...doing South Wales Crop admin, Swansea Crop admin, Gloucester 2 retreat admin (you get the picture). Big wide bum from sitting in front of the pooter all day...
But here's a cartoon I came across that made me laugh out loud.
Later, bloggy peeps.
...*wink* thanks Sian Lloyd. Looks like she sorted the weather then. See where you get if you complain!
We had the most lovely day today. My girly-girl and I went over to her friend Melody's house (and I've become mates with her friend's mum, Sharon). Well poor Sharon wrote me a desperate email a couple of days ago, in the throes of the half-term holidays (and I quote):
"So far I have brushed invisible Celyn's hair. We have played hide and seek with invisible Celyn and also played in the sand pit. Help!!!!!"
So we arranged an in-the-flesh visit of the real Celyn for Melody to play with! LOL
And, yippee skippee, they've got a patio, patio furniture (with parasol) AND a lovely garden, all to go with this here sun-shiney weather. We sat out at lunchtime eating jacket potatoes, with salad and the most delicious homemade coleslaw. It was all just decadent happiness! Celyn and Melody played all day in a happy, happy manner, and then when Sharon and I started snapp
ing some great shots of the kids with her fabby (better than mine) camera, I nipped home and grabbed my scrapping stuff and I happily taught her how to scrapbook. Outside. In the sunshine. Under the parasol. While the kids blew bubbles and did far-too-much-paint-swirly-
paintings. Aaaah me.
Well, again a tough one!
*In a Queen Elizabeth voice* My mother and I would like to thank all of you who entered the Scrappers Unlimited Bank Holiday Challenge. I name this ship:
'Converse' by Zuleika Greenham in Althorne (Essex)
Zuleika just loves these Converse shoes...she says she has a pair for every occasion! And I loved her layout!
'Giggle' by Fiona Griffiths in Newport (S Wales)
One of my 
Scrappers Unlimited team members, Fi, wins second place. I thought the rich blues and the sweet photo of her son Rhys (now a strapping young buck at university!) were just gorgeous! Her inspiration was the little stripy blue top he has on (which she still has - any mum out there will get that one!)
'Water Babe' by Kim Morgans, Swansea
Kim drew her inspiration from her daughter's swimming costume, and copied the pattern and colours exactly using cardstock. The white flower (that appears on the swimsuit) was drawn and cut out by hand (wow!)
Seriously, I would like to thank everyone who takes part in these challenges. It's really fun receiving all your entries.
Prizes for this (and the last one...I'm rubbish at going to the Post Office, but *that woman in Father Ted voice* I will, I will, I will, I will, I will) ...prizes will go out THIS WEEK!!! Or I'm a donkey's bottom.
I have been walking around my house quite frequently lately just refusing to put the heating on. "It's practically summer. Why would we need the heating on!?" I am thinking. And yet...I've been walking around just a bit chilly. Cold toes. Two layers of clothes. Being quite happy to be cooking over the lit hob. You get the picture? And I keep finding my mum under her duvet watching TV instead of on top of it... mmmmm.... So. This morning I turned the heating on. And, damn it, I'M NOT HAPPY. This ridiculous, cirrostratus, precipitating, hypothermia-inducing weather has GOT TO STOP.
So you can smirk Sian, but I'm writing a stiff letter of official complaint love, and you'd better do something about it! *Chrissie starts jumping up and down, fists clenched* I want sunshine and I want it NOW!
...on Friday, and this is the class layout I've just finished. We are completely FULL (yey!) and there are several people coming who've done no/very little scrapping, and then several people coming who are fabby at scrapbooking. Hitting the middle ground is a trick and a half!
I love these photos of Celyn (got to love my Nikon D50!). The journaling (cut off - hurrumph) reads: "Going to Bristol Zoo - just me and Celyn - was such a happy day. It was warm and sunny. the animals were exciting to see. And the grounds were really beautiful. We lazed on the grass by this flower bed for ages, and Celyn wasn't bored or whiny or fidgety. It was just happiness."
The scan's rubbish (but my camera battery's dodo-esque at the mo' - however I will put a better pic up once I've charged it and taken a photo rather than a scan).
Right. Off out with Celyn-Welyn to buy her a doctor's outfit (she was taking my pulse and shining a light in my mouth this morning - chortle, chortle).
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...when people are out doing fun stuff of the bank holiday ilk, as blogging and UKSing and looking at Scrappers Unlimited websiting goes all to bo-diddly squat. But that's okay because the sun is beaming like a three year old who just discovered the word 'bum' and that's just as it should be.
And I finished my last project for the Colour for Design seminars yesterday but I can't show you (arrgh) cos it's secret and I'd have to kill you. Bwaaahaaahaa. Well...actually, cos it's for the seminar and it's like publishing before it's officially published for ze customers, quoi. But here's a BIT of it (about 1/8!). I am very happy with it although I ripped it apart 2 or 3 times before I finally pulled it altogether in 20 minutes flat (isn't that always the way?). The pre-work was necessary to the 20 minutes...but it was excruciatingly annoying at the time.
I shall show the whole thing once the first seminar is over :-D
Need to make the famlee some dinner now before they all slip into a coma...or (worse) start eating junk.
PS. I've had some challenge layouts in already...hope you're all busy scrapping!
Well, I thought I'd give you fine peeps much more notice for the Bank Holiday Challenge this time (anyone would think you had other things to do apart from scrapbook your life away - chuh!)
Soooooo...
Ya reeeeeh-deeeee?
The challenge is...
Take an item of clothing from your house (yours, a family member's, something that no-one's laying claim to but kicks around in the back of your wardrobe), and use it as inspiration for a page. You could re-create the pattern, use the colour combinations on the clothing, or particular shapes and colours mixed together. OR you can use the actual item itself to form part of the page. OR you can scrap about the item of clothing itself (if there's a story to be told in them there hills). As Blind Date Graham would say, "The choice is yoooooours."
The layout can be about anything you like subject-wise (unless you decide to actually scrap about the clothing itself). And the clothing can be any item...tops, skirts, trousers, shoes, hats, belt-buckles - heck, even an old pair of knickers, I don't care!
The layout has to be emailed to me, Chrissie@ScrappersUnlimited.co.uk, by MIDDAY, TUESDAY 30th MAY. And again there is a prize (scrumptiousness) and, more importantly, the head-expanding glory of it all when you win!
Any questions, just yell...well...ask politely actually :-D
...which means I shall be puckering up and blowing, if you'll pardon the expression, right through June and July then! I have something on every single weekend for 2 months. Bloooooooomin' heckaroonie. So...
Friday 2 June - Swansea Crop (first ever...need to make my class layout)
Sat 10 June - South Wales Crop in Newport (and Susie Woo and I are teaching, as we are the Bonanza Babes...need to make my class layout)
Friday 16 June - maybe the next Swansea Crop...or *
Sat 17 June - Colour for Design Seminar at Crafty-Ness, Caerphilly (need to finish one project, and start last layout)
Sat 24 June - Colour for Design Seminar in Reading
Friday 30 June * - maybe the next Swansea Crop if 17 June isn't right for everyone
Sat 1 July - Seminar again, but location not released yet...hush hush
Sat 8 July - South Wales Crop in Newport (at which I am doing nuffink...well...apart from organising it I mean)
Sat 22 July - Colour for Design Seminar at Crafty Pastimes in Stonehouse, Glos
Pass me the smelling salts...I think I'm going to have a funny turn. Danny is so supportive though...love him.
I swung by the hall for our new crop on Saturday and took some piccies...here's my girly-girl showing everybody the wonder that is our hall! She also has ballet in here and you can see the bars on the walls for them to do whatever it is ballet dancers do at the bar. No doubt we'll outgrow this hall within a year and have to shift...but I'm really happy with it for now. I think we've only got space for one or two more people for the 2 June as it's filled up within a couple of days. I just am so excited for that crop!
Must go and scrap now though....
Oh and at the risk of being a total anorak...here's just a teeny tiny piccie of my new (leatherette seated) car (silly grin).
Ever since we picked up our new car we've felt like the garage is going to spot that they got a bum deal in part exchanging our old car for this thing of beauty. When we drove off in it, we felt like we'd just pulled off a heist, and as we went straight to the closest petrol station to fill it up and therefore had to drive back past the trade centre to get home, we honestly half expected them to be standing at the side of the road, flagging us down. At least 3 days in a row after that, Danny came home and asked if the garage had called demanding we bring it back.
But it's now Saturday and so it looks like we've pulled it off! Phew! Having said that, they never once even turned our previous car's engine on, let alone look under the bonnet.
Our new car is so fabulous. Did I mention the seats are leather? Weeeeeeell...leatherette (LOL!!!). It's really really cool to drive, the air conditioning works, it has a 5 CD changer, two sun-rooves, and I can change stuff on the stereo with the control by the steering wheel. And if any robbers are reading this blog, there are at least 10 cars in my immediate neighbourhood which are much, much, much nicer than mine....
I am so excited because fi-hi-hinally I have pulled my proverbial finger out and sorted a venue for a crop in the Swansea area. Hoo-hah!!
Ahem. Little ripple on the drums please. The first Scrappers Unlimited Swansea Crop will take place on Friday, 2 June 2006 from 6.30 to 10pm (late night cropping, cos it's a Friday and we live on the edge), at Tir Coed Village Hall, Penllergaer, Swansea. Fiver to get in, three squid for the class (as taught by me, myself and I for the first one). Scrapping. Munchies. FAAAAB hall (new, clean, lots of light). Raffle. Stuff to buy. Lots of girls chatting. Bliss.
We already have 13 definites and another 2 or 3 possibles who will be attending. And I. Can't. Wait!
I had a run in with a chav today. I was trying to turn my car round after picking up Celyn from school (her school is in a cul-de-sac...Victorians didn't think about such things as cars when they built schools...such lack of vision, don'tchafink?). Anyway, it was proving a nightmare because people kept walking behind the car (it's got its reverse lights on and it's obviously horizontal in the road... but there you go - sigh). Anyway, fiiiiiiinally there was a space and I reversed the last foot I needed to get back, so I could do the 3 point turn, when I heard someone bang their fist on the back of the car. This lady (despite the fact that I'd been moving) had walked behind the car. Well, of course I was mortified. My head spun round immediately to apologise, but I was greeted with a string of obscenities worthy of a late night Channel 4 drama, many of which were of the four letter variety and starting with an alarming array of different letters.
Well, I just don't do people treating me like that, so I turned back and carried on moving the car round. She then came and banged on my window. "Wind your window down!! Wind your window down!!" she was yelling, peroxide blond hair flying about and a plethora of gold earrings jingling. Will I heck as like, I thought, imagining a fist leaving a sovereign ring indentation in my face. I did concede to lower it about 4 inches however. For my trouble (tsk!) I received another torrent of swear words, from which I couldn't get a word in edgewise (I don't think she even drew breath for about 6 sentences).
All this abuse, with swarms of children now flooding out of school all around her, and Celyn sat in the back of the car, looking on in (quite honestly) horror. We just don't ever talk to each other in such a way in our home, and she'd never seen the like of it. We even have a rule that Eastenders (etc.) is not watched if Celyn's up because we don't think the way they talk to each other in that (and all the other) soap(s) is appropriate for a 3 year old to be watching.
Anyhoo, as the chavette walked away I calmly said, "I'm sorry but I don't respond to people who shout and swear at me." She just carried on screeching as she walked off and Celyn said, "Mummy, that lady didn't listen to you" and then "and she didn't say sorry".
It really made me feel sad that people are so aggressive. A member of the Scrappers Unlimited team had a similar thing happen to them last week, except he opened her car door and it was a bloke, which must have been even more intimidating. She was completely shaken up for days after.
Ah well. I had a big hug off of Celyn when we got home "because that lady wasn't very nice to you". I'll turn the car round before I park tomorrow I think!
I feel naughty. This layout is actually a class project for the upcoming Colour for Design seminars we're teaching at Crafty-Ness' studios on 17 June (half the places gone already and we only released details yesterday!!!) and in Reading on 24 June (only 7 seats left on that one too). I shouldn't be posting it really, but I'm just pleased with it, so I thought, "Oh, what the heckaroonie." It's got some soppy journaling too, so click on the image and please dab your eyes in an emotional manner (mwaahaahaa).
It's all based on a well known company's advertising colours...and if anyone can name that tune, I'll send them a kit (with a few other bits and bobs).
Of course I could post one of Julia's luuuuuuuush classes too...with Sassafrass Lass papers...but no, no...I must restrain myself. Got. To. Be. Goooooood!!!
Dum-dee-dee dum-dee-dee dum-dee-dee dum Bo-naaaaaaan-zAAAAAAA (as sung by me rather loudly in our hotel bathroom, while Sue (outside, bien sure!) regretted ever getting that tune in my head).
So, first of all, there were things that I noticed that I was impressed by (because I like a bit of feel-good). Our last class of the weekend was the Junkitz class which was not, as planned, being taught by Claire Cameron of Scrapbook World as she'd been rushed into hospital with pre-eclampsia. I was impressed by the fact that all the teachers there, it appears, without batting an eyelid or a grumble of any sort, immediately took on her classes. Dyan from Art from the Heart (would put a link there but don't know it) was the step-into-the-breach teacher of that class, much to her terror, because she was having to teach a layout, and getting inky-wiv-it in an altered way is definitely more her thing. But I was impressed that she was so honest about it (I do like a bit of honest) and, anyway, it was a nice layout. Plus she gave loads of little tips about glue and such like that were invaluable (although last year's Junkitz papers weren't the greatest product). I told her it was like buying a ticket to see Ronnie Corbett and finding out when you got there that it was, in fact, Peter Kay :-D
I was impressed by Alicia Tucker who, as I approached the ticket office to ask them something, was being shouted at by 'completely ranting off her head woman'. And her beef was not valid either (sometimes people have justification at Bonza for getting arsy, but her moan was not one). And Alicia was uncharacteristically calm. I told her well done as she is, by anyone's standards and admission, not a calm dealer usually. No one gets anywhere by shouting (*lesson to self!). Stand your ground, yes. Be firm, yes. Don't shout. It's just pees people off.
And I was impressed that somebody (who shall remain nameless), came up and said hello to me. Despite a loh-hoh-hot of 'history'. They needn't have. It was gracious and I was appreciative of it.
So. The classes were good. We took 3 Rusty Pickles (yum - LOL), but (in retrospect) I wish we'd only taken 2. It was fun to yabber about Utah and BYU with Lance and he made me crave some enchiladas at Los Hermanos in Provo, or the best root beer in the world at Brick Oven, the swine (click that link...I can SMELL the particular smell of that pizza restaurant as soon as I look at the site! Slather).
I personally loved the Making Memories class as it was a clean, simple lines looking layout (which I like) and there were loads of products left over. We actually had a discussion about this point on Friday evening. Do scrapbookers go to these classes to learn something new (I wanted to but can't honestly say I did) or is it just about the atmosphere, another layout done, and lots of stuff to play with after? I think the second. Unless you went to one of the altered classes (which isn't my thing). I also enjoyed meeting Wendy Milne of Scenic Route (and oh...anyone who's coming to Gloucester 2, there's definitely a Scenic Route layout coming your way AND a challenge by them with a gor-hor-hor-geous prize). I also really enjoyed the All My Memories class taught by the 
lovely Anna Bowkis. It was Saturday afternoon and she was feeling pretty worn out and achy by this juncture, bless her. But I just loved that we did an entire album all in one hour (minus photos of course). I didn't mind that it was a kit. I just liked doing LOADS. I gave her a quick shoulder massage in this picture, bless her (I remember how I felt last year!)
The Heidi Swapp class was one of Sue's favourites. The best part of that was I won (I actually won!! This is unheard of!) a pick-a-name-at-random prize of Heidi Swapp colouring pencils. SCRUMMY BUM BUMS! I was very happy! And the Heidi Swapp bubble bath which we all got as part of our kits, smells just addictive! I keep going to have a surrepticious snort (of the smell, you understand) because it's so gorgeous.
Apart from classes, we had a good time seeing people. Sue spotted her next-door-neighbour (literally next door) from when she was living in Northampton several years ago. How bizarre is that? And I got a hello and a hug off the fabby Kirsty Wiseman (wish I could've taken one of her classes but they were all beginner's ones...). And I spotted Lemon through my classroom window and dived out the door, just so I could give her a cuddle (which was reciprocated). We women are so touchy-feely!! Very nice too to chat to Lily My Lovely aka Karen, and also Tracy Johnson, who told me she'd been hand-writing on her layouts ever since my journaling class last year (good girl!!!) - that was very cool and I wish I'd had more time to chat to her. Also saw Michelle who came to our last retreat in the Brecons with her fabby children, Charlotte and Daniel. I gave her a hug, and then one each to send back to her kids. Great to see her! She's COOL!
We had a room full of people on Friday evening, just before dinner. Spotted Viv from Worcester who goes to Linz's crops at Crafty Pastimes, and then when she opened the door to pop to her room, Margaret and 
Emma from Artbasespotted me through the gap so 'tap tap tap' and in they came! We were all hanging out in the Scrappers Unlimited bedroom, when the thunder and lightning started, and then all the lights went out as it had struck the building (and Sue had a violent urge to disappear under her duvet...she hates lightning because, as she points out, "it can kill you" - LOL). Anyway, it was very cool meeting the irrepressible Margaret and her daughter Emma at long last - she was nothing like I imagined her. I imagined a grey haired 'Marks & Spencer' type lady. Ummmm...no. Just take a look at her shoes for case in point.
So we told them we felt like we were hanging with scrapping royalty, and thence we were given the twisty-wrist royal wave every time we saw each other the rest of the weekend, to which we replied with lots of forelock tugging. 
Here's us hanging out in our room (please note the very grey thundery sky outside the window). Do you think I was a big enough suck-up, resting my head on her shoulder? ROFL!! Never mind, she bought me a drink AND a creme brulee on Friday evening. My cunning plan worked. FANKS!!!
Also got to hang a bit with the UKScrappers girls - Mary-Anne, Bev and Fi (Scrap Bunny). And all I can say about that is TEA TOWELS!!! And possibly 'CHEESE'! And also BEACH TOWELS (rub, rub, rub! ROFL). They were good fun and it was nice to meet Bev and Fi IRL (not that it wasn't nice to meet Mary-Anne...I'd just met her before, you understand!)
And of course we saw 'our crowd'...the girls from Crafty-Ness and I got to be with Susie-Woo all weekend, which was a pleasure. She's GRRRRREAT (even if she did shout at me in the middle of the night in her sleep...ha ha). Oh...and tip for the future. Don't park your car under the trees in the Hilton car park!
PS. Ooo ooo...just remembered. Got to meet Ally T in the flesh too (and her fun mum!) over breakfast. It's all good! Breakfast with Ally T...sounds like a film or summat!
Hung out with 'Scrapping Royalty' at Bonza this weekend, and it was FUN! And especially for a member of the royal family, by popular request, Will is back (turn up your speakers and wiggle your bums).
I'll post later wiv photos and everyfink.
I've signed up to take a class from Big Picture Scrapbooking which is this reaaaaaally cooooool website by Stacy Julian (head honcho lady over at Simple Scrapbooks magazine). And I am desperate to do it. I love taking classes that I haven't had any hand whatsoever in organising. It's rare. And it's always a delight (if they're good of course).
And yet my class starts today. I've had my daily assignment email which means I now have a bunch of scrapbooking ideas swimming around in my head, but they're all trying to avoid the "but darling, you must do X and Y because you're off to Bonza Baby tomorrow" swimming in schools in the other direction.
Where do people get the time to do everything?
And I also have to be a mummy. And take a photo of Celyn outside our house for a project they're doing about homes this term (only got the letter asking for a photo of child outside home yesterday - hurrumph). And get her ready to go to school. And go to the bank. And wash clothes.
But I waannaaaaa do my claaaaaaaaaass.
Snot fair.
So look what weeeeeeee bought todaaaaaay.
Not this exact one you understand. Ours is dark blue (WHAT a girl I am). With leather seats. And plenty of room for a crop trolley and boxes in the boot (this is after all a major consideration). And leather seats. And a 1.8 engine. And leather seats.
We can pick it up Saturday or Monday. And if darling Danny thinks he's picking it up Saturday while I'm away at Bonza baby, he's got another think coming.
But I am slowly becoming unbearable. I've pointed out every single Renault Scenic I've seen on the road since getting it.
I'm just excited. Leave me alone. Did I mention it had leather seats?
Whenever I think about Bonanza I just hear this little voice in my head in this Antipodean accent calling it 'Bonza'. Or perhaps it's an Austin Powers voice? Or perhaps I should be more concerned about the little voices in my head...? LOL
Anyway...Susie-Woo (from the Scrappers Unlimited team) and I are heading up to the NEC on Friday morning till Saturday evening, gorging ourselves on classes a-plenty. I taught/class assisted there last year which was great fun in some ways and a complete pain in others (in more ways than one...Amber's and my feet were completely crippled by the end of the two days, I kid you not). So this year I can do what I want - mwaaa mwaaa mwaaaahaaahaaa-haaaaaaaaaaaaa! I'm really looking forward to all the classes we're taking (6, but one is a two hour class) and also seeing lots of lovely people, and poking about the shops.
So. Must. Get. Organised. (cos I know what I'm like and I do NOT want to be stressing over packing stuff at 11.30pm on Thursday night or - heaven forbid - the crack of dawn Friday morning).
My weekend in Reading was fab fun (although tiring). The journey there, however, was not. It consisted of leaving a couple of hours later than I intended (just because) and then, on driving out of my road, suddenly realising that I hadn't taxed the car ("crap, crap, crap"). Turned the car round (Celyn: "Ooooo NOOOO..where are we GOING???? Why are we going HOOOOOOME?? We're going to ZOOOEEEEE's house Mummy!!!" cry cry). Find the registration document, find the insurance certificate, cannot find the MOT. Not for George Clooney nor tuppence ha'penny ("crap, crap, crap"). So drive to the garage, pay for another MOT certificate (£10 rip-off-arama), drive to the Post Office, buy new tax disc, drive Danny home (who'd come with me to keep me company cos I was in a temper!) and leave again, later than ever.
(Please keep in mind that I had now been back to my house twice.)
Drive, drive, drive. 20 minutes down the M4 I glance (as you do) in the rear view mirror and see that there's a BEE in the car. A piggin' bee (or should be "a buzzin' bee"?) Anyway...pull off motorway, find a layby, open boot and doors, free bee (and escape being stung or swerving into something that I should not be swerving into when bee hypothetically flies into my face whilst driving). However, this exit on the motorway is not one you can get back on the motorway at, unless you want to go BACK to Swansea that is. Hence, enjoy scenic (not) route through Port Talbot to the next junction.
Back on motorway, drive, drive, drive. Reach Cardiff and suddenly have a little panic. Well, I say "little" (she says, giggling in a VERY SARCASTIC MANNER), when what I really mean is "a stomach churning, crap-on-a-stick panic". Did I put the 3 scrapbook albums in the car to show people at the crop, one of which has the layout for tonight in it? Ring home. Indeed, they are sat on the coffee table in the living room and I have no class layout with me. CRAP, CRAP, CRAP (please, again, bear in mind that I went BACK to my house TWICE after initially leaving and still did not spot this schoolgirl error!!! RRRRAAAAAH!!!)
Then I nearly (but didn't) go into the back of a load of traffic on the motorway because it suddenly all stopped without warning.
And when I finally arrived in Reading, it was 4.30pm and I had to ignore my friend more or less while I completely remade my layout and Celyn played with her daughter and son.
BUT the crop itself was great...there were loads of people there, and I got to hang out with some people I've known since Noah was a boy but haven't seen for an age. I also popped my head into the Scrap Cafe's crop on Saturday morning which was cool cos I then saw a few people I knew from Scrappers Unlimited's Newbury retreat or the previous seminar we taught there. And best of all Celyn was as happy as a pig in muck, playing with her friends up there, and I got to hang out with my friends too. It's all good.
So...off to the car sales places today to look at part-exchanging our car for a newer one. Retail therapy on a grand scale.
And it's Desperate Housewives Wednesday.
And it's gloriously sunny again (after a few days of cloudy greyness).
It's all good.
By the way, if you're going to Bonza baby, then look out for Sue and me, as anyone who comes up and says hi and introduces themselves, we're giving a little Scrappers Unlimited goodie bag to.
*mental note...make goodie bags!!!*
I've been meaning to get up to the ol' hometown for some time now so that I can just SEE people, rather than be there a-scrappin' and then dashing home to the fam-lee. So today Celyn and I are off for a couple of days, so she can play with various friends up there (the trampoline in Zoe's garden is a BIG DRAW) and I can hang with the parents of said various friends. Leaving husband in the decadent peace of a house where he can actually write his dissertation (got to be in on Monday ...bleuh).
Except...
I've just realised...
It's turned into a scrapping weekend. What's the DEAL?! They follow me about. Or perhaps I just can't help organising them. Probably the second one.
So tonight I'm teaching at a brand new crop being held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on The Meadway in Tilehurst. It started off with 8...it's now up to 16 (or was that 17?). Only a fiver (non profit you see, because that's church policy). 7pm. And the next day I'm just popping my head in to The Scrap Cafe (dot co dot uk)'s monthly crop up in St. Barnabus' church hall in Emmer Green (10am, dunno how much).
It's all good! It's National Scrapbooking Day (Weekend) so it's got to be done really.
So. Gotta go. Bags to pack. Child to sort. Sunny day to drive 'home' in. Woo hoo!
Oh. PS. If you're in Wales and fancy celebrating Scrapbooking Day, then get yourself along to the crop in Taffs Well, Cardiff. Contact Debbie at dddebbborah@aol.com or on 0792 933 2165 for details.
I finished this as Desperate Housewives started. WHAT a lovely evening.
This is for the scrapping class I'm teaching in Reading on Friday night (if you live in that area and fancy a scrappedy-doo-daa evening, then get in touch for details - only a fiver for a class and a crop...blimmin' bargain!). I shall change the pink paper for people who bring photos of a less feminine nature.
The photo is one I took of Celyn on Saturday at Bristol Zoo, standing in the tunnel which goes through the water to view the seals swimming (and penguins...but there were none on Saturday). Gosh, I look at her and just am blown away by how beautiful she is (on the inside too). How did I ever get so blessed?
And hands up who reckons Bree's going to end up with (a) her shrink or (b) the AA guy? Eh? Eh?
Ever onwards with Celyn's ABC album - I've done C is for Chocolate Cake, F is for Funfair, Y is for Yum Yum and now I've done Z is for Zoo. And a complete and utter scraplift of Rach's layout (see her entry of 25.4). However, THAT was a complete and utter scraplift of Tara Whitney's layout. *Chrissie bursts into song* "Ooo, scraplifting makes ze world go around, ze world go around, ze world go around".
I'm not completely happy with the title or the two round embellies, but hey...s'fiiiiiiine. It's aaaaall fiiiiiine.
And don't you just love Celyn's little drawing of a bat. She loved doing that so she could be part of the process of the layout.
Anyway...I have a layout for a class on Friday to do (yes, that would be 2 days away) and 3 classes for the Colour for Design Seminar at the end of June (but the layouts have to be up on the website soon) and what am I doing? Eh? Eh? ABC scrap-blimmin-lifting.
Oh well. It'll all be fiiiiiine (I think it must be a warm, sunny day...I'm so chilled out and happy! *Quick check out the window* Well, by jingo, IT IS!!)
Wow! What lovely scrapping! And it was so interesting to see you all as a 'youff' (tee hee! Chris...you look EXACTLY like my friend Barbara in that picture!). And of course it was hard to judge so I had to get my mum involved in the process...I didn't want to be swayed by being friends with any of you.
And so...the winner is...this fabulous layout by Debbie Smith in Cardiff. We (my mother and I!) thought the layout stood out because it was so different and also she's done loads of great journaling (Debbie knows her audience...she knows I like journaling! LOL). Her use of colour and shape is great!! So Debbie, well done and I shall send you a prize in the post either today (hopefully) or tomorrow.
I am also sending a couple of runners up prizes. 2nd prize goes to Gill James on The Wirral. I really love this photo (is this bloke now your husband Gill...you said you got married young?) and the quote is so lovely (and I really like his top!!). I like the composition and balance of it too.
3rd prize goes to Kim Morgans in Swansea. She said she found it a really difficult layout to complete because the photo was taken right around the time her dad died and there was an outpouring of emotion when she came to write the (hidden) journaling.
So well done Kim. It's lovely (and you were very pretty!)
I have to say all the layouts were cool and thank you SO MUCH for taking part. I hope you enjoyed doing it! I shall send a small 'taking part' prize to you all. Perhaps we'll do another challenge for the next bank holiday weekend at the end of May. Whadyareckon?
Now...you have all got me in the mood to scrap. So I'm off to do just that!
Don't forget all entries need to be emailed to me at Chrissie@ScrappersUnlimited.co.uk by midday today :-D (I've had LOTS of entries in already and you're all marvellous!)
Once upon a time...
My friend and Scrappers Unlimited team member, Sue, is a superintendent radiographer in Cardiff and when I was telling her that I wanted to make Celyn an ABC scrapbook, she immediately said, "And X is for X-Ray!"
So, last Thursday (27 April) I drove up to her hospital with Celyn and we had a fantastic time seeing how an X-ray is taken. Of course we couldn't x-ray her, so we took one of her dolls and also (at Sue's suggestion) an unfilleted mackerel. Here we are getting them ready for x-raying.
Celyn then put the negative through a special machine that develops it (in layman's terms... which I am!)
And then we were able to view the results on the computer
And MAN that baby was scary! LOL You can see Celyn's not over excited about the results! But we were all a bit freaked by the baby (except my husband upon my return, as his first thoughts were, "That's so cool...it would make an excellent album cover!"). Sue also made JPEGs of the final results for me (love her) which I shall scrap for her album, along with these photos. She's such a cool friend (mwwwwaaaaah Sue!)
So that is the story of Celyn, the Mackerel and the Scary Baby. Goodnight children...goodnight.
to hear about Celyn, mackerel and the scary baby, but you'll just have to wait cos I've been tagged by the talented and very lovely Mrs Clarke and I'm in JUST the mood for a tag:
1. 5 things in my fridge
2. 5 things in my wardrobe
3. 5 things in my bag
4. 5 things in my car
5. 5 programmes I would save on Tivo (if I had it!)
There you go. And now I'm tagging...ummmm...Fiona, Linz, Jakki, Vanessa, and Rach. You're it!!
PS. Does anyone know how I can get that stupid rectangle above my header to go back to being a strip. Don't know what I did but it's really annoying me!
My bloggy mate, Jools, is in desperate need of her mojo. S'gawn. So I've proferred a challenge to help her find her creativity. But then I thought, hey...blow the expense...it's a bank holiday weekend so let's live a little. I'm opening this up to anybody who reads me blogalog and I'll offer a prize to my favourite. But you only have till Tuesday morning (up until midday) to email me your offering (to Chrissie@ScrappersUnlimited.co.uk). Come on all my scrapping mates...you can do it! I'll post all the entries on here too.
So...create a layout using one photo of yourself when you were a teenager. You should include journaling on the page, and also you must use HEAT to create your layout (interpret that how you wish...but there are several ways you can do that of course).
On your marks, get set...GO!
I'm in the middle of printing off 150 programmes for Reuben's funeral tomorrow. Thanks to Jools and my new-found skills on Adobe Photoshop, I was able to adapt a poster my church produces and that his mum wanted to use for the front cover.
Good principle to remember I think.
More later peeps...I had a FUN day yesterday with Celyn and a mackerel...
Just got this picture text from Danny who's travelling about on the trains today. Big huge warm fuzzy feelings!
Look what a lovely (although somewhat beardy) man just delivered to my house.... Slobber, slobber...stroke, stroke (book...not man). And, of course, I have a list as long as your leg of things to do otherwise my friend who's visiting from New York at the weekend is going to call me a filthy slattern and check himself into the nearest hotel. So I'll have to slobber and stroke for now and save my book for sitting in a decadent manner in my spotless house.
I am in the process of tidying our office (a lot of the untidiness being mine and all things scrapping). Tedious but will be great when I'm done (by the end of today? By the end of today if I don't want to slip into a coma of boredom). Anyway...I just found this story that I'd typed out a couple of years ago when Celyn came into the office with this book and started 'reading' me the story. I thought I'd blog it as a comparison to her "and the pea did be squashed..." story a couple of weeks ago and also because then I can keep the precious info and yet throw this annoying piece of paper away! Mwaaahaaahaaa.
She was almost 23 months old (2 August 04):
"Elmer went and it was dark one day. And Elmer went to school. And Elmer likes school. 'Let's go home everyone.' Elmer is all back with his friends in the school. And he went to school one day. Two minutes for the elephants to sneeze. And Elmer and they sneezed altogether. Elmer is already home and goes to school. And go back to school with the house. All back. And this is with his friends. All the friends have all gone home and they got a birdie. Five more minutes and Daddy's home. And a tiger...RAAAAA! Ssssh! And already with the green green ready. And yellow red ready. This is the colour yellow. La La always goes home."
I love the tiger noise!
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Feeling a bit melancholy as I found out mid-morning that my good friend's son, Reuben, died early this morning. He was 23 and had severe cerebal palsy, but it was nevertheless a bit of a shock as there was nothing 'wrong' (for him).
I know he's now free of the constraints of his mortal body and that must be so wonderful for him...but of course (of course) it's all still very sad. My husband has been asked to play the guitar at his funeral.
God bless you Roo.
Carrying on Celyn's ABC album, I've created this layout this morning, based on this fabby Coke ad which I've been wanting to rip off for ages. I still might have a bit of a play (add a few more spots...looking at the two of them on here next to each other makes me want to push the circles closer together etc. Thank goodness for repo glue!) but basically that's another page done. Only another 23 letters to go!!
If you want a really good laugh, please read this which is my Scrappers Unlimited Team member, Fiona's blog entry for today. I swear, I was weak with laughter.
Tried a new recipe I saw whilst reading 
Stacy Julian's blog (that somebody had sent to her). Mostly because the very day that I saw it, Celyn mentioned that she wanted to eat asparagus, and I thought "aha!" It's pretty simple, but my word it was good.
Simmer the asparagus for about 3 minutes until they are tender but not soft and soggy (for that is bleuh...which is a term used in haute cuisine). Then toss them in about 3 or 4 tablespoons of ranch dressing. Put them in an ovenproof dish and cover them with a mix of cheese (original recipe said parmesan but I used Cheddar) and crushed up Ritz crackers. Bake them in a pre-heated oven, 200 degrees C, for 15 mins. Deeee-lish.
We had to bribe Celyn with a WHOLE chocolate Easter egg to get her taste them. She did...under duress. This involved the mandatory 'chew 5 times' thing and then wailing "I don't like them" inbetween making 'peueee peueee' noises in spitting the offending asparagus out. She liked the cheese topping though!
Well, the adults in the house thought they were yum.
