Flat Packing

By the exciting nature of todays photo you could be easily fooled into thinking I was housebound again.. but you'd be wrong.

I went out to play today.

Vicky and I are organising, between us, a scrapbooking crop at Samuel Taylors / Embsay Crafts in Embsay and today was our first proper date (we did have a bit of a drop in day in November just to give people an idea of what we were doing).  It was full!  Initially we thought we'd be lucky if we got 6 people but 16 people came and there are more than that on the mailing list now (29 to be exact).

I had a great time and spent too much money, like you do.  And from all the comments we've had, it sounds like everyone else enjoyed themselves too.  The shop must've made plenty of money out of us too, £40 in crops fees then everybodys spending.  If mine was anything to go by, they made a fortune (oops).

I went home via Next to collect some school trousers I had ordered for Theo, then Tina's to pick up Louis party bag and to beg some babysitting favours, thank you Tina <3

Louis had had a party invitation for the afternoon and Adam couldn't take him so Tina offered seeing as Hannah was going too.  She actually had him nearly all day!  I dropped him off about 9, on my way to the crop, so that he could play with Hannah.  He stayed and played, then they went to the party and he fell asleep in the car on the way back to Tina's so he didn't get home until just after 4pm!  Busy day!

When I got home just before 6pm it was to find that Adam and Theo had been re arranging funiture and my bed was buried under a mountain of clothes.  They had moved my drawers out of our room and into the boys room so that we could put the new drawers into our room (they've been sitting in the utility room, flat packed, since before Louis was born!).  The new drawers were still in pieces, layed out in the space where they were going to live.

Adam and I spent a couple of hours putting the frame and drawers together before bed.  Tomorrow I just need to finish up the drawers with the centre support and then they need securing onto the runners and I can start filling them up.

And last but by no means least.  Just as I was loading up the car to leave this morning the lovely postie delivered my new phone, the T-Mobile G1.  So I stuck that in my bag and whilst I was chattering away, meeting new people and setting up my workspace, I dug it out of the box, put in the sim card and battery and put it on charge.

Unfortunately there is no phone signal in the shop so I didn't get to actually play with the phone until I was in the car in the car park at the end of the day but at least it was charged and ready to play with.  It's taking a bit of getting used to, I didn't realise how much I relied on predictive texting, with a full keyboard this thing doesn't have it.  I love the touch screen though.  The camera is 3.2, same as my old phone, but this one doesn't have a flash which is a pain, I hadn't realised that.  Still, I like it so far and I'm stuck with it for 18 months so it's just as well.

Scrapping

I actually got round to doing some scrapbooking today, which is just as well because this entry is part of a circle journal that should have been posted on 23rd December.

For my photo of the day I decided to take a photo to prove I'd done some scrapping. Thing is, the light wasn't that good at I kept getting camera shake so I decided to do it on purpose.

This is my collection of novelty brads.

Oh and I got some great news today.  A good friend of mine is getting married later this year.  Yay, I can't wait.  HUGE Congratulations Helen

New Glasses

This was Theo this morning before we set off for school, all smart in his uniform and new glasses. On the walk down to school he was telling me that he was really looking forward to showing all of his friends at school his new glasses.

I have to admit that when we picked them up from the opticians on Friday after school I nearly cried. They make his eyes look so big, I didn't realise just how strong they would be. I know that the prescription is high but it's not the same seeing the glasses on his face rather than just numbers on a piece of paper.

I was told by the opticians to expect a fight to get him to keep them on but we've had no problems at all. One of Adam's friends from work said that when her two daughters got their glasses, the one whose prescription was the weakest (hence glasses made less of a difference) was always taking off her glasses, but the one who had the stronger prescription just put her glasses on and got on with it, presumably because they made such a difference and she could see. I'm assuming that's why Theo has just gotten on with it.

On Saturday morning Theo came into our bedroom with his glasses on and said "Mummy, you've got spots on your face" when I asked him where and he pointed to the bridge of my nose I explained that they were freckles. He said "Have you always had them?" awww.

I was out during the day on Saturday but apparently he said to Adam, in a very considering tone, "Daddy, my glasses are a reflection of the world" Hmmm. I wonder what he's been watching.

During the day on Saturday I went to my scrapbooking crop where I got to stick photos and pieces of paper to other pieces of paper. One of my friends there had a little girl 4 weeks ago today and she brought her in to see us. Here is a photo of me and baby Chloe, isn't she gorgeous? (my two were never this small) I'm definitely feeling broody now. What are the chances of guranteeing that I get a baby girl next time? I don't think technology has got that far has it? Oh well, never mind. I'll have to settle for cuddling Chloe (and Amy-Louise if we ever get to visit Morgan)


Speaking of Morgan, the mr Potato Head was from her, thank you again :D

Retreeeeat

Well I had a fabulous weekend with lots to do, lots to eat and lots more to say :D

I drove to the accomodation just outside Alston, Cumbria, with my friends Vicky, Caroline and a car full of papers, food and the occassional item of clothing. I barely stopped talking for the 2 hours + that the journay took, which doesn't surprise me. When I visit people I often come away feeling like I haven't stopped talking and worrying that the people I have just left aren't sighing in relief and cooling down their ears with something from the fridge :lol:

This picture is just an idea of what the place looked like after we'd all arrived and gotten ensconced in our chosen places.

Tables and tables of bits of paper, tool totes and every piece of scrapbooking equipment you could possibly imagine. If there was anything you needed that you hadn't brought there was always someone willing to lend or share. If it was inspiration you were short of there were lots of amazing layouts to look at and people willing to offer a suggestion or two.

This is everyone apart from Lynn, who had to leave early. Lets see, if we start at the back on the left we have Sherry (pink hair), Netty, Caroline (hiding behind Susy), Susy and Marie. Next row we have Vicky (pink top), Lesley, Kirsty, Jenny, Ali, Me and Rachel. Finally, behind me and Rachel is Hazel (orange top), Natalie (blue stripey top) and Erika.

We also had a visit from Julie and Helen of Scrapbooking Castle who brought loads of scrummy stash for us to buy at AMAZING prices. I am sorry to hear they are closing down the shop (but it did mean we got some fantastic bargains).

I am very pleased to say that, in among eating the gorgeous buns and cakes, the chocolate, the biscuits, a little fruit and drinking gallons of tea, I did manage to complete some layouts. I started more than I finished (surprise surprise lol) but I still did more this weekend than I've done in the past six months! I will be posting them over on Apshoo shortly so go and have a nosey :D

Cumbria here we come

Well I have the entire contents of my craft cupboard plus the kitchen sink packed and ready to take to Cumbria with me tomorrow :D

I'm leaving Adam and the boys at home whilsty I go away with friends (18 of them!) to an 'adventure centre' in Alston, Cumbria so we can chat, drink, laugh, maybe cry and occasionally stick photos and bits of paper to other bits of paper. I can't wait :D

There will be cakes and alcohol shh. I have been told there may be flatulance too so I'm certainly glad I have no sense of smell.

On a roll

Wohoo, 2 layouts in 2 days. I'm definitely on a roll (but lets see how long it lasts)

2nd Dec, layout all about the weather.

I thought rather than do a layout about how miserable the weather usually is I'd show what I think the weather should be.

Again Kirsty Wisemans Jack Frost Digi papers and elements, a couple of home made elements and brad and photo turner from J Sprague

Shimelle Christmas Journal 1 December 2007

Well I'm off to a good start this year. Here is December 1st Layout.

I'm doing the layouts in digital this year, involves less lugging of papers and glues etc upstairs and I can do it without fear of the boys getting hold of anything sharp. Watch this space for more pages

Ooops

I have actually had a life between 17 July and now, I just haven't gotten around to writing about it here.

We've had our first ever family camping holiday, Theo had his first fishing trip, Louis got mobile (commando style), I've had my Virgin Vie training AND my first 2 parties plus a marathon scrapbooking session with a group of lovely ladies :)

There is plenty more, I just can't remember what

Photos and more details to follow

Bump

I've had a great day today. Adam looked after the boys whilst I went to Kirsty's for the day to do some chatting and scrapping. As it turned out, I did far more chatting than scrapping but at least I did complete 1 layout from start to finish, which is practically unheard of for me.

We called at Natalie's mums for a cuppa and a natter. Natalie, Trina, Hayley, Lesley and Rachel were there scrapping, we didn't just pick a random friend and visit their mum LOL

I even had a brief lesson in Marine fishkeeping as Kirstys husband Wayne had been out and come back with various bits and pieces for the tank so I was quizzing him about them.
Oooh, and according to Adam, Theo had another dry day. Yay

Camping? Who me? Nah

I got me a camping table. To do my scrapping on .

I've just set it up in the living room to see how it goes together and what 70 x 70 x 70cm actually looks like. It's a good size and a nice height for working on from the sofa or computer chair. Thing is... it's not just a quick fold out / fold away jobby, it involves attaching 10 little grippy things (and taking them off again to put it away) but it does fold away very small.

Hopefully I'll get more scrapping done now I've got a table to work at. Yes I know I've got a dining table but that's in the kitchen and I can't see the telly from there, Doh. Now all I have to do is drag all my scrapping stuff upstairs to the living room and maybe even my robo and do some scrapping, oh and expain to Adam why I needed to buy a table when we've got a perfectly good one already (although it is in the kitchen as I've already said) and we're trying to empty our home of crap not fill it up even more.. Ooops

Oh, did I mention that it was reduced in price? No? Well that makes all the difference you know.

We're Ba-ack

Just a quick post to say that we're now home from our weeks holiday in a lovely cottage in Babraham, a village just outside Cambridge.

We had a great time either lazing in the cottage and 1/3rd acre enclosed garden, complete with climbing frame and trampoline, or going out to visit local attractions. The weather was amazing for the most part and the tourist attractions were fairly quiet because it's term time and most people were at work or school. Add to that the fact that I spent the weekend at a scrapbooking retreat glueing and sticking and generally getting in a mess (felt like I was a 10 year old again, great fun), we couldn't have asked for a better week I think.

Here's a photo of the cottage, click on the little pic 'cause the main picture is a lot longer and you can see much more.

I'll be back with more news and photos from the holiday later today hopefully.
Edited to add: I've added the holiday photos etc on the dates they were taken so if you're reading this chronologically then you will have already seen them

It's Me!!!

A photo of me is something you are very unlikely to see... anywhere but this is an exception 'cause I like this picture. You'll normally see me with glasses on and although I am quite short (5'2") I'm not always looking up like this either

The photo was taken by the very talented Anita Mundt at the Scrapping Angels retreat I went to this weekend (whilst Adam was looking after the boys at our nearby holiday cottage, how lucky am I? LOL)

If I'm feeling brave I might post some of the Layouts I made at the weekend, hmmm, we'll see

Northen Papercrafts Extravaganza

I went into Harrogate with friends today to buy and stroke pretty paper. I spent far too much considering I only wanted a little cardstock (which cost me £8).

I took Adams car and used the sat nav to get me to the Yorkshire Showground. It took me to a cul-de-sac round the back of the showground!!

Had a great time though, sharpened my elbows before we set off so I actually managed to get into some of the 'booths' and buy some patterned papers and fastenator staples. We met up with friends for coffee at 11, a group of us from the Leeds Crop (that's glueing and sticking for those of you who don't know, scrapbooking for those of you who do). We'd been chatting about the event on the UKScrappers forums and agreed to wear a penguin so that we could identify each other at the event. I didn't see any penguins belonging to people I didn't already know though.

Kirsty tried to buy some cutters from one stall but they wouldn't let her Apparently they were on special offer and the price was on a leaflet they had but they couldn't find it so wouldn't sell it to her.

After the show we went to the Kestral for a pub lunch, 9 of us from the Leeds crop, well 8 of us from the crop plus 1 other half . The food was gorgeous and the company very entertaining, could have stayed there all afternoon but I think we were being a tad loud, lots of laughter.

Really looking forward to the next crop

Manifesto: Noun. A declaration of one’s intentions.

Starting December first, I will keep a Christmas journal. In it, I will write something every day to reflect on the holidays of my past, enjoy the holidays of the present and dream about the holidays of my future. To some, this will be a stack of papers and trivial scribbles, but not to me. I am taking back my Christmas, I am letting it be something I relish and, most importantly, I am giving at least fifteen minutes every day to myself no matter how crazy this season becomes. I hope you will share, encourage and understand as I make something with my own hands, my own words and my own memories.

I may post some or all of my entries here. Other artists are doing this with me and you can see some of their work here

If you are inspired to join in you can do so here

Above all: enjoy the season. I will.

Karen