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Wednesday, January 31, 2007

From the Sofa...

Still feeling cr*p, was up most of the night being sick...everytime I lay down I felt sick, and made the dashing the dark to the bathroom. I think the sum total of my broken sleep amounted to less than 4 hours.

I did however manage to get Georgia to school on time....just. I am not known for ever being anywhere really early, so just in time is good enough for me. I drove home and parked myself on the sofa and apart from the trip to the kitchen to make a drink, that is where I stayed until it was time t go back to collect Georgia. Although sat on the sofa, I did manage to file my self assessment online, and due to an overpayment of tax....I am due a few hundred pound refund. I decided to get a SD 800 Speedlight for my new D80.I checked out the prices online, and ordered. So it should be here at the beginning of next week...can't wait.

Off to have a soak in the bath, and then bed to see if I can catch up with some sleep.

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Feeling Poorly...

Had been feeling the early signs of a cold, and when I woke up this morning my throat was sore and my nose was streaming. I must have blown it a million times today. It made me think of something my Mum used to say to me. I would say "Mum, my nose won't stop running" and she would say "Tell it to walk". I really do miss the silly things she used to say to me. So hard to believe that she will have been gone for 4 years at the beginning of May. I miss her every day...just talking to her, hearing her voice. Anyway before I have myself in tears, back to business. I managed to drag my sorry self off to the school to drop Georgia off, and on the way home felt incredibly sick, and decided to cancel my appointment for today. Bearing in mind that I had trouble making it home the mile from the school, I decided that a 70 mile round trip was not the most sensible thing to do. So I spent the day feeling sorry for myself and scrapping on the sofa. I had a little 6x6 canvas given to be by a team mate on UKS, and decided to make it for Georgia.
So here it is, when Georgia saw it her exact words were "Mummy, it's fantabulous", she is such a cutie. Knowing how poorly I was feeling she was such a little angel here this afternoon.

Anyway, I think I can hear the shower calling me, and then I am off to bed to watch the new series of CSI on Five.

Monday, January 29, 2007

More CHA Sneak Peeks...

Well CHA is in full swing now, and more pictures are appearing on forums worldwide.

I have been looking to see what all my favourite manufacturers have in store for me. I have started to make a list of things that caught my eye from the pictures, but like most scrappers, I would like to see better pictures before I decided for sure.

I am loving all the new stamps by Autumn Leaves, particulary the seals and the barcodes pictured here, there are also some fab new overlays as I mentioned yesterday, they are great for easy to do pages.

The florals still seem to be popular, so anyone hoping that trend was over will be disappointed. As usual there are an abundance of "girly" papers and embellishments, with fewer aimed at the "boy" market. Saying that Junkitz have a new "boy" range which looks great, as does Creative Imaginations, and of course as I mentioned yesterday...there is also a "Toby" range from Love Elsie by KI Memories.

Bazzill have bought out some new Bling Colours, and also some new shapes and colours to the "With an Edge" range, here is a picture of one of the new shapes, I like the look of the tag....it will make great not so mini albums, or just an interesting change on layouts, think I will put a couple of those on my wish list.

Also by Rhonna Farrer and Autumn Leaves is a fab new line of papers, French Twist, they are also on my list.
A couple of new books in the Autumn Leaves Designing with range...Designing with Details, and Perfectly Clear Stamps. The list really does go on and on. Like majority of Scrappers across the world I will be searching out my favourites.

As a self confessed stash addict, I really do not need any of the items I have listed, if I carried on scrapping for the next 5 years I would barely run out of some of the items in my stash....but I still NEEEEEEED them!

On a more personal note, after much umming and ahhing, I have finally ordered myself a Troll Bracelet. I ordered a nice long length of bracelet, so that I have enough room for my chubby little wrists once it is laden with beads. I only ordered a couple of beads and the clasp, I opted for the fish clasp...I am a Pisces after all, then came a Coffee silver bead...I do love my morning coffee...finally came a Rose Ribbon...which I think of as a Pink Ribbon and reminds be of loved ones who lost the battle to Cancer. I have also commissioned a "dangle" to be made by a lovely lady in the US ( Thanks Vicki for her details). With Mothers Day and my Birthday around the corner, I am already making a list of ones that my family can buy me. I will post a picture of it as soon as it arrives (hopefully later this week). What Troll Beads are on your wish list??

Sunday, January 28, 2007

CHA and the new stuff...

I am sat here browsing through the sneak peaks posted on many of the US & UK Scrapping Forums, and I wonder where it all ends. It seems like every manufacturing is coming out with a different cutting system. We have the CraftRobo, Cricut, Pazzles, and Quickutz have just announced their new system...The Silhouette. With so many different manufacturers and systems coming onto the market, how do you decide which one to get?, and will there be a better one on the market only moments after you have made your purchase? With a price point of between £370 & £270 there are many things to consider. With the CraftRobo the initial outlay is the highest, but then you don't have to pay for cartridges, or downloads, but then there is the steep learning curve, and it needs to be connected to a PC. With the Cricut you have a price point of £265 with many online stores having special offers on at the moment. You don't need a PC, but the cartridges are in the region of £50 each. I am told it is very easy to use. I don't know anyone who has the Pazzles, although I see it regularly advertised in the US CK magazine. The Silhouette says that it will have downloads available, but whether they are free remains to be seen. It also says that it will cut any true type font, but again, can they be ones you already own? So by the time the next show happens later in the year, how many cutting systems will there be?

I also saw another new gadget from Making Memories....a Tag Curler, I mean, could they not have designed one tool last year...instead of giving us the Tag Maker last year, and the Tag Curler this year? Or is it just a ploy to part us with our hard earned cash.


I am loving the look of the new Love Elise range introduced by KI Memories. I think there is something for everyone. I know many people are frustrated at the lack of "boy" stuff, with so many manufacturers adding flowers & hearts to green/blue paper ranges. I am sure Elsie's line will be successful, and hope we see many more lines from her in the future.


For anyone who has been getting the Jenni Bowlin kits this past year, you will have seen her line of journalling cards. Well Autumn Leaves are releasing them as clear stamps. Also be Autumn Leaves are some fab Overlays by Jackie Eckles, I have recently purchased some digital overlays of hers. There are also some fab seal stamps and barcode stamps both by Katie Pertiet, which I quite sure will end up in my stash at some point.

For a stash addict, the trade shows are a glimpse into my future purchases, and while there is plenty that I won't be buying....there is plenty that is already on my shopping list.

Saturday, January 27, 2007

New Header

Well, I did manage my lie-in, can't remember the last time I got to sleep until 8am...LOL Since having breakfast I have been busy cleaning and tidying and I decided to take a break from housework (I know...dirty word to a real scrapper) and made a new Blog Header. David took this picture of me last week during our little photo shoot, when I was looking up at Georgia's balloon....and I kind of liked the lost look....contemplating, what I am not entirely sure.

Took delivery of some 7 Gypsies papers from QVC yesterday. Now QVC really could learn a thing or two from the Online Craft Stores. They sent them in a corrugated envelope...which is an improvment on their previous packaging. Sadly as the weather had been wet all week, they arrived a little soggy. Ironic really when Creative Imaginations Foam Stamps that I also ordered arrived packed in the same corrugated envelope, but also had a plastic bag around them. Anyway, back to the papers, approx half were beyond use, but the ones in the middle faired a little better. When I called QVC she wanted me to send them back, I explained that it wouldn't be worth it as most were a soggy mess, so she finally agreed to send me out a replacement pack...yipee.

David has just taken Georgia off for a walk, so the house is totally peaceful. I cannot remember when it has been this quiet...no tv, no music, just the gentle hum of the fridge/freezer. Well that didn't last long, no sooner had I typed it, than they walk through the door, leaving a muddy trail on the carpet in the hall.....arrggghhh, MEN.


Will leave you with more layouts done earlier this month. I took this picture of Georgia with Jody (my step niece) during a quiet moment in the afternoon. They look so comfy and cozy snuggled up together.
This layout was done for a Design Team call by Ribbon Mad on UKScrappers back in October, I think. Sadly I was unsuccesful, but I really loved the page, and that is all that matters in the long run, and I am on the ScrapaGoGo one now, so maybe these things happen for a reason.

Well back to the housework, as sadly it doesn't do itself.

Friday, January 26, 2007

Another week flies by...

I cannot believe another week has passed. Not the best week for me. I have been run off my feet with work, and feeling tired, stressed and snappy. Georgia has come home from school with nits again...despite my vigilance. I treat her, and she goes into school each week nit free...but she always seems to come home with them. I have never in my life had nits, and cannot believe common they are in kids these days.


Wednesday saw the arrival of snow here in Milton Keynes, sadly is was gone before the day is over, but I did manage to take a quick photo before breakfast. Georgia and I had a quick snowball fight on the way to the car...she managed to hit me on the back twice.

Thursday after school we took a quick trip to Gambados, where Georgia ran around, bounced, slid, swung and generally had a great time with Katie/Katherine her friend from school. Georgia has finally found the courage to go head first on her tummy down the wiggly slide. Once she started she couldn't stop. David came and joined us, and we ended up staying there until almost 6pm. Once home Georgia soon flaked out and fell asleep in my arms. I really miss her snuggling up on my chest, just like she did when she was younger. Like all children her age she is becomine more confident and independant. All too soon she won't be needing me as much, can't bear to think about that.

Tomorrow is Saturday, and I am determind to stay in bed until 8am....a lie-in.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

{Smile for the Camera...}

Well the weekend is almost over, and sadly no craft show as due to the foul weather on Thursday, the marque was damaged.

Instead David, Georgia and I had a mini photo shoot in the lounge. Before Xmas I ordered a pop-up background to use with my new Nikon D80 (one side is black and the other is white). I spent just over an hour beautifying myself (David's choice of words not mine....LOL) I changed into jeans and a black t-shirt (ala Venture style) and off we snapped. We bought a remote to take picture as it means we don't have to run back to the tripod to press the self timer. The reason for the pictures was that I desperately needed some photos of us both together for my February Scrapagogo Design Team work. Obviously there is a romantic theme to the kit...it is the February Kit after all.

Ok, so the pictures were all taken and this morning, I played around with them, coverted them to black & white and coverted them from RAW into JPegs...and then dashed over to Costco to get them printed out. I was pleased with how they turned out, and even more pleased with the finished projects I did with them. Cannot show pictures until the kit is out in the middle of next month.
I will however share a couple of pictures that I took yesterday. First is of David & I, adjusted the brightness due to indoor photography, changed to black & white, and also changed to hi key (think that is what you call it, please leave me a comment if I am wrong).

The second is of Georgia & I, when setting up the picture, the cat knocked the tripod, so we are not in the position we planned...but I liked the shot, so kept it. It is what I call a "Happy Accident".

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Mid Week Moan!

So we are halfway through the week and just over halfway through January already. Can someone please slow time down a bit for me, as it feels like I have been put on fast forward.

Today was a bumper parcel day for me. My new camera bag arrived....now at least my camera is protected...I hate to leave it out on the side as the cats have a habit of climbing and then things just seem to jump from the table. I also got my January & February kits from Scrapagogo, and also my layout back from Creative Scrapbooking. I was pleased to have it back, plus angry that it was only sent second class regular mail, when they specifically ask for you to send it to them either recorded or special delivery. Why do they not treat our layouts with the same care that we treat them...In my opinion it shows a complete lack of respect. I was also disappointed as it means that it will not appear in the February issue....as there will not be a February issue....or any other issue come to that.

I am off to Thorpe Park on Sunday for the craft show with a group from the Milton Keynes Crop that I attend. Not sure what I want to buy...not sure that I really need anything. But when has that ever stopped a scrapper from buying more stash. I am semi interested in the imagepac system that allows you to make your own clear stamps. I had a go at Bonanza last year and was very impressed with the results, so that may be considered. I know that I shouldn't buy any more patterned paper, blossoms, buttons, stamps, alphabets...the list just goes on. But who decides how much is too much? Can there ever be such a thing as too much? When someone works it out, could they please, please let me know the answer.

Tonight I am working on my DT work for Scrapagogo....I have a project underway using the January kit that Lorraine is going to add to the site later this week...just as soon as I send her some pics...hopefully tomorrow. Once that is completed I am free to play with the February Kit...cannot wait. I totally love the Bo Bunny Heart Throb collection. If you haven't seen it check out their website www.bobunny.com

OK before I go off to create, I thought I would leave you with something to look at. I did this layout earlier this month while cropping at a friends house. While sticking the buttons down, I dripped Diamond Glaze onto the photo....seeing that everything was stuck down fast, and thinking on my feet, I decided to just stick a crown on her head and stick a couple of diamonte's on it...Voila!

Ok, just one more picture, I do love to add some colour to my blog...well surprise, surprise Blogger is being a pain in the a*se and won't do as it is asked...just like my 4 year old...LOL

Enough from me for now...off to create.
C
x

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Yippeeeee the weekend is here...

Well The last couple of days have gone by in a huge blur. Thursday morning Georgia woke up at 4am with a stomach ache, and by 5am, she had manage to cover us and our bed in vomit...what a lovely start to the day...covered in blackcurrant juice vomit. So that meant me having to cancel my appointment and stay home with her. Poor little mite lay on the sofa. I told her she had a stomach bug, and her response was "Mummy, Do I have an Ant in my tummy". I tried to explain that it was a virus/germ, but she wouldn't budge from the Ant comment. I explained we have to starve the bug to kill it, and her response was..."If I don't eat or drink anything but water, the Ant will die?" I really tried to stop her calling it an Ant...but gave up trying as it didn't work...LOL

I also have other news......I am finally on a Design Team. I am now an official member of the Scrapagogo Design Team. Having subbed to the kit for almost a year...and loving it, I was so honoured to be asked to join their Design Team. I start from the February Kit, and cannot wait to get my hands on it. If you have not looked at the kit before, check out www.scrapagogo.co.uk, or click on the link to the right of this post.

David got his settlement from General Motors yesterday, and we wasted no time dashing off to Jessops to get our grubby little mitts on a new DSLR. We had decided to get a Nikon D80, with a couple of additional lenses, and we came home £965 the poorer...but oh so happy. David could hardly wait for the battery to charge before playing. We intend to take a few pictures today to give it a good road test.

We are about to set off to visit my family down in Surrey, and tomorrow David's Mum & Dad are coming up to Milton Keynes for the Caravan Show that is on in Middleton Hall this weekend.

Anyway, better leave you with a couple more layouts. This is a picture of my nephew Alex who turns 16 in July this year. Like almost all teenagers, he does not like having his photograph taken. This Christmas I persuaded him to let me take lots of pictures. In all of them he was smiling, but that didn't look right. I mean do you know a teenager smiles? So I asked him to give me his "normal" stroppy teen face, and this is what I got. I did play around with the colour saturation of the picture, so that it is almost black and white, with just a hint of colour in his face and the red hat.
Not sure what he will think of it, but I am pleased.

Anyway, enough for now...better get ready to hit the road.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

New Layouts...


As promised here are a couple of layouts that I have done so far in 2007. The picture was taken a couple of days before Christmas when Santa dropped in to make sure that Georgia had been behaving. We don't know how he found the time in his busy delivery schedule to drop in. Thanks to Sasha and Paul for arranging it, Georgia was so excited, she felt so special.

The second layout is of my Niece, Hannah, she is such a poser in front of the camera, always happy to have her picture taken. I love the way David caught her in a more natural pose with her new puppy. Both of these layouts were done using my December Scrapagogo Kit, which containted the Blonde Moments Festive Feast papers amongst many of my own bits and pieces.



Happy New Year....even if it is a little belated...

Well, as usual I am a bad blogger. I really was never that good at keeping a Diary/Journal up to date, as you will probably have already worked out.

So what has been going on in my world you may or may not have been thinking. Well December went by in a huge blur, I left all my Christmas present shopping until about the 14th December, and then had a mad week getting everything organised. Well I got there, and we had a fab christmas down in Surrey with my Dad, Sister and her clan. Boxing Day was spent with David's Mum & Dad. In the afternoon a short walk in Bushy Park, and then a trip to Hampton Court Palace to see the ice skating. We had wanted to skate but it was very busy and Georgia was too nervous, so we just sat and drank hot chocolate and watched.

David finally ended an 18 year career with General Motors on 31st December, and for approximately one week he was unemployed. He has now started a six month contract with Comau in Luton, and seems to be enjoying working days again, after over 8 years of permanent night shift.

I have been busy scrapping away so far this year, having completed 11 layouts so far in 2007. I will upload a few each day over the next week. Like almost everyone else in the world, I have made a couple of resolutions. Nothing to serious, although the first is to live a more healthy lifestyle, including more exercise and a more healthy diet. The second is scrap related, 2005 saw me published in a scrapping magazine for the first time, 2006 saw me published twice with three different layouts appearing in two editions of two different magazines. In 2007 my aim was to become a member of a Design Team, and although I cannot mention which team I am joining, I can confirm that I have been offered a place on a Design Team....I will give more details as soon as I am able.


Well enough words....onto a picture. I took this picture on Christmas Morning, just after Georgia had opened her presents and before she had a specially prepared boiled egg breakfast lovingly made by her Grandad.