Would you go to a retreat with this woman??

Well...would you??? If you're coming to Gloucester 2, you'd better steel yourself - bwaaahaaahaaaaaa.

I was just looking through some past photos (I've got layouts to do today) and every photo of Fiona I came across I was laughing harder and harder. That's a sticky willy on her head, by the way.

It's a good job she's talented, that's all I can say...

Talking of talented...another Scrappers Unlimited team member, Rach Millington, has been and gone and got a layout on the Basic Grey Gallery clever old thing. Lovely lovely layout too...well deserved.

Right. I'm off to scrap. I've got four layouts to do for classes and one magazine thing (which are in themselves plenty of effort, but I also have a 3 year old to entertain and feed, and a pile of laundry stinking up the laundry basket screaming "clean us, clean us, clean us now!")

Pah.

Bopping about to Morrissey...

I have been listening to this song over and over on a loop for the last half an hour. I have to admit these days to Husband that I actually think that Morrissey is rather fantastic (I wasn't a Smiths/Morrissey fan when we got married..."we" being me and Husband that is, as I have never been married to Morrissey). So I thought I'd share my little Morrissey Moment... fab song eh?! I love his lyrics...they're hilarious and yet poignant all at the same time. And that the music is so upbeat and bouncy and yet it's about getting crushed by a ten ton truck...bwaahaaahaaa. If I was poncy I'd say something about the juxtaposition of the themes creating a novel, original piece of music...but I'll just say "Morrissey rocks" and be done with it.

So crank up your sound and have a Morrissey moment with me :D

I also had a funny moment in the shower this morning. For the last 3 or 4 showers I've noticed a spider up in the top right hand corner, up on the ceiling. Now, as I am not one of the 'Oh EEEEEEEK it's a SPIDER!!! *girly noise, girly noise*' brigade, I wasn't bothered by said arachnid, despite him being a fairly large, although somewhat spindly specimen. I just let him be. But this morning I found myself washing my hair, staring at him thinking, "Well there can't be too much fly traffic in this en-suite bathroom. I wonder if he's eating enough. Poor dab. But he's probably getting enough water. I wonder if I could shoo a couple of flies in here. But then he doesn't seem to have built a web...how would he catch them, poor dab."

And then laughed and laughed at my bizarreness. I think I must be deranged!

And THEN when I was uploading this post, Husband read it and said, "Well I had a similar thing at work the other day" and told me he'd seen a similar looking spider to mine lying on the floor in the corner, but he suddenly saw its legs move slightly so realised it was still alive. And then he went into this whole scenario in his head where he thought he'd take the spider and carefully nurse it back to health, bringing it flies to eat (cue Chrissie curled up laughing), and show his great ability to love and have compassion for even the vilest of God's creatures *smug feeling*... and then he said he thought to himself, "What in the heck am I thinking" and brushed it down the stairs. I laughed till I couldn't breathe.

Obviously this is a derangement that is catching. And as his episode occurred before mine, I'm blaming him!

I picked up this month's copy of Scrapbook Inspirations today, and just loved seeing TWO of the Scrappers Unlimited creative team in there, in the Gallery. Julia's Nan Rogers layout and Rach's layout about her grandparents...woo hoo!! (I would put the proper names of the layouts but I can't be tiddled to walk downstairs and find the mag!) And I know that Fiona (and Rach on a sort of joint venture with her) are in the next issue too. I really do think the Scrappers team are just a talented bunch of ladies and, more importantly, nice people with it! I love them! Thank you Scrapbook Inspirations!

My oven was cleaned yesterday. But it was so wonderous when it was finished, all shiny shiny, that I have to devote a whole post all to itself. I even took photos! And my Mum and I are a bit freaked to cook in it in case we make it dirty! Bwaahaaahaaa.

Deranged I tell you.

PHOTOS!!

While my roast potatoes are just finishing cooking (roast lamb dinner today - the great British Sunday dinner is surpassed by none...)

Here are the photos of our lovely Friday where the sun shone just for us.

So...(ahem)...first we have Molly and Tina on the cliffs at Bracelet Bay with Mumbles Lighthouse in the background.



And then we have Molly and Tina with happy tastebuds in Joe's Ice-Cream Parlour.

And finally, this is what happens when you let kids loose on Caswell Bay beach:


Wet t-shirts.
Wet knickers.
Wet hair.
Happiness.
Sand in my car (but I don't care, especially as I have leather seats...did I mention that? :D )


Mmmm...roast lamb is wafting up the stairs. Gotta go put on the Yorkshire puddings!

While I'm drying...

I like to sit with a towel on my head and a bathrobe on after a shower, looking at t'internet...just getting dry...just for 5 minutes. So while I'm drying today I thought I'd do a quick blog. As you do.

Tina and her lovely daughter came by to visit on their way home to the South-East of England from beautiful West Wales where they've been camping. I know Tina as she has attended a couple of the Scrappers Unlimited Design seminars in Reading this year, and it's always a pleasure to make new friends from teaching these events. She's a lovely lady...quite fab...and has a great sense of humour.

Anyway...Celyn and I took them to Swansea harbour where it became apparent Tina is a total yacht anorack (she sails, and knows the names of all those little boats with sails on ...I teased her but it's pretty impressive though!). Then we had the obligatory Joe's ice-cream and I delighted in her face when she took her first mouthful. It truly is the best ice-cream in the world! And then we spent a delightful hour or two on Caswell Beach ("my beach" Celyn always tells people) where our daughters, who are only about 2 years apart were told not to get too wet...and they were completely soaked to the skin within 15 minutes and covered in sand. LOL. Ah well...it's what childhood's all about.

And the sun shined gloriously all afternoon. Lovely.

And I got some lovely photos, but I won't post any piccies yet though, as I want to ask permission from Tina to publish her daughter first.

And today Husband is laying our new patio - woo hoo. It's horrid weather today...grey, cloudy, and raining heavily in showers. And he's soaked.

Ooops...my visitor (Katie-Jane) has just turned up half an hour early (inbetween that paragraph and this'n). And me drying, with a towel and bathrobe, blogging.

It's what Saturdays are all about.

WHAT...

...a lovely afternoon! Peace and quiet, my washing machine happily turning my smalls in the frothy water, and me with ink and paint and glue and crud ALL over my fingers (Vanessa would have been so proud of me!). Happiness. I felt so chilled and relaxed when Husband and Daughter came home. I've told him...I need an afternoon off a week, just to keep me sane!

So...I finished my class for Gloucester (woo hoo!) which I then showed to my team member, Rach Millington. I figure it's only fair that someone from the Scrappers Unlimited team gets to critique my work, because I certainly critique theirs before classes are ready to go - LOL. My critiques usually come in the form of "Oh WOW, that's so LOVELY" and sentences of that nature, because their scrapping is just fabulous. Anyway...she said, "Awesome!" (in her Antipodean manner). So phew! And yey!

So here's another piccie...to tease you all again.

Awww...eeek...awww...eeek...

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment. I have four scrapping classes to get ready very very very soon for upcoming events. But I also have laundry to do (and it's raining...booooooo!), untidiness everywhere I look, a husband who's as busy as me (getting his new business going), a nearly 4 year old child home for the school holidays to be entertained at least SOME of the time, meals to prepare, etc. etc. The "I also have" always seems to get in the way of the scrapping.

So...awww...Husband said last night he would take Daughter out for some fun. He's just left with her and I have strict STRICT instructions that I am ONLY to scrapbook and I am NOT to tidy or clean or do laundry or sit on the computer (oops) or chat on the phone...and he wants to see TWO layouts done when he gets back. Flippin' heck...TWO!!!!? In 5 hours. I can sit in a crop hall all piggin' day and not even finish one layout. What is he thinking? LOL

So awww (isn't he sweet doing that) but eeek (I have peace and I could tidy my house but I'm not allowed)...so torn. Perhaps I'll just chuck some washing in before I get going...

But before I go...

Here's another little teaser of one of the classes at Gloucester 2. The other class I showed a few weeks ago was one of Rachel's by the way...and this one's one of Fi's (she's the lovely lady in the piccie). And that's all you're seeing. Mwwwaaaahaaahaaaa *evil cackle*

How funny is this?!

After Debbie saw my tag post, we got talking about oven cleaning companies (my friend Judith in Reading has hers cleaned regularly by a company called Cookerburra. And it is sparkling, I kid you not). So Debbie found a similar company through Yell.com in my area. I called them. The price...thirty-five smackers and I have a gleaming oven. OH...sooooo...worth it!!! He's coming next Tuesday.

*Happy dance, happy dance*

Tagged!

I've been tagged by Zu (yey!):

1. If you could build a house anywhere, where would it be?

I find this question really hard, but I think it would be (if it was a second home and not my main home) Salt Lake City (area). Perhaps. Or perhaps France...or perhaps here in the Swansea area but right on the coast. That question's too damn hard!

2. What's your favourite article of clothing?

At the moment my new top from M&S. But I don't enjoy clothes really...

3. Favourite physical feature of the opposite sex?

Bums. And broad square shoulders.

4. What's the last CD that you bought?

Best of Fat Boy Slim (although I didn't buy it...Husband bought it for me because he knew I wanted it and I hardly never ever buy CDs these days because I figure money needs to be spent on more important stuff first)

5. Where's your favourite place to be?

Anywhere beautiful...so that could be somewhere overlooking the ocean or in a gorgeous house or in the mountains. Or even in my own home when it's tidy and spotless!! I feel uplifted and good around beautiful things. And so (short answer) is places that make me feel uplifted and good! However, my favourite God-made place on earth is Lake Louise in Canada. My favourite man-made place on earth is Venice.

6. Where's your least favourite place to be?

In the middle of a large crowd (claustraphobie-rama) or up high (vertigo-a-rama) or near people who are smoking (I would quite like to be able to breathe and I don't want to get cancer or smell gross-a-rama)

7. What's your favourite place to be massaged?

Neck and shoulders

8. Strong in mind or strong in body?

Mind

9. What time do you wake up in the morning?

Around 7.30am. Although this may get a little earlier come September when Daughter has to be at school for 8.50 ...eek!

10. What is your favourite kitchen appliance?


My Global knives. LOVE them.

11. What makes you really angry?

I have a list! President Bush. People smoking near me. Rude shop assistants or waiters. People who queue-jump. Bad grammar or spelling on published writing (e.g. signs or in books etc.). People who imagine that they're more important than others around them. People swearing really badly around me in shops or on the street etc. I could probably think of more. And I start therapy next Tuesday ...bwaahaaahaaa!

12. If you could play any instrument what would it be?

Piano or singing voice (I can hold a tune, but I would love to be able to sing REEEEEEEALLY well)

13. Favourite colour?

Too hard. I like too many! The colour of a Jersey cow is definitely one.

14. Sports car or SUV?

SUV

15. Do you believe in an afterlife?

Absolutely

16. Favourite children's book?

This is also hard. Anne of Green Gables was my favourite when I actually WAS a child.

17. What's your favourite season?

Summer. Followed by Spring. Followed by Autumn. Winter is definitely last!

18. What is your least favourite household chore?

Cleaning the oven. I would pay someone to do it for me! Any takers?

19. If you could have one super-power, what would it be?

You mean I don't have one now?

20. If you have a tattoo what is it?

Nope. Don't like tattooes

21. Can you juggle?

Yes. For about 10 seconds.

22. The one person from your past that you wish you could go back and talk to?

My dad.

23. What's your favourite day?

Tuesday.

24. What's in the boot of your car?

Scrapping stuff (of COURSE!)

25. Which do you prefer, sushi or hamburger?

Either. Depends what mood I'm in.

And I'm going to tag Debbie and Prisca and Gems

How Do You Solve a Problem Like the end of the show?

Blogger fiiiiiiiinally is allowing me to upload photos. Chuh. So below on my previous post are just a few of the lovely Rouge de Garance papers for your eye candy pleasure today.

So. Who saw 'How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?' last night? For people reading this from 'abroad', it's a reality talent show in which Andrew Lloyd Webber (sorry...Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber) and a panel of 3 judges/coaches are trying to find a new talent to play the lead role of Maria in a West End production of The Sound of Music. They've narrowed the auditions down to 10 'Marias' and now it's like X-Factor...they all perform on a live TV show once a week and the telly audience gets to phone and vote for their favourite and, by process of elimination, vote one off the show. Very popular...great viewing.

Now...I have to say...I do love musical dance theatre. LOOOOOOOVE it. I believe it is the highest art form. The people in this profession have to be able to sing fabulously, dance (in various forms) fabulously AND act fabulously. There's nothing like the thrill of watching someone who is one of the best performing on stage. So I am loving this show. And I also love The Sound of Music. But. The final part of the show last night had me, Husband, and Sister-in-Law completely Creased (with a capital 'cuh') laughing.

They had the last two Marias in the voting have a sing-off in front of Lord Webber himself (who is looking a bit Yodaesque, perched on a throne in front of them). He then picked one to stay and one to go. The host, Graham Norton (very funny man) had the losing girl join the other 9, and then explained that they would all have one final song together. Well...at this juncture I suddenly thought, "Oh no. No no no. They can't! Surely not" (this was all running through my head). And then the music started.

"So long. Farewell. Auf wiedersehen. Adieu..." They ACTUALLY sang this to the poor girl who'd just been booted off the show...along with plaintive waving "Goodbyyyyyyyyyyye" on the last notes of the song.

It. Was. HI-LAAAAAAAAAA-RIOUS.

I am completely stunned that the director/producers ever thought this would be a good idea. Or perhaps they were going for the humour factor. If so, they got it...because it was the funniest thing I've seen on TV in many a week. You all SO have to watch it next Saturday!!!

Sympa!

I just love these new papers by a French company - Rouge de Garance which appeared a few months ago. I think the colours they use are stunning and they are beautifully designed and unique, which is one of the main reasons I love them! They look SO FRENCH...and not American pretending to be French. It's great to have scrapbooking papers produced in other parts of the world don'cha fink, as they will have their own style about them? We have our own pretty Blonde Moments papers here of course. Who knows any other countries who are designing?

Well anyway...anyone who's coming to the Gloucester 2 Time Out, you can look forward to a class in these babies. Magnifique non?!! :D I have been emailing back and fore to France and oh my brain is being taxed, emailing in French...I've been sandpapering all the rust off my second language! And writing in French was never my forte as I learned to speak French by living there, and not so much in the classroom! Anyway...my point is, I have to say that Rouge de Garance are a pleasure to deal with too. Really really sympa! Their site is in French and English by the way...although you can see two extra ranges if you go in through the French side (I'm sure this will be updated soon though).

The dentist yesterday was great (now there's a phrase you don't hear every day! LOL). Celyn was actually quite excited when she got in the chair. I think she felt really important and she loved that chair! It was almost as good as a fairground ride...tipping back, gliding up! Her pearly whites are perfect (phew!) and mine are not so white but still perfect (woo hoo! I hate the dentist...or...as I have previously mentioned...pain. Pain is what I don't like). Husband *Chrissie begins to titter* has to go back in 2 weeks to have his rotting mouth drilled and filled - bwaaahaaahaaahaaa. We then headed off to Ikea and Celyn had a lovely time in the creche (although 45 minutes just wasn't long enough...we suggested they might want to keep her for, say, a week...but they didn't seem keen).

I shall post piccies of our day if my mobile phone photos EVER arrive in my email inbox (tum teeee tum *Chrissie drums her fingers in a bored manner on her desk*)

A toute a l'heure!

Well Faloola...you've done it again!

Just had a bit of ooomph yesterday and completed the second Ann(i)e Hafermann/Ali Edwards challenge. The charge was to create a layout with an angular approach, cutting a large photo on the wonk at the bottom. It did also say to use ribbon to define the edges and to stack triangles under the photo...and here I have gone off on my own tangent. I based my layout on a French movie poster I had spotted online and loved loved loved the design of...et voila! Faloola strikes again.

Piccies are obviously of the nutty people I have to share living space with. I tell Celyn all the time she's a nutter, and she just laughs at me..."No Mummy!! Daddy's a sausage and I'M a cheeky monkey!"

Anyway...off on our family outing to the dentist/Ikea today (if I put my ear to the ground I can hear a plate of Swedish meatballs calling my name!). Celyn's still not terribly happy about the whole dentist thing. No idea why, as she's never even been to one! First visit ever. What are the rules about taking 'First Ever Dentist Appointment' photos for scrapbooking? Bwaaahaaaahaaaa!

Ciao belle!!

Awwwwwwwww!

I'm feeling a bit better now, despite the fact that Debbie emailed me and said "Yeah, poor kid, I'm thinking of ringing social services in the morning about you" - bwaaahaaahaaa - ROFL.

And then *big squeezy cheek pinches...of the facial kind I hasten to add!* she sent me a layout she's done today of her girl and mine down the beach the other week. AWWWWWWWWWW!!!! Isn't it lovely!?!?! Look at all that sewing. Or perhaps it's clever use of a doodly pen. Either way, it's lush and I love it!

I feel all soppy and silly now.

And Husband and I have planned to take Celyn somewhere exciting on Thursday (THURSDAY Kim...I shall be in Cardiff THURSDAY too...not Wednesday) after the dentist. This evening, however, I did mention to Celyn that we were taking her to the dentist and she burst into tears. Somehow I don't think that's her idea of a good time.

*Insert noise of a dentist drill screeching*

Mother Guilt

"I'm bored Mum"

The perennial whine of the summer school holidays child.... Poor Celyn. Danny has been up to his eyes busy getting his new business ready to go (I'll blog about that later). I've been up to my eyes with helping him, and all the other stuff that goes with running your own business and being a housewife and SAHM all mixed together. Honestly it's manic. And today I had the builders turn up (planned) to start work on our soon-t0-be patio *happy dance, happy dance*. Then friends from church turned up (not planned). And then, blow me down, my Auntie & Uncle (who live in Pembroke) turned up (yet again not planned). And then the phone rang as well. 6 visitors in my house, my quiet morning turning into mayhem and I was mentally rolling my eyes thanking the powers that be that I'd had the presence of mind to tidy and hoover that very morn. One visitor went to the loo and I had no toilet paper left in there however. Ho hum. He had to make do with kitchen roll cos I couldn't be tiddled to go upstairs for one.

So...the upshot of this is Celyn's done a few things these summer holidays. But she's bored after several days of not much going on for her. So I rang a school friend's mum to arrange a play date. School friend's mum and her 2 daughters were busy making chocolate chip cookies (you could hear girly giggling in the background). And unfortunately Celyn's friend, her mum explained, wasn't really available till next Monday because tomorrow they're going to Folly Farm (hands-on farm in Pembrokeshire...very fun), Thursday they're going to the beach, and Friday they are out somewhere else (I forget where). Fine...no problem of course...play date arranged for Monday.

And then I sat here and the guilt washed over me in waves. I'm such a crap mother! No chocolate chip moments in this house. No trips planned anywhere...and no time to take her on one anyway. Poor, poor child.

Sigh.

Sigh again.

*Chrissie wanders off feeling pooey*

Well slap my thigh and call me Faloola!

I scrapped. AND I did it just for me, me, me. Not for a class. For ME.

In my bloggy wanderings I noticed that Ann(i)e Hafermann had proffered a challenge. And despite the fact that I have one, two, THREE classes to get ready pretty pronto for two different events, I decided I just needed to get back to enjoying the process...albeit for one layout. Oooo, now...I hear that expression all the time..."enjoying the process"...and I'm not one for over-used phrases (for example...I completely hate the terms "hun" or "honey") unless they're my own over-used phrases...in which case I like to think of them more of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" phrases.

I digress...in this particular case getting back to enjoying the process is true. I can get so caught up in scrapping because I have to, with kits, budgets, timescales and themes being at the forefront of my scribbly brain. And it just felt so good to scrap 'because'. It doesn't happen very often. And I probably didn't have time to do it really. And I did have to put on some washing, hang out another load of washing, tidy, clean the downstairs toilet, and vacuum before I started, and then whilst pondering the layout, pick at the bits of glue on my dining table (which of course is quasi-cleaning) - just to soothe my guilt.

Anyhoo, this is my offering for the challenge. I took the photo of the layout quite quickly and so it was wonky...apologies. Also, the challenge was to use one's scraps...but I don't 'do' scraps (if it's a scrap, it's gone...chucked or given away) but I do have little collections of papers in 12x12 bags, so that's what all of these came from. Old Basic Grey.

Thanks Ann(i)e. I may have to sneak in another sometime...

One of the things I love...

about my "hunky husband" as Anita M put it today *Chrissie waves* (...I know you're reading this luv - LOL) is his sense of the ridiculous. Take this poster we were both gazing at absent-mindedly in the Fun Factory today (the Fun Factory is a fab climbing frame, tube slide, ball pit type affair that they should do for adults but, in fact, only exists for children *sigh* We were there with Celyn). He suddenly launched into hypothetical scenarios...

*Waves arms wildly* "Waaaaah...kids, kids...gerroff! Gerroff!" *Acting out 5 children hanging from every part of man in Brewster Bear costume's body* "Don't pull my head off....waaaaaaah!!!"

*Acting out child kicking man in Brewster Bear outfit in the bits* *Kick* "You gave my sister a balloon! I want a balloon!!" *Punch*

Well...it made me laugh. To actually have gone to the trouble of producing a professionally drawn poster to be displayed in this and (presumably) all Fun Factories, they must have had a number of 'incidents' over the years. Hilarious. (I took the photo with my phone in case any of you are thinking, "What a total sadcake, taking her camera with her everywhere she goes").

One of the funniest 'sense of the ridiculous' Danny moments ever was about a year ago. We were driving home along our usual route from the supermarket, past where 5 or 6 houses had been going up for several months. These were now completed and had a showhome tour available, with balloons advertising the fact, attached to a fence next to the sign. As we drove past Danny noticed a policeman who had stopped his car and was stood next to the ballooned fence, talking on his two-way radio. Danny launches into hypothetical conversation...

"Well, yes Sarg. There's balloons Sarg. Dunno Sarg...but there's pink ones and red ones Sarg. Should I investigate Sarg? Right Sarg, right..."

I peed myself laughing.

I have been trying trying trying for at least a week to get some scrapping done. I get up bright and breezy in the morning thinking 'This is the day' and then life takes over. And when I finally sit down it's 9.30pm and my brain's in the sink along with the dirty dishes from dinner. Pah. Is this just me I am wondering because all the blogs I look at, people are scrapping left right and centre, and producing one or two things a week? Is it just my life that's so hectic? How do you peeps fit scrapbooking in???

Well, I've got the Swansea Crop on Friday (yey!) and there is a vicious rumour that when you go to a crop you should actually get some scrapping done. No...really! Truly! Honestly...you're not supposed to just sit in a hall for between 4-7 hours (or however long), get everything out, chat a lot, and then put it all away again. So I've heard...

Eeek!

People I know and bloggin' love need to update their blogs. And not just now, but regularly. I shall not name and shame but YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE! The reason for this plea? I became so bored waiting for something new to nose at, I started wandering around Blogger Land. And...

Oh. My. Word. There are some nutty fruitcakes out there.

I think I'll just spend the rest of today pottering around my house, buying nice biscuits from Lidl, and doing a bit of scrapping. I need a bit of ordinary. These people just FREAK. ME. OUT.

Stop laughing!

Happy Anniversary Bert & Jane!

A year ago today my mates Rob and Katie-Jane got married (aka Bert and Jane). Lovely wedding. I must admit to an unrighteous amount of smugness in that department, as I had been telling Rob for years that Katie was such a lovely girl and what a fab wifey she'd be and that he really really should ask her out... *Chrissie polishes her nails on her top.*

Anyway...for their wedding present (late of course) Julia and I put together an 8x8 album of the photos I took of the day, and in honour of their anniversary (and cos I only just got hold of it to scan it...forgot at the time!) I've uploaded it at the bottom (right at the bottom, next to my regular gallery). Katie-Jane then added a few pages of her own after (the album did actually get her into scrapbooking (fi-hi-hi-nally) hook line and sinker!).

So...Julia put together: Just Married, Mr & Mrs Gilmour, Something Old..., Something Borrowed..., and Sarah & Jake (both pages). Katie created Siblings (Griffiths) & Others, Hazel & Pete, Rain & Shine (both pages), Mingle, Roar, You & Me (pictured above) and Happy Gilmour (love that title!!). And the rest of the pages were by me. It was very handy-Andy because she came to me for help picking the papers for her invites/order of service etc. etc. and we picked out Basic Grey Phresh & Phunky. Hence deciding what papers to use for the album was a walk in the park.

Take a look at that FAAAAAAAAB wedding cake (lots of little decorated cup cakes). And the bridesmaids were covered in gorgeous buttons (even in their hair! She was a scrapbooker just waiting to happen really!) I purloined some leftovers from the dressmaker (Rob's Sis in Law) and used them in the album.

Happy 1st you guys. Love you.

Gloucester 2 - It's All Going On!

The Scrappers Unlimited Gloucester 2 Time Out for Scrapbookers is less than 100 days away I noticed last night. I must admit to a surge of panic shooting through my body and bursting out of my head...but then I figured, ah what the hell...it's still 90 summat days to go... LOL.

But things are happening, things are happening...classes are coming together, the scrumptious menus for our dinners are being prepared (the food at this hotel is to die for) and games and challenges are being arranged. It's all good!

Anyway...thought I'd give you a sneaky peeky of one of the classes.

What? WHAT? What's that you say??? You didn't think I'd show you the whoooooooole thing now did you?

Bwaaaaahaaaaahaaaaaaaaa!

PS. Got those photos uploaded of the beach the other day by the way (scroll down, scroll down)

Had to just share...

Was just looking up what's on at the cinema this very eve, as Daughter has gone to Nanny's for a sleepover (and at this juncture I would like to point out that I love her very deeply but WOO HOO...we're free, we're free...we can eat dinner in peace and go where we like...WOO HOO). And I came across this, which made me howl out loud.

Da Vinci Code, The

Running time: 149 mins (Contains flagellation and other moderate violence)
Thursday
21:30

So. If you're up for some flagellation then the Odeon at 21:30 is the place for you. Personally I think you just don't get enough flagellating in films these days. Phnaaar, phnaaar, phnaaar.

Tiddly Om Pom Pom

I FINALLY managed to get the photos loaded - m'enfin! So...top photo is a picture of my arm and thigh, just for the boys (hold yourselves back now...no rushing at the computer screen). Oh...and Celyn's in it too. Second photo is at Joe's Ice Cream Parlour in the Mumbles - deeeeeee-lish. And yes, once again, you can see my arm and my lovely new top from M&S (all this excitement in one day). Third photo is Hannah and Celyn in the hippo hole. The tide was nearly upon us in that photo and the hole was about to be lost to the forces of nature...and we scarpered up the beach about 3 minutes after the pic was taken! And the last 2 photos are what happens when you say to Celyn, "Right...let's go in the sea then"...she just starts RUNNING - LOL! Many thanks to Debbie for taking and sharing her photos with me x

Oh I do like living near the sea. Yesterday (well...the day before yesterday if we're being accurate, as I am up writing this at silly o'clock) Debbie Smith (a scrapping bud from The South Wales Crop amongst other things) came up to my neck of the woods and we headed off to Caswell Bay for the day, respective daughters in tow. And what a happy day it was (except for the INORDINATE amount of time it took me to park, the details of which I shall not bore you with as I had enough boredom to last 3 lifetimes actually living through the ordeal).

First stop on our adventure was to introduce the Smiths to Joe's Ice Cream which is probably the best ice-cream in the world. Truly. Debbie's face was almost shocked upon licking her first lick. It is so gorgeously scrumptiously gorgeous that you just have to taste it to believe it (but you HAVE to get the vanilla).

And then I dropped them at the beach and had the car parking ordeal (I need therapy to get over it, I tell you) and then, oh happiness, we just lazed about on the sand all day. Not doing much of anything. Going in the sea fully clothed (as one does when one has been traumatised by having to wait for a bleedin' hour (more!) to park. Thank goodness for my Air Con and Debbie's latest copy of Scrapbook Inspirations , that's all I can say). Trying to preserve one's modesty YET AGAIN by getting dressed in one's cossie with the help of a large towel and a windbreaker. Reading scrapping magazines while the girls dug holes (one rather large, which became known as the hippo wallow hole and which was glorious for cooling off...thank you Hannah!). Splashing about in the waves was probably the best fun though.

Celyn LOVES the sea and was in heaven when we all went in together. Caswell is a good surfing beach and the waves are great, especially when the tide is coming in. There were a couple of really big ones ('big' being a relative term of course but big enough for me to yell "Ooo ooo OOO!! Crap on a stick!" as it headed towards us all - LOL) and she didn't stress out about getting splashed in the face (unlike when she's in the bath, which makes no sense to me whatsoever).



Anyway...I managed to avoid getting completely sunburnt (I'm so fair it's not even funny) and we were all thoroughly knackered by the end of the day (happy tired). It was fun spending time with Hannah too (Debbie's daughter) who is quite lovely but was fun to tease when she verged towards 'Yeah but, no but...am I bovvered' behaviour. Oh the delights of teenagedom.

Today, 26 July, was my Mum's 84th birthday. Another happy day. I'm so grateful she's been blessed to live as long as she has. I lost my dad (so careless of me...mwaahaaahaaa) when I was 21 and I still miss him and the sad fact is I've lived longer without him than I knew him now. So I am always so grateful that I have been able to enjoy having my mum around for this long. She didn't have me until she was nearly 40, so I could very well have lost both parents relatively young and, in fact, she very nearly did die shortly after I was engaged to Husband in 1999. I remember standing in the middle of the street at 1 in the morning just waiting (for what seemed like an hour but was in fact about 3 minutes according to Danny) for the ambulance, saying a prayer "Not now, don't take her now...just not now." And He didn't. She gave me away at my wedding...and she's still here to bless my life. Happy birthday Mum xx

We met across a crowded womb...

Well...busy old weekend, but on Friday I saw my womb. Now there's an opener.

So...if you're the type of person who calls anything below the belly-button "down below" then my suggestion is that you now run, run, run like the wind. If, on the other hand, you can sit and watch a real-life operation on TV whilst eating a plate of cod and chips, then carry on reading.

Personally I got a B in O Level Human Biology I'll have you know (which in new money would be an A....exams were more difficult in my day...but I digress), and that was partly due to the fact that my science teacher suggested I didn't take a science at all because I'd be lucky if I scraped a C and I thought, "Right you old moo...I'll show you." I am to this day very proud of my B! LOL To be fair, had I taken on a Physics or Chemistry O Level I expect her prediction would have come to pass. Physics and chemistry are a blummin' mystery to me and simply death on toast if we're talking interesting subjects. But ask me to study the alimentary canal and I'm your girl.

However, having said all this, I really have built up a thorough dislike of being in hospital and (call me silly) pain. Several run-ins with gynae wards and operating theatres over the last 10 years have got me to the point that if a consultant says I need to go on a day ward for a simple procedure, I turn into Mrs Basket Case. Imagine Scooby Doo literally being dragged somewhere he doesn't want to go and that would a fair description of what I was like on Friday morning. And grumpy to boot. I had elected to have this procedure, called a hysteroscopy, under local anesthetic (GENERAL anesthetic?? Are you CER-RAZY?!) the downside of which being that I'm awake and hence sort of notice any pain.

I was put on a day ward with 4 other ladies and I spent the first bit telling the nurses my name and date of birth about 20 times (they are nothing if not thorough). And then all of us were asked to put on the theatre gowns. Can I just point out these are all made one size. Slim sylph-like snippets of girls can tie them up and carry on watching Cash in the Attic on the ward TV with gay abandon. Big old lardy bums like me, on the other hand, are left having to skulk along the wall to preserve any modicum of modesty one might want to retain, and then get stuck to the plastic chair whilst also watching said Cash in the Attic because sweaty bums and vinyl plastic chairs are not a good mix. And I gave the hospital porter a bit of a thrill when I had to get in the wheelchair too. Oh the joys...

So by the time I was actually wheeled down to the theatre (at least they don't make you walk down there, backside exposed to the world) I was violently switching between laughing in a hysteria type manner and burying my head in my hands and wondering if I could make a run for it. The Theatre Sister (head honcho) took one look at me and thought, "Oh we've got a right one here". Now, this is where great NHS staff are worth their weight in scrapbooking stash. She was FABULOUS with me. She had a great sense of humour, talked me through what was going to happen, used all her diversionary tactics (I said to her, "I know what you're doing you know...but you just carry on...distract away!") and put a protective hand on my arm all the way through. I wubbed her so much I wanted to bring her home and feed her dinner and call her my Auntie Janet.

And then I saw my womb. In that operating theatre, legs up in stirrups (delightful), half the world, and a camera, staring up me bits. But it was so coooooool! And it's tiny! I imagined a great vacuous cave (I mean, 9lb 2oz Celyn was in there and I looked like HMS Gloucester sailing along at 9 months pregnant). But it was tiddly widdly...the size of a pear. And the pain wasn't too awful. Uncomfortable back and tummy period cramps and the odd pinch or two which made me shut my eyes, practise my Lamas breathing techniques and sing "happy place, happy place, happy place" in my head. But I coped. I told Theatre Sister I wanted a big sticker at the end of it all, to proudly display to all the world, "I visited hospital today." She seemed to think these were only for children. Chuh.

Back on the ward, as chirpy as a budgie now it was all over, I chatted with my other Ward 5ers some more. We had been nattering a bit before I went down, which had helped calm me (blimey, I'm such a wuss...I know you're all shouting this at your computer screens now...do your worst, I've heard it all before), and the nattering continued. I really, really enjoyed meeting these fab ladies, and gave them my blog address, so hopefully they will be reading this (*Chrissie waves at them all*). I do love the fact that women can 'connect' so readily and so strongly in such a short space of time...it is one of the strengths of our sex. The lady next to me was originally from North Wales so I was practising speaking Welsh with her *for 'speaking Welsh' please read 'mutilating the language to the point of lunacy') and she wrote down a message for me to teach Celyn, which was:

Rydwyf wedi bod yn yr ysbyty heddiw, ac wedi gwneud pedair ffrind newydd - Sylvia, Wendy, Pat a Dorothy.

which means (I actually understood this, praise be all things Level 1 Welsh!), "I went to the hospital today and made 4 new friends..." (or something very close to that)

I truly felt sad when I left! Such lovely ladies - we had such a nice chat and a laugh. We literally did meet across a crowded womb! Big hugs to you all.

I do think the NHS is marvellous though. It has its problems (which are all government related) but the fact that I can go in and have that procedure for FREE with such lovely staff (Ward Sister, Ward Nurse and Consultant were also excellent), is exactly as it should be (I did say July was political month!)

Anyway...other possible titles for this blog entry, as discussed by Husband and me on the way home in the car...

Womb at the top
A womb with a view
Budge up and give me some womb
Mushwombs on toast *
Womb to breathe
Tidy up your womb

* this one was actually Fiona's suggestion :-D Any others gratefully received....

Off to church this morning so need to get dressed. Later mates.

Ballet Beautiful

Yesterday was Celyn's first ever ballet recital. Vewwy excitin' for doting parents! It really was great to see our girl taking part in the performance in front of everyone, despite her shyness, and also fab to see how much she has learnt since beginning at Easter, and all the little dances and exercises they do in class. When I say 'shyness'...she really dislikes 'performing' in front of anybody, us included. Anyway, I got some really cute shots of it all (although the light in the hall was awful). I love this one of Husband holding Celyn...wish I'd got his whole head in, but never mind...I love it anyway.

I can't wait to scrap all of these pics...well, except in this heat all I want to do is blob on the sofa. I've got so much to do at the moment and I have the motivation of THE laziest sloth in the whole sloth kingdom. I need to stop being such a sluggard and get myself invigorated but *Chrissie whines* it's soooooo hot. Best thing about this weather though is that my washing dries on the line in half an hour flat and my tumble drier is having a summer holiday. Happiness (happiness with respect to the electricity bill, indeed). I love hanging out washing on the line. There's just something so joyous and satisfactory about it...especially white sheets. White sheets flapping in the breeze while I walk between them and peg up the smalls. Am I crazy? Am I the only woman who thinks this way?

Anyway...ballet piccies...knock yourselves out. They're so cute!

1. I personally love the little girl holding up her leg - too funny!
2. Kaaaa-jaaaa goo, goo, goo...
3. Concentrating on the teacher
4. I love this shot...one of the mums asked me to take some pics of her daughter too
5. Getting her ballet shoes on

It's Mine, Mine...All Mine!

Slurp.

Look what's arrived chez moi! Lovely Prisca Jockovic sent me my very own, personal, signed copy of her new book Scrap Embellissments (Scrap Embellishments...no kidding, really, that's what it translates as...) and I am just in a delight.

So, apart from the excitement of getting something so lovely for free... and signed (did I mention it was signed?), I would say this book is by far one of the best on the market. And I genuinely don't think it matters whether you speak French or not (although I feel the publisher should rip the hand off of anyone who offers an English translation). There are over 100 beautiful (and I mean BEEEE-U-TIFUL) layouts and other projects in this book, which are inspiration enough without being able to read the text. Prisca is a master of the art form of scrapbooking; and her work certainly does warrant the term 'art form'. Another thing I like about her is that there is nothing of the diva about her. I can't be doing with divas. She is just sweet and humble.

The book is split into sections covering how to create your own embellishments and then how to use them on pages. There is also a workbook section at the back, in black and white, giving step-by-step instructions on how to create using different media and also more detailed information about products on the market.

Also, the book is a really nice size and uses great quality paper and printing. All for 15 Euros, which is about a tenner. Blummin' bargain.

And my one's signed. Did I mention that?

Productive day...

I made the Teaching Assistant's paper bag book this afternoon whilst Daughter was at school (same photos more or less; different papers). A productive scrapping day...most unlike me. I must be sickening for something.

The whole book is now added to the slide gallery to the right along with the Teacher's one. Papers are Chatterbox.

Lovely afternoon playing with paper and glue.

And then...

Celyn went to her friend Melody's house after school to play/have tea. I went to pick her up at the appointed time to find that she had (playfully) tipped juice all over Melody, who was sitting on the sofa at the time. Dirty Melody, dirty sofa covers *Chrissie stands there feeling mortally embarrassed* Well...I apologise profusely and then sat and chatted with Melody's mum...at which point Melody comes halfway down the stairs to inform us that Celyn has now piddled on the floor. *Pass me the smelling salts* I go upstairs and try to ask Celyn about the 'incident' but she is hiding in Melody's bedroom and on being (nicely but firmly) extracted from said bedroom she proceeds to have a full on, scream at such a pitch only dogs could hear her, hyperventilating, out of control, total and utter hissy fit tantrum. With Melody's mum and Melody looking on. *Chrissie starts fantasising about purchasing a one-way ticket to the Seychelles and lying on a white-sand beach with a book in one hand and a drink in the other*.

Hey ho.

She's okay now but I think I may take up yoga. Oommmmmmm....

It's amazing what you can do with a...

...paper bag. Or two.

Presents for teachers at the end of term, and cheap as chips! I'm going to be making another for the class assistant too (bless 'em all, and all who sail in 'em). When I was putting this together at the South Wales Crop last Saturday, one of the croppers who is also a primary teacher was most put out and kept whining, "Oooooh, ooooh...I wish I was Celyn's teacher. All I ever get is own-brand smellies!" LOL

I have put the full (wacking great 3 whole pages plus back and front cover - LOL) album on a slide gallery to the right. There are also a couple of tags that slot inside but I haven't posted those. All the kids' names have been smudged out, if you're wondering why there are dirty great black blobs all over it. Papers are a mix of SEI and K&Co by the way.

And hey, Susie-Woo...you've got something to read at lunchtime now (my Scrappers Unlimited team member, Sue, tells me that reading my blog is part of her lunchtime routine and is disappointed if I haven't updated! LOL)

A miracle of modern times!

I went to two crops and (hold on to your big white M&S knickers) ...I ACTUALLY scrapped! C'est vrai!!! Last Friday evening (a humid and balmy affair) was the Swansea Crop (full to bursting) and I actually started off a paper bag book I'm making for Daughter's teacher as an end of school year pressie. I admit I didn't get very far with it because I was running around like the proverbial fly with an indigo posterior, teaching a class and what not.

And...while I'm on the subject...this (up there...there...up the top) was my class. Well...actually this was my class as completed by the fabby Nattie Grant who did such a scrummy job of it (FAB photo) that I asked if I could blog her layout as well as my original. I loves hers (said in an accent not unlike Linz Davis' *insert cheesy grin and start muttering liiii-laaaac to yourself*) Plus the photo of mine (there...there...to the right) is poop. I am liking that doodling malarky though. I'm just playing and experimenting at the mo, but finding I'm doing it all over the place, if you'll pardon the whatsit. Zoe is, by the way, the daughter of some of my friends in Reading. She is a delightful girl and is just a pleasure to be around...always smiling.

Anyhoo...Swansea Crop was all fab and wonderful and Anne and I managed not to get mugged returning the tables we'd borrowed back to their rightful home (phew!) so then the next morning I was off up to Newport for The South Wales Crop (only a couple off being full...which is a bit wow seeing as it's a summer month and people are orf on their holidays and such like and full for us down there means 40 scrappers). Although I was treasurer that day (BIG job...literally 2 hours later you sit down and then you've got to coordinate all your bits of paper and receipts and so on), I just thought blow this for a game of soldiers, and I pressed on with my paper bag book and finished the bare bones of it by the end of the day.

I'm damn marvellous I tell you.

Piccies of said paper bag book and some other bits and bobs coming up. And we'll be right back after this break. Don't go flicking channels now!

And on a lighter note...

I am very grateful to Kate in York (on UK Scrappers) who posted this link today and also Maggie in Scotland, as they gave me the best laugh of my whole week. Tooooooooooo funny.

Click! Click! Seriously...click!

The Secret World of Scrapbooking and then Scrapbooking Lady Strikes Again

A year ago today...

...evil visited London. And I quote Ken Livingstone who spoke so poignantly about it from Singapore where he was taking part in Britain's successful Olympic bid:

"I want to say one thing specifically to the world today. This was not a terrorist attack against the mighty and the powerful. It was not aimed at Presidents or Prime Ministers. It was aimed at ordinary, working-class Londoners, black and white, Muslim and Christian, Hindu and Jew, young and old. It was an indiscriminate attempt to slaughter, irrespective of any considerations for age, for class, for religion, or whatever.

That isn't an ideology, it isn't even a perverted faith - it is just an indiscriminate attempt at mass murder" (see the full speech).

I was born in London and lived there for my early years. Both my parents were born and raised in London. 3 of my grandparents were born in London and all 4 of them lived there most if not all of their lives. Many other members of my family and ancestors have these connections to this city. I have visited it a thousand times. And so I will be thinking of the victims of the bombings during the 2 minutes silence at midday.

But acts such as these are more than just geography. And most of us are simply ordinary, nice people going about our ordinary lives. But that's the point isn't it? Don't live in fear. Be just a little kinder to one another. Be grateful for, and use, our freedom to move around and think and choose as we wish. Make Britain and any other place we visit a pleasant place to be by our actions and show those who take part in any way in this evil that they WILL NEVER WIN.

Gosh...July must be 'political month' for me. Wonder what else I can get talking about... :-D

A friend of mine is writing a book at the moment (Butterfly Lullaby) which includes photos as part of the story. She asked if she could use Celyn and another of her daughter's schoolmates as models for the book. Mmmm...let me see...the chance to dress my daughter up in girly-girly clothes so she looks really cute and then take photos??? Naaaah. Not up my alley at all, that one. Bwaahaaahaa.

She also asked to use my Mum as there is a Great Grandmother Fairy character at the end of the book (and she loves my Mum's hair...she always wears it up in a French bun and it's still thick and lovely, despite being 84 this month).

So we set up a studio in my home and she snapped the pictures she needed and I snapped pictures too. And I completely love this photo I took. The lovely relationship between Celyn and my Mum is there for all to see and I'm sure in years to come this shot will be a treasure for us all.

I also took these pics of the girls as buzzy buzzy bees. Awwwwww.

England

I knew as soon as it went into extra time that it would end in penalties and I couldn't bear to watch them, so I left. I mean, for pity's sake, I could barely bear to watch them in the Germany Argentina game a few days before, so England taking penalties...no, no, no...not happening. I also knew, as chips are chips, penalties mean we lose. So I couldn't bear to watch it...just got in my car and drove home. Julia and I had been teaching Colour for Design at Crafty-Ness and I'd been watching the game on Vanessa's little TV she has upstairs. Never mind. It's only a game. Sad though.

But something else has been on my mind and I've been thinking about this for two days now...whether to blog it. However I just need to get this off my chest.

In one way I am relieved the football is over. Why? Because I am so completely and utterly fed up of my country being maligned wherever I go. And those who do it laughably seem to think it's perfectly okay for them to do so. I have had people chat to me in my local supermarket and then, upon hearing my accent, say "Oh I'd better not let my friends catch me talking to you...I'll be in trouble." All said in jest...but it had an element of truth behind it and left me feeling fairly stunned. I've had people ranting on about their English neighbours putting up Crosses of St. George (putting up their own country's flag...what are they thinking?). I've been in a school where the half-hour video they've shown for Welsh lesson was an historical account of how the medieval English laws were "stupid" whereas the Welsh ones were much more sensible and fair. I've had to listen to people blatantly going out of their way to support any team in the football (replace this word with rugby or any other sport you care to mention) who might have a good chance of beating England. I've had to listen to the local news programme talk about a soldier who was "forced" ("forced!!!" I ask you!!) to watch England with the other English squaddies he was stationed with (he wasn't forced by the way...but why use such emotive language? Husband and I were laughing our heads off at the news item...how completely ridiculous to even use such a word!). I've walked behind 9 and 10 year old boys chatting who've been ecstatic because another country has beaten England (why, at 9 years old do they hate England so much?). I've heard of teenager (a friend of a friend at church) who has "EnglandIsCrap" as her email address, and can give no good reason as to why she hates the country so much. And when I turned on the radio on the way home from Crafty-Ness on Saturday to see if, indeed, the penalties had panned out as I had expected, the first thing I heard was a Scottish listener on the phone to the Radio 1 DJ, completely jumping for joy because England had been beaten. I turned it off in disgust...not because I was upset about England losing but because everyone seemed to think that her whooping with joy was okay. That was okay to air, because it was only England after all. But...what if these people were talking about Jews? Or blacks? Everyone would throw their hands up in horror. The video in the school would never have been made, let alone shown in lessons. Law courts might even be involved.

And it has the effect of making me feel either (a) paranoid that people are always thinking such things and when someone is rude or unkind or thoughtless that it is, in fact, to do with my nationality, or (b) more and more and more patriotic because one's back is up (which then intensifies the anti-English feeling and so it goes on).

It's racism and I hate it. Whoever does it to whom.

Right. Done moaning.

Oh...and who do I want to win now? France (vous m'avez entendu, les francaises? LOL)