids in the Smith's back garden










Will 'Fresh Prince' Smith, Zoe, Celyn and Rachel - such fab kids!

As we left Reading I once again pulled into Savacentre for petrol and some food and realised that I was actually completely hanging...I HAD been awake since 5.40am remember. So Simon drove home. Which was exceedingly exciting at first, as his car (a little Suzuki) is, like, run on rubber bands, and my Renault is a 1.8. Va Va Voooom is right! He got the hang of it by the time we got to...ooo...Swindon. *And breathe*

We stayed at Si's brother and SIL's house (Rob & Katie-Jane's) that night in East Wales (which meant I didn't have to drive so far home in one go). I was so tired by the time we got there I parked about 5 feet away from the kerb and Rob was so embarrassed he had to go out and move it "in case my neighbours think I've got a patient from the mental home staying here." LOL

Anyway...sorry to burble on. My blog is also my diary of sorts, so you get all the bits inbetween as well as the scrapping! Church the next day was in Caerphilly ward which is held in the Ysgol Cymraeg (Welsh School) in Caerphilly. And, did you know (for I saw it on a display) that bananas don't grow on trees? They grow on HERB BUSHES. I never knew that! And Celyn learnt stuff too. This is our conversation on the drive home later that Sunday (which my LDS friends will find more amusing perhaps):

Celyn: *suddenly says out of the blue* Angels don't have wings.

Me: No they don't. Did you talk about that in Primary today?

Celyn: Yes. They just appear and disappear.

Me: Did you talk about the Angel Moroni [from The Book of Mormon]

Celyn: Yes

Me: Oh cool. What did he do then?

Celyn: *adamantly* Nothing!! He just appeared and disappeared.

So, it was a great few days, even if I was tireder than the last sausage roll at a party.

I shall blog some more tomorrow, about our upcoming Scrappers Unlimited events. I'm off to sleep on my new bed now :D M'enfin!

Is the glass half full?

LOL! I was wandering around blog land and saw this. Oh, this is so me.

I shall post again in just a mo. I've got loads of piccies of our lovely seminar in Reading to share wich'all.