Hi ho, hi ho

its back to work I go...
and it's about time I updated.
Got back from hols Monday - 7 and a half hours of driving straight around from Dumfries.
(hurray for mp3's that you can play in our car stereo. 6 series of 'old harry's game', half of 'revolting people' and the whole of 'Thud' by Terry Pratchett (unedited about 24 hours of genius) over the holiday. )

Tuesday was washing and unpacking and washing
oh and Hywel's 14th birthday which meant his friends coming round for tea (my baby - 14!)

Wednesday was card craft heaven - last day of hols meant making some cards. I took my zipemate on holiday and made up some cows, cars and chickens. (and handbags but that would have spoiled the alliteration) so I've been busy sticking them on. I had to send some today and got them through the perspex of death at the post office with nay bother (fortnight in Scotland and I can talk the lingo see. Och ay). So I know that brads, ribbon thread things and thin sticky pads are still ok. Phew!

Thursday - looking at the paper mountain that was my desk and the full diary for September and sighing. But no more excuses for not updating either
I haven't edited all the photos yet you will be relieved to hear.
On the down side that means that you will have to be looking at them for the next few weeks.

(Side note: as a family when I was in my teens we were invited round to a house to look at some photos of a holiday. My parents thought the invite implied food. Oh no. Just 3 hours - and I do not exaggerate I'm afraid - of slides and some very rumbly tums).

Southerness is on the edge of Scotland. You can see the Lake district on a clear day. Actually you can see it on a foggy or rainy day too but not as well.
Strictly speaking this is the view from Drumburn just up the coast but I think that is England. It kept moving and confusing me. Or maybe i was moving. still confused though
This is Southerness beach, just down from the campsite. Lovely rocks, romantic lighthouse and squelchy, muddy sand which is what the fambly liked best
I was able to take lots of aforementioned photos - mostly thinking "that will make a good scrap page" and lots of arty shots too.

but I did join in honest...

and I was going to show you but blogger is playing up s you'll just have to take my word for it for now. :)

3 return plus thousands extra, 2 depart

Aaaargh.
I sent the kids away finally nit free. With some great new 'bugger off and never come back but oooh so good for hair' spray.
But all it needs is one little teensy tiny stubborn egg that I have missed to become an army.
I hate them.
So tis back to being monkey mother for a while. Maybe by the end of the holidays... but then once back in school someone else will have them.
It is a huge problem that probably will only be sorted out if all school children had shaved heads.
I'm convinced that they like the smell or taste of certain people rather than others - as mosquitoes do. Some children never get them. Mine can't get rid of them.

I'll pause for a moment for you to scratch your head.

I had a horrid day yesterday. A hall user at one of my churches rang up and haranged me. Although he has a right to be miffed about what happened what he said was totally over the top, down right rude and unjustifiable.
However.
I can say that today.
Yesterday I just thought he was right.

I still struggle with self esteem issues and it takes very little to squish me. I am so much better than I was last year when the black dog was with me all the time. But I've still got a way to go. And another horrible confrontational meeting today. But it's face to face which I can cope with better.
Then there is the small matter of a sermon and packing for the holiday...
Phil has just taken Spot and Mrs M for their hols. They are going to the chicken equivalent of a cattery (what would you call it?)

I have done two more cards that were needed for sending today and carys made one for my dad too.
Phil's brother Martin is 40 next week. Not possible as we are older than he is...
Paper is SAkit for July. UTEE'd star plus brads from carolyn's














This one uses SA kit for August. May arts ribbon. Carolyn's bargain brads again (which means I can use loads!) UTEE'd numbers and hearts. I have some divine turquoise utee and also experimented with putting extra fine glitter in a bag with some clear crystals. I obviously haven't got the mix right yet but it gives a distressed look.
And finally the card Carys made. I give a few hints and suggestions but she works it out. Tag and Dog are QK, letters are Girls are wierd. Paper is We R Memory Keepers. Oh I love double sided paper.


















Well family - (2 adults, 3 children, some nits) are off to cold and rainy scotland tomorrow. sermon now done, (again blogger hasn't let me put up any photos until 3 in the afternoon. began blogging at 10) just the packing eh?
See you in a fortnight dear readers!

Yeah, yeah, yeah the kids come back

back from their magical journey...

yup, I'm gonna be singing magical trevor all day today.
And I've discovered trev has a new song! (can't tell you what it sound slike cos my speakers aren't plugged in so if its rude I apologise)

Anyway kids have been away since July 25th so i'm missing them a lot and can't wait to see them today. Except I had already arranged stuff for today before i knew it was pick up day and so I'll have to wait til they get home about 5:(
Phil will rendevous at Oxford and swap kids for our dog.

I'm starting to get holiday-itis. it is not as bad as usual becase I'm not worrying about missing the ferry. what happens is that I get so worked up about going on holiday I exist on very little sleep for a few days before and so spend the first few days being completely horrid to everyone and the next few days apologising. Then we have a few days relax before I start to worry about the journey home.
So i was awake at 5 and got up at 6 today. ended up making a scrap page.
Its all about how we read all the time and lists some favourite authors. I was going to hand write titles on the stripey paper to be like spines but hey, life's too short. Did hand cut the 'bookworms' and add the stripes though!
I didn't photograph all the book piles either...


Last night I was still supposed to be sorting washing and ironing but had to make an engagement card as a commission instead. I'm always pleased to get commissions and thehn I feel sick and then I get cross because what I want to do I can't. With this one I was told that they like holidays, cars, golf and are going on a cruise. Now if I had a boat shape I could have done something about sailing off into the sunset, but I don't. The last engagement card I did was nice - but it was for Jill's sister so it couldn't be the same.
In the end I did this...
The hearts are a qk die - I was pleased that it (just about) cut mountboard so that I could utee them. I also tried making my own gold utee by putting some extra fine gold glitter in a bag with some clear utee. Kind of worked!

I may get one more blog in before hols - especially if holiday-itis persists. Otherwise I'll see you on the other side!

Road trip

(well train trip to be precise!) was enormous fun. I actually got oodles of work done there and back as well which was really good. There is no computer on a train - or tv - and I'm very good at rewarding myself with just a little bit of a fun read. So I got through 3 books I needed to read and fleshed out plans for a prayer weekend at church (though there is lots more to do on that)

I was welcomed to Swansea by a Joe's icecream. My mum doesn't really like Joe's ice-cream.
Those who have ever eaten Joe's icecream will now have to pause for a moment to think of the horror and sadness of that statement.
How. Can. You. Not. Like. Joe's.
It is the best vanilla icecream in the whole world ever. And I don't really like vanilla.

So when we are in Swansea visiting the olds, we go to Verdi's (which happily is the best flavoured ice-cream in the whole world ever). But on Friday I was in Joe heaven with a little pot of vanilla covered in choccy sprinkles. Mm, mm, mm, mm, mm.

Then it was a bit of veggin at Sue's (I think they liked the canvas) followed by getting ready to go out. I made the mistake of trying out Sue's expensive ghd straighteners and now I want some. Hmmm I'm not supposed to be so materialistic. I try to fight it, I do. But they make your hair so soft and straight and smoooooooooth.

Party was fun. We danced, even if no-one else did! Alison and Rob have a great pictire of the four friends in their forties and when i get a copy I shall add it in



here

I'm sure we all look lovely. (may have to change that comment when the pic is here!)

Saturday morning bought Phil some welsh cakes and searched for a funny card for Sue to give to Hywel. Now cos I make cards I don't usually spend that much time looking at cards (apart form to get ideas). The "funny" ones were just so rude I was embarrassed and it takes a lot to shcok me (yup as well as materialism I struggle with a very dirty mind which is quite tough as a Minister when you hear double entendres in all sorts of things and are supposed to keep a straight face)

Then home again. Sunday we had a baptism - Ashley is the most beautiful little baby. It was a really wonderful service. Yes i know that sounds like braggin seeing as I put it together - but it was one where you could really, really feel God's hand in it. What looked slight on paper was really sacramental.

Sunday we went for our traditional 'kids are away so lets have a pub lunch on a Sunday' meal. I wanted to go to the tapas bar in Upminster (its that kind of place I'm afraid - all haridressers, nail bars and tapas) but it has got hideously expensive so we went to the pub round the corner instead and had a great time).

Monday Sue Hyde came round and we chatted, die cut, went out for lunch, visited Anita, die cut and stroked papers.


The rest of the time I should have been washing and ironing - or even making a card I have been commissioned to do - but did this instead
This one uses the bebop paper that came with the scrapbook, white embossing powder and my new qk ribbon buckle die
This one uses MM cosmopolitan paper, some babycakes flowers by AQueen and co from Carolyn's (yummy) and doodlebug buttons. Bottom left is my attempt at being elsie Flannigan but I don't look quite so cute... (but then I am old enough to be her mother. Just)

And this one is using the new SA kit, my new teeny tiny photo corner die given to me by the lovely Sue Hyde, a bit of doodling, Doodlebug buttons (yes buttons are the new ribbons in my house) and...
you may have heard of Heidi Swapp ghost letters, well these are Lythan Nevard phantom alphas
(hmm doesn't sound so catchy. Must change surname. Or just get a life).
OK so they are just Girls are Wierd cut out of acetate but hey - I was pleased with the idea:)

ALMOST as pleased as I was with blogger for finally allowing me to load my piccies after a day trying!!!!!!!!

You've got to fight

for the right

to PAAAAAAAAAAAARTY!!!

well i'm a bit excited about going to my friend Sam's 40th birthday party in Swansea tomorrow. It's not going to be quite the do I imagined as my other friends are taking their kids. But as long as there are drinks and a disco I'm happy!
I've got lots of work to do on the train there and back so it should be fun.

I've been quiet all week trying to finish up their pressies. Finally done but now its dark so the pics don't do them justice really. Gosh that sounds a bit full of myself! well I could point out the millions of mistakes - its a learning curve this craft stuff and each time I do something I know how to improve the next time. Anyway what I mean is the colours are much nicer than the photos show.
The art journal is A4 size and full of nice empty sheets of watercolour paper. I'm sure Sam will get oodles of fripperies so I thought I would give her something to express herself with. She is already into art and photography - ooh maybe she'd like scrapping.
found these wonderful quotes that you probably can't read
Here are a few faves

I found I could say things with colour and shapes that I
couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for.
Georgia O'Keeffe

An artist cannot fail;
it is a success to be one.
Charles Horton Cooley

I want to touch people with my art. I want them to say 'he feels deeply, he feels tenderly.'

Vincent van Gogh

I wasn't really careful enough with adhering the quotes - learning curve stuff. Hence the artfully applied prima flowers!

The papers are the beautiful basic grey urban couture. Haven't really worked out how to use them for card making but on a larger scale they are awesome!

Then I also made my first painted canvas. Slopped on some acrylic paint, a photo of my dear god-daughter, several million qk and ellison flowers, some chipboard and rub ons et voila

will catch you up Saturday.

Party on dudes

(can't stop Bill andTedding now)