I Have Moved

Yes, it's finally done, not finished, but enough to point you in the direction of my new blog/website.

So, please update your bookmarks or whatever with my new blog details: www.joolsg.com

Looking forward to seeing you all there :D. I'll leave this Typepad account open for a little while longer but will close it in the next month or so.

I still have a ton of things to add, links, photos etc. but I will get there. I created it using the fabulous iWeb Apple software and it is so easy to change and update so hopefully this means I will update it more often. Famous last words!

Interesting Things I Found On The Internet Whilst Trying To Cheer Myself Up

OK, feeling extremely low today for a few reasons, which I won't go in to, so I decided to randomly browse the internet to find interesting and weird things in an effort to cheer myself up.

I stumbled (can you actually stumble virtually?) on a website by someone called Zyra and learnt or, should I say (as I can't guarantee the accuracy in some of these claims), inwardly digested the following titbits:

? On 'Real Names': The misconception of a Real Name being what someone was unfortunate enough to have bestowed upon them when they were born has various attached problems to do with freedom and self-determination. It is a fundamental right of a person to change their name, and it is good manners for others to respect that. It is important for an individual to be in control of their own life, and one aspect of that is that they are in control of what their Real Name is. Another aspect of the rights of naming is this: The only person entitled to give a name to you is yourself. Ok, when you're just born there is a convenience for your parents to give you a temporary name until you're abilities of reasoning develop enough to think up a name for yourself, but ultimately YOU DECIDE. And then, that is your Real Name. You can change it again as many times as you like, and at any point the current answer to "What is the Real Name? is whatever you stated most recently. Another point about naming of persons. You don't have to be 'FIRST NAME' space 'LAST NAME'. You can be 'UNIQUE IDENTIFIER'. This can sometimes make form-filling a bit messy on computerised forms, but that is a result of inflexible thinking on the part of the people specifying the forms. My advice on that is, if you're called GANDALF for example and you encounter a form with first-name/last-name, put "GANDALF" in one or other of the spaces and put a single non-alphanumeric character in the other. This fools all but the most stubborn of forms. Unique identifier format is popular in adventure contexts and stage-names and has historical precedents. For example: Voltaire, Plato, Cher, Geronimo, Elvira, Hercules, Shiva, Pocahontas, Tutankhamun, Arvind.

Hmm, this actually struck a small chord inside me as I was born and named Julie by my parents. As I grew up my dad started to call me Jools and I found out a few years ago that I actually prefer this. It suits me better, I 'feel' like a Jools, I don't feel like a Julie. So during the move to Canada I made a conscious decision that this is what I would prefer to be called and introduced myself as such. This carried on when we returned to the UK but I still have to stop and think when people and friends I knew before Canada (including family) call me Julie now. It doesn't feel right. It sounds alien. It's not my Real Name any longer...

? Lightning versus Lottery Win: You are about 40-50 times more likely to win the lottery than you are to be killed by lightning, assuming such things as that you always buy one lottery ticket per week and that you are out in thunderstorms only as much as average!

Perhaps I really should buy a lottery ticket?

? A Fine Toothcomb?: You often hear it; "They searched the whole place with a fine toothcomb", or "Even after going through all the stuff with a fine toothcomb the evidence still wasn't found" etc. But, has anyone stopped to ask, "What IS a FINE TOOTH-COMB?"! Rather like "every which way but loose" it seems ok at first, but on closer inspection doesn't really make any sense. Even though there exists such a thing as a hair brush and a comb and a tooth brush, so there might be such a thing as a tooth-comb, of which the higher grade ones would be of the type "fine toothcomb", it really doesn't work, as there is no such thing as a fine tooth-comb. What the term really means is a FINE-TOOTH COMB, ie a comb on which the teeth are fine. This makes sense as it would be a comb which would have very narrow slits, thus preventing any objects of significant size from slipping through. However, you still hear people say it "fine toothcomb", when it should be "fine-tooth comb"!

? Viking Helmets: They did not have horns on them!

And so endeths the session on semi-interesting things for today. I'm off now to go and knit a scarf.

All Gone, All Going, All Coming

I've not just been a bad blogger, I've been a terrible blogger. Hopefully that will change now that my back is on the mend and the children are back at school.

I do have lots to share but just for now I'm going to give a quick bullet point update on what's been happening over the summer and what's coming up. They will not be in date order but just randomly as and when they pop in to my head. I will try and expand on some of them in the next few posts.

* Noah turned 5! Can you believe it? Although he was more excited about the fact that his birthday also marked the first of his summer football academy sessions.

* I did my back in - but after 5 or so chiropractor sessions I'm finally feeling that I'm getting on the mend.

* I got my lovely, gorgeously attractive iMac G5... and I'm still in love with it.

* Katarina started at senior school. When did that happen? When did she become old enough to go to 'big' big school?

* I've signed up to the Open University to start a degree. Not sure in what yet so have left it open but my first module is in web design so I'll see where that leads. Also considering graphic design.

* It looks as if I will be teaching scrapbooking at a local college on Thursday evenings. There has to be a minimum number of sign ups. To be honest I was almost on the point of pulling out of this one as when I was originally approached I didn't have a lot on and thought 'why not?' now I'm just thinking 'why????'. We'll see...

* I will be switching from Typepad to .mac for my blog and website but this won't be for a little while longer as I want to link it my standard domain name site but some other things need to be done before that can happen.

* We had a visit to Longleat Safari Park which Hettie in particular loved. Especially getting the opportunity to speak to the keepers and actually get to see Trevor the ostrich in real life!

* Shamefully became addicted to Big Brother 8. Why, oh, why did I allow myself to get hooked? I WILL NOT be watching next year! There are better things to do with 13 weeks...

* Actually did some scrapping for the first time in a LONG time - and I mean a LONG time. Last week I did a promo evening at the college, went to PaperArts Friday night crop (strangely on Friday night) and cropped all day the Swindon Scrapaholics 1st birthday crop on Saturday.

* And finally, as that's all I can remember at the moment, I've decided NOW is the time to return to work so I'm actively looking. It may take some time as I definitely want a term time job and those can be hard to come by.

OK, that's all for now as I have to go and pick up Noah from after school football club (he now thinks he's David Beckham...).

My Baby Off To Big 'Big' School

Katarina tells me she's not nervous, just excited. Then, in the next sentance, that she couldn't sleep last night, in fact woke up at 3am, went back to bed (where did she go???) at 4am, woke again at 6:30am and thought that she may as well get up.

But no, she's not nervous... She then spends the rest of the morning until it's time to leave talking ten to the dozen - a sure sign of nervousness (I know - this is something I do).

Now obviously I want to take some photos to commemorate the occassion (I'm a scrapbooking, it's in the blood) but she's now reached that age where it isn't cool. I managed to snap a couple of photos at home and dared to get the camera out at school and managed to get a couple of her, unawares, waiting in her tutor group line.

Love the second one where she is just chatting away to one of her best friends (there's a group of 4 of them who have been bestest friends for the last couple of years and luckily they are all in the same tutor group - they are dead excited!). The third photo shows her "I'm concentrating" face - there was a scary lady teacher banging on about the poor turnout of some in the children's school uniform, top buttons undone, ties not done up properly etc. etc. Kat was very quick to point out to me that ALL the children from her primary school were all very smartly turned out - and they were!

The last photo I can see the "oh, no, my mother is taking photos, again" look on her face. Priceless.

Oh, and as usual just click on the photos to see them bigger.

Back and Mac

Bad news first. I've done my back in. This is really the first time in a long time that I've actually been able to sit at the pc for any length of time to post.

Don't know what I did, perhaps slept awkwardly? All I do know is that a couple of weeks ago (yes, it's been going on that long now) I realised that my back left shoulder area was hurting. As per my usual way of dealing with illness/injury I just thought it would go away. How wrong can one be? Over a week later it was no better, worse in fact so I decide to have some massage therapy and see if that would work. Hmmm.... no.

I woke up the day after, last Friday, to find that it was a lot worse. This is apparently expected and wasn't too surprising. What was surprising was the fact that I couldn't even sit back against a chair or sofa - and the bruising was awful (don't worry Corinna, I have all faith in your massage talents, it was my fault for leaving it so long!). Saturday saw me a little better which was good as we were all off to see The Lion King in London (more on this in a later post). However, a long drive, just sitting in the car, followed by 3 hours sitting in a theatre do not do anything to help a bad back and by the end of Saturday I was in agony.

Things then just rapidly deteriorated over the weekend and by this Monday I was in so much pain I truly didn't know what to do with myself. To add to this on Monday I noticed a large fluid swelling at the top of my spine - I looked like one of those old fashioned humped teddy bears. Not. Good.

Corinna, bless her, popped around on Monday and urged me (read nagged) to ring the doctors for an emergency appointment. No luck. She then strongly urged me to (read strongly nagged) me to call the chiropractors and see if I could get an emergency appointment with them. Again no luck. Luckily I had already made an appointment for the doctors a week or so ago, routine checkup, so had an appointment for early Tuesday morning all set up.

Then on Monday night a weird thing happened. I was lying in bed deciding how I was actually going to get through the night, praying constantly, when after about 20 minutes or so I felt a strange ripple effect moving up my spine culminating in a weird 'popping' sensation. It really was a sort of 'puff/pop' feeling. Very odd. No pain involved. And then I just knew that whatever had been causing the additional chronic pain over the weekend had sort itself out a little. I must have really put something out of place but the lying in the correct position (and I'd like to think the prayer) must have allowed things to somehow slot back in to place.

Anyway, I've now been to the doctors and am doped up on diazepam and dichlofenic (don't kill me if the spelling is wrong!) and am feeling slightly better. I've also been referred to the Swindon Chiropractic Clinic and have, so far, had a couple of sessions with the not so lovely James - okay, he is lovely but not so after he's just spent time cracking your back!

So now (after a short break to stretch and de-kink) some good news. I'm getting better. Slowly, infuriatingly slowly for my mind, but getting there. We were supposed to go and see some good friends this weekend but I really can't face the 2 hour drive so they are coming to visit us instead. Yay! A lazy weekend, bbqs, dipping in the pool, bouncing on the trampoline (not me doing that of course!), spent with friends. What could be better?

Well, my new computer perhaps? I've got a iMac which is helping me feel better about my back! It is gorgeous. A fabulous 20" screen, fabulous graphics (looking at my old pc it just looks so old fashioned now), packed with cool gadgets (loving my little remote which works iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie etc.), it is just the coolest thing - even Richard is loving it and Kat is also looking at it very covetously! I think we could very well become an Apple convert family.

The new operating system for it, Leopard, looks like a must have too! Obviously I will need to expend a little more money on some Mac software, it's inevitable as I need some things, like Photoshop obviously, however the Apple software is great. I'm holding off for just a little while longer, until I get my student uni card (more about this at a later date too), as you get student discounts on software so it will make the wait worth it. There have been times when I've thought "oh, how do I do this?" but Apple has a great site that tells you how to get things done so no problems so far. And if I do have problems I know a lady who can (MaryAnne....?).

I'll keep you up to date with how it's going but at the moment all I can say is. It. Is. So. Cool.

I'm Not Fussy...

... it's just the way I like it!

I've been tagged by Kel to share some ways in which I'm not fussy but just like things the way I like them (sorry it's so late Kel, I blame the summer hols and the children - works for me anyhoo!):

1. Toast. It has to be thick bread to start off with. None of that healthy stuff either. No. It has to be the starchy white stuff. Then it has to be real butter, spread thickly on to the bread just as it pops out of the toaster. This is so that the butter starts to melt (but only in places, not completely melted) and it has to be eaten whilst it's still warm. Can't stand it when people let the toast go cold, then butter it (or even worse use margarine). Ugggh. Cold toast. Yuk. Hot, thick, white toast slathered in butter. Yum.



2. On the side. I'm an on the side type of gal. Don't like sauces and things on the actual plate (apart from gravy on my Sunday roast) but want them in a seperate dish, on the side, so that I can choose if I want to add it to my meal or just dip. I have a thing about the food on my plate looking 'clean'. Now I've just shown the world how weird I truly am!



3. This next one is not food related but bedtime related. Curtains should be closed at night. And by closed I mean completely closed, no chinking allowed. I will make Richard get out of bed and close up every chink I can see... I obviously can't get out of bed because by this time I have arranged myself inside the duvet in just the right position - lying on my side with one ear on the pillow and the duvet pulled up to cover my other ear - just in case those brain eating earwigs try to get me!!! I remember those stories from my early childhood and slept like that for so long afterwards that it is now just part of me. I DO NOT believe in brain eating earwigs anymore!!!

Have more to post later - Noah's 5th birthday party photos (can my baby really be 5 now?), some summer hols updates and some scrapping stuff. Later.

I'm Doubly Rockin'...

As I've been nominated not once but twice for the Rockin' Girl Bloggers award! Thanks Michelle and Nat for the nomination. And now I'm supposed to tag 5 other girls...

Kel -  Because I love her creativity and we have the 'Canuck' link so have to stick together...

Karbee -  Lots of great inspiration on her blog...

Rachel - Because my life is chaotic too...

Sam - A friend...

Laurie - Love her stuff... can't 'do' it... but love it...

OK, could actually have thought of some others too but I'll save them for another time! Mwuhahahahaha...

A Digital-Age Child

Noah is a typical boy (well as much as I can say that having only just the one son to base that surmise on). In this particular case I mean he hates to get dressed and would rather spend his time on the Wii or the PS2. So we have to find interesting ways to 'motivate' him to do as we ask. One thing that nearly always works is to time him (I'm sure other parents must use this technique) - he just loves the challenge and competition of seeing how quickly he can do it, or whether he can beat his sisters or his dad or me!

But get this. I'm 'timing' him the other day, I don't actually have to do any counting or timing whatsoever though, as long as I give him some sort of numerical answer he's as happy as can be, so I can just say whatever pops in to my head '3', '72.675', '9 3/4', you get the picture. Anyway, he's upstairs getting dressed, I'm downstairs 'counting' in my head when I hear him shout down for me to PAUSE! Pause? Pause? Apparently his t-shirt is inside out and this means that the timing should be paused until normal service can resume.

You know your children live in a digital age when they start thinking that they can pause life not just live tv!

Time For A New Look And A Tidy Up!

OK, now I know I've been a bad, bad blogger but there are reasons. Forty of them to be precise. Yup, I turned 40 and bizarrely I felt kind of down about it. Weird, eh? I so didn't see that coming...

I mean I know 40 is a 'round' birthday but I never expected it to hit me like it did. One minute I'm looking in the mirror applying some lipstick and the next I'm crying... how odd... I shrug it off as just a one off moment of feeling low but NO! A few days later I'm shopping in the local Staples (trying to cheer myself up in retrospect by feeding my stationery addiction - see this earlier post for more information on this addiction), I bump in to a friend, leave, get in the car and up with tears streaming down my face. Why? Why? Why? Rationally I know it's just another day, another year so why the freaking out over it? It came out of nowhere, I truly never gave much thought to it before but then I found myself doing nothing but think about it.

Richard, bless him, tried his best to cheer me up, like only a man can. "It's just another day, darling. June 16th is no different than June 15th or June 17th. You don't look 40... and at least you don't have grey hair - unlike me!" Now whether I look 40 or not is besides the point, as anyone woman will know these things just don't help. And anyway I blame him, it's his fault I felt so bad! I finally figured out, after much thought and consideration, that it was because I'm turning 40 before he does! He doesn't hit that milestone until next year and for some reason this did really upset me. I could handle turning 40 so much better if he had done it first. LOL. Strange but true. And once I finally figured this out, internally digested and rationalised it, you know what? I felt OK.

And what did I do for my 40th? We went to Paris. For a long weekend. Without the children... It was great and now I'm saying that I'm only as old as the man that I feel - so that makes me 38, well, at least for another few months...

So on that note I'm revamping my blog, tidying it up by adding links to pages instead of cluttering up my main page, getting rid of old stuff, bringing new stuff in. So bear with me if stuff seems to disappear, normal service will resume shortly...

Friday Night Crop

It's that time of the month again (yes, that time too but that's probably tmi! LOL) and I'm off to the fabulous Friday night crop at PaperArts. Except for I'm going now, 12:51pm, not tonight. Night crop is a little misleading as quite a few of us take advantage of the fact that the shop is open all day on Fridays - in fact I'm normally there by now not at home typing up a quick blog entry.

I used to wait until the children were home from school but as Richard was coming home at the same to look after them so I could push off at 3:30pm I suddenly had a 'lightbulb' moment and realised that if he was coming home in time for the children coming home why was I waiting until then to leave? I could leave and get there for when PaperArts opened? Couldn't I? Now, I'm not saying I'm organised enough to get there for 10am but I do try and get there so I can sit and have lunch with the lovely Christine!

On my agenda to do today? A baby album for some good friends, Bruce and Suzie who have just had an adorable baby girl, Amelie Grace (don't you just love that name?) who I saw, and held, yesterday. She is adorable, just like her 1 year old baby sister Josselyn!

Happy Canada Day

To all my friends in Canada. Thinking of you all today and hoping that you are having a FAB time and that the weather is great (it can only be better than the weather we are having currently!).

See, I am alive just not felt much like kicking lately... but plan on getting back on track this week and I have lots of photos and quite a few layouts to post too.

Particularly thinking about Winsey today and hoping that the all of the family are having a great Canada day back home in Calgary!

Box of Delights

So I succombed. To buying some of the new Elsie line. I wasn't going to. Didn't want to jump on the bandwagon of buying stuff just because it's 'cool' or 'in' but I have to say it's gorgeous stuff. So bright. So colourful. So me (I'm saying I'm bright and colourful but that I scrap pretty bright and colourful). And it arrived. This morning. Here it is, along with a couple of other things that just happened to fall in to my basket, in all it's glory:

Now I can't wait to start using it but I have to tidy my scrap room first! I just can't be creative in a messy space... 
 

I'm Back...

... I know, I never said I was going away. But I did. Now I'm back.

Took the children, and Richard, to Disneyland Paris for 4 days. Feeling so tired at the moment I can barely type so will fill you in after I have slept 36 hours straight!!!

12 Hour Crop

And this time I am determined to have something to show for it!

Photos have all just (in the last minute or so) been ordered from Photobox, I now have to pray that they will arrive tomorrow morning. They normally do but you can bet Sod's Law will raise it's ugly head and this time they won't.

Do I Have A Life? Apparently Not!

Just been reading through my friend Sam's blog and her recent post about this movie questionnaire. Apparently if you've seen over 85 movies, well, you have no life! As with Sam I am a real movie buff, love to watch movies and, just like my children, can easily watch a great film more than just once. So I thought I'd fill out the questionnaire and see if I do or don't have a life...

(  ) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(x) Grease
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest
(  ) Boondock Saints
(  ) Fight Club
(  ) Starsky and Hutch
(x) Neverending Story
(x) Blazing Saddles
(x) Airplane
(x) The Princess Bride
(  ) AnchorMan
(  ) Napoleon Dynamite
(x) Labyrinth
(  ) Saw
(  ) Saw II - and seen Saw III :)
(  ) White Noise
(  ) White Oleander
(  ) Anger Management
(x) 50 First Dates
(x) The Princess Diaries
(x) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 11 out of 22.

(  ) Scream
(  ) Scream 2
(  ) Scream 3
(  ) Scary Movie
(  ) Scary Movie 2
(  ) Scary Movie 3
(  ) Scary Movie 4
(  ) American Pie
(  ) American Pie 2
(  ) American Wedding
(  ) American Pie Band Camp
(x) Harry Potter 1
(x) Harry Potter 2
(x) Harry Potter 3
(x) Harry Potter 4
(  ) Resident Evil 1
(  ) Resident Evil 2
(x) The Wedding Singer
(x) Little Black Book
(x) The Village
(x) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 19 out of 43

(x) Finding Nemo
(x) Finding Neverland
(x) Signs
(x) The Grinch
(x) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
(  ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
(  ) White Chicks
(  ) Butterfly Effect
(x) 13 Going on 30
(x) I, Robot
(x) Robots
(  ) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
(  ) Universal Soldier
(x) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(  ) Along Came Polly
(x) Deep Impact
(  ) KingPin
(x) Never Been Kissed
(  ) Meet The Parents
(  ) Meet the Fockers
(  ) Eight Crazy Nights
(  ) Joe Dirt
(  ) King Kong
Total so far: 30 out of 66

(x) A Cinderella Story
(x) The Terminal
(  ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
(  ) Passport to Paris
(  ) Dumb & Dumber
(  ) Dumber & Dumberer
(  ) Final Destination
(  ) Final Destination 2
(  ) Final Destination 3
(  ) Halloween
(  ) The Ring
(  ) The Ring 2
(  ) Surviving Christmas
(  ) Flubber
(  ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
(x) Practical Magic
(x) Chicago
(  ) Ghost Ship
(  ) From Hell
(  ) Hellboy
(  ) Secret Window
(  ) I Am Sam
(x) The Whole Nine Yards
(x) The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 36 out of 90

(x) The Day After Tomorrow
( ) Child’s Play
(  ) Seed of Chucky
(  ) Bride of Chucky
(x) Ten Things I Hate About You
(  ) Just Married
(x) Gothika
(x) Nightmare on Elm Street
(  ) Sixteen Candles
(  ) Remember the Titans
(  ) Coach Carter
(  ) The Grudge
(  ) The Grudge 2
(x) The Mask
(  ) Son Of The Mask
(  ) Bad Boys
(  ) Bad Boys 2
(  ) Joy Ride
(  ) Lucky Number Sleven
(x) Ocean’s Eleven
( ) Ocean’s Twelve
(x) Bourne Identity
(x) Bourne Supremecy
(  ) Lone Star
(x) Bedazzled
(x) Predator I
(  ) Predator II
(x) The Fog
(x) Ice Age
(x) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
(x) Curious George
Total so far: 50 out of 121.

(x) Independence Day
(x) Cujo
(  ) A Bronx Tale
(  ) Darkness Falls
(  ) Christine
(x) E.T.
(x) Children of the Corn
(  ) My Bosses Daughter
(x) Maid in Manhattan
(  ) War of the Worlds
(  ) Rush Hour
(  ) Rush Hour 2
(  ) Best Bet
(x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(x) She’s All That
(x) Calendar Girls
(  ) Sideways
(  ) Mars Attacks
(  ) Event Horizon
(x) Ever After
(x) Wizard of Oz
(x) Forrest Gump
(x) Big Trouble in Little China
(x) The Terminator
(x) The Terminator 2
(x) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 65 out of 147.

(x) X-Men
(  ) X-2
(  ) X3
(x) Spider-Man
(x) Spider-Man 2
(  ) Sky High
(  ) Jeepers Creepers
(  ) Jeepers Creepers 2
(  ) Catch Me If You Can
(x) The Little Mermaid
(x) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
(  ) The Skulls
(x) Cruel Intentions
(  ) Cruel Intentions 2
(  ) The Hot Chick
(x) Shrek
(x) Shrek 2
Total so far: 73 out of 165

(  ) Swimfan
(x) Miracle on 34th street*
( ) Old School
(x) The Notebook
(x) K-Pax
(x) Krippendorf’s Tribe
(  ) A Walk to Remember
(  ) Ice Castles
(  ) Boogeyman
(  ) The 40-year-old Virgin
(x) Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
(  ) Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
(  ) Lord of the Rings: Return Of the King
(x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 81 out of 181

(  ) Base-ketball
(  ) Hostel
(  ) Waiting for Guffman
(  ) House of 1000 Corpses
(  ) Devils Rejects
(x) Elf
(x) Highlander
(  ) Mothman Prophecies
(  ) American History X
(  ) Three
(  ) The Jacket
(  ) Kung Fu Hustle
(  ) Shaolin Soccer
(  ) Night Watch
(x) Monsters Inc
(x) Titanic
(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
(  ) Willard
Total so far: 86 out of 200.

(  ) High Tension
(  ) Club Dread
(x) Hulk
(x) Dawn Of the Dead
(x) Hook
(x) Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
(x) 28 days later
(  ) Orgazmo
(  ) Phantasm
(x) Waterworld
(  ) Kill Bill Vol. 1
(  ) Kill Bill Vol. 2
(  ) Mortal Kombat
(  ) Wolf Creek
(  ) Kingdom of Heaven
(x) The Hills Have Eyes
(  ) I Spit on Your Grave
(  ) The Last House on the Left
(  ) Re-Animator
(  ) Army of Darkness
Total so far: 93 out of 220

(x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(  ) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
(  ) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(  ) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks: Caravan Of Courage
(  ) Ewoks: The Battle For Endor
(x) The Matrix
(x) The Matrix: Reloaded
(x) The Matrix: Revolutions
(  ) Animatrix
(x) Evil Dead
(x) Evil Dead 2
(  ) Team America: World Police
(  ) Red Dragon
(x) Silence of the Lambs
(  ) Hannibal
Total: 102 out of 239

So, 102 out of 239 = No Life! Although who compiled this list I don't know but I do know that I've seen far more movies than this list is showing. I suppose it's a good cross section of movie genres. Interesting for me to see that I've seen quite a lot more horror movies than I would first have thought as I never watch horror movies now. But reviewing the ones I have marked show me that they are all very old horror movies (some 'classics' like Texas Chainsaw Massacre - during the time that it was a banned movie!!!) and were watched back in the early 80s when my parents first got a VCR (??? how old am I?) and we would have movie nights where we would regularly sit down and watch 3 movies of an evening - a movie for the younger children, then a comedy of some sort, followed by a horror invariably. I hate horrors now and couldn't be paid to sit and watch one!

My Blog Report

So, I've been thinking (strange but true, it does happen on occasion) that if my blog was to receive a school report it would probably read something like this:

Whilst Jools started out the year well, putting a lot of effort into her writing, writing consistently and often, this has tailed off as the year has progressed. With regards to her art studies, it is quite clear that whilst Jools has obviously spent a lot of time researching for her projects and has indeed spent rather a lot on materials to complete said projects, there does not seem to be much evidence that she has actually completed any. In the future I would like to see more actual work being created than time spent just talking about it.

Overall Comment: Must try harder!

Hmmm, I agree, I must try harder... and I plan to... starting... tomorrow!

A Reminiscing Email

I received this email today and thought I'd share it:

Just for a minute, forget everything stressful and read this...............
Close your eyes and go back in time...
Before the Internet...
Before semi-automatics, joy riders and crack....
Before Play stations, x-box or Super Nintendo...

Way back......

I'm talking about Hide and Seek in the park.
The corner shop.
Hopscotch.
Butterscotch.
Skipping.
Handstands.
Football with an old can.
Finger bobs.
Beano, Dandy, Buster, Twinkle and Dennis the menace.
Roly Poly.
Hula Hoops, jumping the stream, building dams.
The smell of the sun and fresh cut grass.
Bazooka Joe bubble gum.
An ice cream cone on a warm summer night from the van that plays a tune.
Chocolate or vanilla or strawberry or maybe Neapolitan or perhaps a screwball.

Wait......

Watching Saturday morning cartoons, short commercials or the flicks.
Children's Film Foundation, The Double Deckers, Red Hand Gang, The Tomorrow People, Tiswas or Swapshop?, and 'Why Don't You'? - or staying up for Doctor Who.
When around the corner seemed far away and going into town seemed like going somewhere.
Earwigs, wasps, stinging nettles and bee stings.
White dog sh*t.
Sticky fingers.
Playing Marbles. Ball bearings. Big 'uns and Little 'uns.
Cops and Robbers, Cowboys and Indians, and Zorro.
Climbing trees.
Building igloos out of snow banks.
Walking to school, no matter what the weather.
Running till you were out of breath, laughing so hard that your stomach hurt.
Jumping on the bed.
Pillow fights.
Spinning around, getting dizzy and falling down was cause for giggles.
Being tired from playing....remember that?

The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team.
Water balloons were the ultimate weapon.
Football cards in the spokes transformed any bike into a motorcycle.
Choppers and Grifters.
Twist grip 3 speed gears.
Everyone had Police sirens on their bikes.
Small narrow skateboards and adjustable rollerskates.
Eating raw jelly.
Orange squash ice pops.

Remember when...

There were two types of trainers - girls and boys, and Dunlop Green Flash and the only time you wore them at school was for P.E.
You knew everyone in your street - and so did your parents.
It wasn't odd to have two or three "best" friends.
You didn't sleep a wink on Christmas eve.
When nobody owned a pure-bred dog.
When 25p was decent pocket money.
Curly Wurlys. Space Dust. Toffo's.
Top Trumps.
When you'd reach into a muddy gutter for a penny.
When nearly everyone's mum was at home when the kids got there.
When any parent could discipline any kid, or feed him or use him to carry groceries and nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it.
When being sent to the head's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited a misbehaving student at home.
Basically, we were in fear for our lives but it wasn't because of drive-by shootings, drugs, gangs etc. Parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat! (and some of us are still afraid of them.) Didn't that feel good?

Remember when....

Decisions were made by going "Ip Dip Dog Sh*t".
"Race issue" meant arguing about who ran the fastest.
Money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in "Monopoly".
The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was germs.
And the worst thing in your day was having to sit next to one.
It was unbelievable that 'British Bulldog 123' wasn't an Olympic event.
Having a weapon in school meant being caught with a catapult.
Nobody was prettier than Mum.
Scrapes and bruises were kissed and made better.
Taking drugs meant orange-flavoured chewable aspirin.
Ice cream was considered a basic food group.
Getting a foot of snow was a dream come true.
Older siblings were the worst tormentors, but also the fiercest protectors.

If you can remember most or all of these, then you have LIVED!

And the funny thing is I can remember most, if not all, of these. The good old days. LOL.

The Results of an Innocent Email

Yesterday I received an email from Aldi the direct result of which Richard was promptly dispatched to buy this:

Fun for all the family at the bargain price of £129.99! So what if there is no longer any room in our garden (especially once we put the pool up - which we will shortly I think as the gorgeous weather of the last few weeks shows no signs of abating)? At the moment the garden is for the children. Richard and I have decided on it. All too soon they will grow up and not want to play in it and even though we will then be able to have the beautiful sanctuary of a garden we would like, we know that we will be sitting there and missing their childish screams and laughs of delight. Soppy but true. So for now, it's their space and we are happy it is.

The Emotion Lion

So Hettie, the daughter previously known as Harriet, comes in to our bedroom the other morning and we three, Richard, I and Hettie, have a conversation that went a little like this:

Hettie: I've made an emotion lion!
Us: An emotion line?
Hettie: No. An emotion lion!
Us: An emotion lion? What's an emotion lion?
Hettie: Well get your fat lazy backsides out of bed and come see...

OK, she made not have phrased that last statement in exactly those words... but that's probably what she meant. So we drag ourselves out of our nice, cozy, warm bed and we see this attached to her door (as usual click on the photos to see them in full detail):

This is to enable us all (apparently) to gauge what mood she is in every day. She's created different eyes to portray different emotions - gotta love those sad eyes with the tears welling up in them! How cool is this girl? I love how she thinks.  

ScrapFever: A Review

I had planned on writing a long post about this but now, quite honestly, just can't be bothered - LOL!

So instead, here's a quick summary! Donna Downey was lovely. Very down to earth, easy to chat to and a great teacher. No airs, no pretensions, just a downright lovely woman. We made and covered our own 12"x12" album made from chipboard and brown wrapping paper which we then decorated with our choice of patterned papers (which we could choose from the Willow Tree Crafts shop on site). Inside there were 12 pages 8.5"x11" in size for which we had to think of 12 words and, if possible, bring 12 photos to best represent those words. I semi cheated on this, although I would say 'thought imaginatively' and my words were: 1995, 1996, 1997 and so on through to 2006 and I used a photograph of myself and Richard from each year. Boy, did this make me realise how little photos I have of us together. In fact some years I had a choice of ... actually no choice, just 1 photo!

[I'll upload photos of the project here later today - as and when I've scanned/photographed it]

Stacy Julian's took 2 classes, the first one was a lecture on how to be 'ScrapHappy' and I really enjoyed it. It made you think about what/how/why you scrapbook and I will certainly be working on some of those and making some changes in my scrapping life. It came at quite a timely moment for me as I've been doing quite a lot of thinking lately about why I do what I do and what things I want to change. The other class was completely not 'me' as it was super quick class, creating 20 pages in less than 2 hours! Yes, I admit, they were only 6"x6" LOs but I am a slow, thoughtful scrapper and just don't work in such a hectic fast paced way. However, having said that, and having not finished that number of pages, I do think the technique/advice was useful and a great way to complete a mini-memory album very quickly, easily and painlessly so I may well sit down one day and give it another go. I can say though that I love Stacy's philosophy and approach to scrapbooking and for that reason alone it was great to meet her and very inspiring.

The other 2 classes were fab. Alison Drummond taught a very different sort of class, not a LO, in fact not scrapbooking at all - we painted! Five 6"x6" paintings on acetate and all then placed in a great frame from Ikea. I really enjoyed this, the getting out the paints, splashing it on and getting mucky - shame I forgot to take an apron!!!

[I've still to photograph this but will upload it later]

And finally to Venessa's class and yet another great one it was too. So nice to meet Venessa, who now lives in South Africa. Loved the colours for this class and I knew straight away which photos I wanted to use. The class was for a single LO (the LHS) but as I had so many photos of Noah playing on the space hopper I ended up creating and extending the design to a double LO. This doesn't always work but because Venessa's design was quite graphic it was easy to carry on to another side and I think it works quite well.

So, my overall thoughts on the weekend? The teachers and the classes were great, it was lovely to meet up with old friends and also to meet some new ones. The venue was OK, the food was OK too (despite some awful problems on Friday night but as we were compensated with 2 bottles of wine, well, I'm not complaining), my only criticism was the busy pace we had. It didn't feel like you had much time to sit and relax, chat with friends and I didn't even touch any of the photos/projects I had brought with me. But then I suppose you can say it was definitely value for money as we got to do all the classes on offer. For myself a weekend crop isn't just about the classes though, it's about the opportunity to socialise, relax a bit and, if I'm lucky, complete a few pages. But having said that I had a great time and came home with finished projects (unheard of for me!) so it was a success.

And I've just realised that once I got started I actually did write a rather long post :D

Too Nice A Day To Sit And Blog!

I fully intended to blog about ScrapFever today but the weather is continuing to be so glorious that it is just too nice to stay in. So far this morning I've been sitting in the conservatory playing board games with Richard and Noah but we have had to come in it's been too warm out there.

The weather is set to continue in the same way this week, reaching a high of 22º degrees on Friday. Don't know what it will do after that as I've only seen the 5 day forecast.

Anyway, so this will be a quick post from me because we are going to have some lunch and then go off on a geocache to the old and interesting place of Wayland's Smithy, a Neolithic burial chamber, the second phase of which was started around 3500BC - really makes you wonder how old it is then and when the first phase was started! Will take lots of photos, including Flat Stanley (more on this in another of my planned posts) and will post them later.

I'm gone...

Lots To Catch Up On

But instead of whacking it all in to one post I'll spread it over the next few days or so.

First off, as promised, albeit late, the photos of my gorgeous knitted felted bag. The first one is pre-felting and the second one post-felting. I'm really pleased with how it turned but will add that I reshaped it further after I took the second photo as I realised it wasn't quite 'right'.

The Cornflake box is for size comparison!

Happy Easter everyone. The weather here is glorious and has been so for the last couple of weeks. I love Spring, I think it's my favourite time of the year. The daffodils are out, and I've also seen a few bluebells. The days have been those perfect Spring type days, starting out really fresh and crisp, with blue skies and then warming up. Perfect. The last few days have been around 15-18°reaching a balmy 20° today! Bliss - off to sip a glass of wine in the garden.

To come over the next few days: ScrapFever: A Review, The Emotion Lion, a couple of layouts, geocaching update and whatever else I can think of. LOL.

A Possible New Venture

Wish me luck. I have a meeting at 1pm today to discuss a new work venture. Don't want to say too much at this point just in case it all goes belly-up, but I'm quite excited about it.

As for other things happening at the moment, well, I'm still waiting on Sainsburys to get their act together re: my new fridge/freezer. I haven't bored you all with the saga that is 'The New Fridge/Freezer: A Tale of Frustration and Despair suffice it to say 3 delivery attempts later and it still isn't sorted!

As for other happenings lately? Well, I had a great day out with Cherry on Friday, to Bristol. Not, as you might think scrapbook shopping (although we did manage to squeeze a quick one in) but to a knitting shop. Get Knitted. Knitting within my circle of friends is the current passion du jour, although we are assuring ourselves it is just a passing faze and scrapbooking is still dear to our hearts. But what are we knitting? Bags. But not just knitted bags, felted and knitted bags. I finished my first one yesterday (I'll upload photos tomorrow) and am pretty pleased with how it turned out.

I've got my next knitting project lined up, another knitted bag, but this time using some of the gorgeously fantastic Noro wool. But what I really want to knit is one of the fabulous Noro knitted jackets, but having priced it up last Friday and realising that it was going to cost around £100 for the wool alone, well, I've put it on the back burner for a while.

I didn't think Richard would be too pleased either and wanted to reduce the possibility that he will soon put a ban on all excursions involving Cherry! After all I blamed her for my need of a TomTom One... I mean I've got to travel to Watford this Friday and negotiating the M25 and trying to read a map to see where I'm going at the same, well, it would be highly dangerous. Wouldn't it?

Which brings me neatly on to the next thing on my horizon. A scrapbooking weekend away at ScrapFever, organised by Willow Tree Crafts. There are going to be some great teachers there. Donna Downey, Stacey Julian and Venessa Matthews to name but 3. I'm really looking forward to a weekend away, not just for the scrapbooking side of it, but the chance to get together with some friends and to relax. The scrapbooking is an added bonus.

That's all for now as I've got to go press the button and order my photos for the weekend and pray that they arrive tomorrow morning!

A Couple of LOs

The first, Wide Mouthed Frog, done a few weeks ago at the PaperArts birthday crop and the other, Watch Out Watch Out There's A Dimple About, done last weekend.

No Ebay Excitement Today...

... just a warning.

I don't sell much on Ebay, just now and then, but this week, as I've already blogged about, I put up my saxophone for sale and as you will all have read it sold yesterday. Great I hear you all say. Well, yes and it genuinely has sold but then something awful, and pretty scary happened.

Yesterday, before the bid had ended, I then get an email from someone, all 'looking' like it was sent out via the Ebay mail system, saying (ignore their obviously terrible English, but even that didn't make me suspicious as the level of peoples English nowadays is appalling at best):

"I am interested to buy your unit but I saw the same picture and description at another seller and I am not able to figure out who is the real seller."

They then gave a link to this other item which, stupidly now, I clicked on and was taken to the page where this item was supposed to be. Then, like usually happens on Ebay, the screen came up with the normal looking screen you expect to see where you enter your id and password. Once I had entered this it came up with another perfectly expected/looking page saying that the item had been removed. So, I think, oh well, they (the guy who sent me the confused email) must have complained to Ebay and the item has been removed, fine, no need to worry myself. I go off on my day merrily as usual but no. OMG. The whole thing was a scam, including the 'confused' email and my Ebay identity has been compromised.

Not only did he get access to my Ebay, including my name, address, phone number, although thankfully not bank details as I don't have any on Ebay, but he then proceeded to email 3 of my unsuccessful bidders offering them a second chance at buying the sax as it supposedly didn't sell. He asked them to email him at a different, presumably his own, email address, where I'm assuming the intention was to ask for payment, all under my identity, and quite obviously steal from them as there was no saxophone to sell as I had sold it.

I feel so stupid to be duped in such a way. The thing is it all looked really authentic, you can really only tell with little tiny details and only then if you know what to look out for. In this case the link I clicked on quite clearly wasn't to an Ebay site. I've been emailing Ebay but grrrr... they just only ever seem to send out automated emails in response!

Luckily I was still able to access my Ebay, he didn't change my password which could have been a possibility and locked me out completely, so I've now changed my password and each time I've made sure that the address that appears at the top of the page is the right one.

Anyway, just thought I'd let you all know so you can be forewarned. Although, hopefully, you are all more likely not to be as thick as me!!!

The whole thing has left an awful taste in my mouth and I really feel as if I've been violated. I mean he knows where I live, my phone number... Richard is trying to assure me that it probably is just some spotty nosed kid, high on coke and pizza, showing off for his mates as if he had really wanted to do some damage he would have changed my Ebay password. But I still feel creeped out by the whole thing.

The Excitement That Is Ebay

I'm selling something. On Ebay, obviously (hence the title of this post!). For information purposes (and the nosey amongst you) I finally decided that, as I hadn't even got it out of it's case for over 4 years, it was time to sell my saxophone. A hard decision but if it hasn't seen the light of day for over 4 years it's money being wasted, I may as well sell it and spend it on scrapping stuff! I'm right aren't I?

Anyway, back to topic. I find Ebay really exciting (sad, I know) and get a real buzz out of logging on and seeing if there have been any bids, how many people are watching my item and so on. Currently I have received 8 bids (yay!) and no fewer than 39 people are watching (even bigger yay!) so hopefully it will sell and at a reasonable price. It hasn't reached the reserve price I set for it yet but with that many people interested it hopefully won't be long before it does. OK, off to see if there any more bids...

Oh, and I have some LOs to post which I will try and get around to in the next couple of days.

*19 hours to go: 9 bids, 42 people watching...
*15 hours to go: 13 bids, 44 people watching and my reserve price met & raised!
*6 hours to go: Situation static...
*5 hours to go: No change...
*4 hours to go: Getting bored now...
*3 hours to go: Blah...blah...blah...
*2 hours to go: Falling asleep...
*1 hours to go: Comatose...
*0 hours to go: Sold! 14 bids and £70 over my reserve price = result.

Hit Refresh... Again!

OK, you will all have to hit the refresh button again as I've changed the blog header/site. It was just too darned bright! I liked the zing of it and the colour combo but it was really 'in your face' and that's just not me so I've gone for a soft, subtle Spring look.

What do you think?

New Blog Header

About time too I hear you say.

I know, I know, the page is a 'little' on the bright side but hey, I felt like bright! It's been beautiful this week, typical gorgeous spring days. Crisp, bright blue skies, a slight chill in the air. Beautiful. So beautiful it deserves a bright new header. That and the fact I've been putting off posting anything in the hope that it would spur me on to actually create one.

I've had a go this time at playing with digi brushes and really like the effect you can get with them. These are a set of japanese ones (downloaded free from somewhere...).

OK, now I've got a new header there is no excuse for me not to post so hopefully I'll get my blogging swing back. That and I will have a lot more time now as I've now stopped work - Yay!

Later.

***Edited to add: If you can't see the new look page (you know who you are!) just try hitting the refresh button and it should all become brighter!!!***

They've Arrived

My 2 new Cricut cartridges that is. Fabulous Finds and Going Places. Who knows, perhaps I'll find myself going to fabulous places, LOL.

OK. Off to have a play and see what I can do with them.

The Birthday Crop

So, last weekend was the PaperArts birthday crop, held over 2 days. Friday from 10am to 10pm and Saturday 10am to 5pm.

To be honest by the time Friday rolled around I was so NOT in the mood for scrapping and it took quite an effort to get myself out of the house and enroute to the village of Brimscombe (home of PaperArts). I had a lot of work on last week and absolutely no time to get myself organised for the crop. It took all my energies just to get to grips with pulling my own classes together let alone think about what I was actually going to scrap over the weekend. To give you some idea of how busy/bad last week was I didn't take any photos for Shimelle's class until Thursday and I finally got around to uploading them Thursday night, around 11pm-ish! Quite clearly I wasn't going to be going to the crop armed with those on Friday morning...

And Friday didn't start too well either. I woke up at around 7am to the realisation that I hadn't done the class instructions for the class I missed teaching at the end of January (the one where I had laryngitis - hmmmm, that sounds like an episode title from Friends). Fiona had, albeit very gently, nagged me about this earlier in the week but I just hadn't had time to do it. And as I didn't feel that I could in all good conscience go off to the crop without putting something together 7am Friday morning found me at the pc trying to type up instructions. The problem though is that it wasn't a basic class and I knew that I would have to do a step by step set of instructions with accompanying step by step photos. Which in theory sounds simple right? No. It would have been if I had still got some of the supplies left! Cue me ripping my layout apart trying to retrospectively record/demonstrate how I had put it together in the first place - not good! To say I wasn't in the best of moods by the time I had finished and then realised it was 9:30am, the crop starts at 10am and I have yet to have a shower, pack my scrapping stuff up (and here you need to imagine that my stuff has been spread to all 4 corners of the room in my attempt to find stuff to complete the retrospective class instructions!) and I have no idea of what photos I'm going to need/take.

To wrap this up quickly, because by now even I'm bored with my typing, I arrived, somehow, miraculously at around 10:45am, feeling not a little grumpy and wishing I could have a quiet day at home. But I forgot about the power of the people, the people at PaperArts. I can count on these great friends to make quick work of a 'blah' mood - I defy anyone not to have a good time with friends such as these, not to mention gorgeous Krispy Kreme doughnuts, a couple of Shimelle's famous cupcakes thrown into the mix and fish and chips! Yum. By the time Saturday rolled around I was well in the right frame of mind.

As for the classes, I can't speak for my own and what people thought of them (people will say all the right things to your face - LOL) but I can say that I loved Shim's. I have yet to finish either one of them but that's the nature of a scrapbooking weekend when you are not only teaching 2 classes but also have the lovely pleasure of completing 2 layouts for other people as a raffle prize (although not sure if getting me was more of the consolation prize???).

Friday I taught my acetate book class and once people got over their initial shock/horror I think they enjoyed it. I must make a special mention of Cherry, whose take on the class, with her New York brown bag book, was absolutely gorgeous and I love, love, love the bags she used. FAB! I can't post any pictures of this as yet as it is due to appear in an upcoming issue of Scrapbook Inspirations but once it's been published I will scan and post it.

On Saturday I taught a class on beading. Quite an old technique but one that hasn't been used in quite a while and you know the saying, what goes around, comes around. To be honest the layouts are not my usual style (if I have a style) but I thought it would be something a little bit different - and it had the added bonus of keeping all those rowdy scrappers quiet (you know who you are!!! LOL). We used the gorgeous My Minds Eye, Bohemia range of papers and the Queen & Co, Beadifuls and I completed 2 class samples. The first was a little more simple and the second a little more complicated. I am by no means a beader but the beauty of this class is that you can keep it as simple or make it as complicated as you'd like:

Hair

I forgot to say that I've had my hair cut - again! Another one of my radical cuts that I immediately after wish I hadn't had, especially as when the children all troop home they invariably walk through the door with mock looks of horror on their faces and announce "you look like a tom-boy, I suppose we'll get used to it!" and other such moral-boosting words of comfort.

I can understand some of their reservations though as currently my hair is on a journey. It hasn't reached it's destination yet but had to arrive at it's current stop before it can move on...  Although I was then muchly encouraged by the number of really positive comments on Sunday as I walked in to church - I had the thumbs up from quite a few people and even some of the men noticed AND made all the right sorts of noises too.

Tomorrow I'm having the hairdresser around again to inject some much needed colour. I always feel like a need a little bit of this at around this time of the year.

I should probably then update my photo (along with a new blog header - Christmas is over already!)... so watch this space.

Scrapping Like Mad

Breathe, girl, breathe. I must keep reminding myself of this.

Next week is PaperArts' 4th Birthday Crop and I'm lucky (or should that be unlucky?) enough to be teaching the weekend, along with the fabulous Shimelle. Obviously I can't speak for my own classes, because I'm just not that way (self-promoting LOL) but I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that Shim's classes look fantastic!

So I'm busy scrapping away, trying to produce something that won't look too shabby next to Shim and on top of that I've also put the additional pressure on myself of producing no less than 3 sample LOs for one class and another sample of my acetate book. No pressure there then.

On top of that I've got a CJ to complete (the last and it's all over, hooray!) and I do really need to get it out in the post this week. Not to mention putting together some class notes for the class I missed last month due to laryngitis. On the one hand I thrive on challenges/pressures like that, well, I say I do but I'm beginning to think that I used to but that as I'm getting older (oh, so old) I'm not thriving so much as stressing.

So, I've promised myself that as from next weekend, when it's all over with, I'm going to take a step back. Some time out. Get myself organised. Not take on too much. Part of which has sort of already been set off in motion as I've handed in my notice at work (although at the moment it looks like they don't want to accept it...) and hopefully will be the first step in de-stressing (which will please my doctor).

OK, nose...grindstone...me...later!

Wiltshire, Eh?

Which will go over the heads of most Brits but is aimed at my Canadian friends.

So I get woken up at 7am by the excited voices of the girls getting dressed. I hear the words "warm", "layers", "gloves", "scarf". I tried to ignore them and go back to sleep (after all a quick one eye open look at the other side of the bed confirms that Richard is up - he can deal) but nope, I just couldn't.

I pull back the curtains, and blow me down if we haven't magically been transported back to Nova Scotia during the night. Around 3 inches of snow lies on the ground and it's still snowing. Going down into the kitchen to get a much needed mug of coffee, I get a feeling of deja vu: he is listening to the radio and the announcement of school closures. Yes, it's a 'Snow Day'. Can you believe that?

Typically it's today when I have to work and not yesterday, when I didn't but the girls have been out since 7:15am and loving it.

I'll post some photos later, once I'm dressed and gone out to take some.

Happy Snow Day...

A Conversation Overheard

Between Harriet and Noah whilst driving in the car:

Noah: Can God swim?
Harriet: He doesn't need to - he can walk on water!

Cricut Complaint

No, not that I'm unhappy with my Cricut - I'm not. I love my Cricut. But what I am annoyed about is that they've now announced that they will start shipping, in May 2007, a new larger format Cricut. One that will cut on either a 12"x12" mat or a 12" x 24" mat!!!! If I had know this I would have seriously have thought about buying that size as opposed to the 12"x6" one I have.

And they must have known for quite a while that this was going to happen. It really annoys me when they do this. Grrrrr!

On a happier note they are coming out with some FABULOUS new cartridges which I will have to have. I'm particularly loving these ones:

I know the last one is a bit left field for me, considering I have never been to Disney World - but I plan too! LOL.

I am also desiring one of these:
This will not only carry your machine but has room for 12 cartridges, tools, accessories and a cell phone. Cool!

Luckily I'm having a 'round' birthday this year so I am now starting to lay the foundations of my rapidly increasing wish list! Obviously all of these will feature prominently on that list! So, Richard, family, take note!

Mummy Moment Part 2

No, not Part II of Back To The Future but a proud mummy moment of another kind.

A poem by Katarina:

The Power of the Sea

The sea was pounding against the rock face
Crashing and spraying with amazing grace
The light house was standing tall and strong
As the sea unleashed all her wrong
And as God looked down on the roaring sea
He waved his hand and smiled at me
And all of a sudden the sea went calm
And I was skipping home unharmed.

How beautiful is that? How talented is she?

Mummy Moment Part 1

Well, I am slowly starting to feel better but won't be running any races for a little while (as if, LOL!).

Today was a day off and I relaxed and chilled out, visited with friends this morning, had a coffee and a chat, lazed around in the afternoon and topped it off with a dvd cosy-up with the children after school. It was great - I introduced them to one of my favourite movies of the 80s - Back To The Future.

I'd recently bought the trilogy, very cheaply at Homebase (?? how weird's that??) and thought it would be great to sit and watch it with them. Noah, unfortunately (or fortunately if you read on further) got bored and took himself off to play Stuart Little on the playstation but the girls LOVED it. Now, this is the fortunate bit (or unfortunate now... if you see what I mean), the rating was a PG. Well, that'll be fine, I think, uhmmm... NO. There was actually quite a bit of swearing (which I don't remember there being at all). You should have seen the look on the girls faces! Outwardly I feigned shock myself but inwardly it was so funny to see them look so surprised - both at the bad language (which wasn't horrendously bad I hasten to add, no 'f' words or anything) but also at the fact that I still let them watch!!! Bad mother, I am... But it was good. Real sort of retro 80s.

They LOVED it. It took a while for them to just settle in to just watching it. To start with they were just constantly asking questions.

"Is that the sort of sunglasses they wore back then?"
"Did you have sunglasses like that?"
"Is this 80s music?"
"Is that an 80s car?"

You get the picture. Harriet even had a chuckle over the opening film credits and how 'old' they looked! Great stuff. As soon as it was finished they wanted to watch Part II but that's for tomorrow!

Borders

So I popped in to Borders last night, like you do when you only really need to go to the chemists, but hey, it's right next door and it would be rude not to, wouldn't it?

I was very lucky to not only find a copy of Creating Keepsakes BUT also Simple Scrapbooks, a magazine that I haven't managed to put my hand on to in many a month! Result.

But even more intriguingly as I'm paying for my purchases (OK, I threw in a couple of books for Kat, for me and for others) the guy serving me casually remarks "oh, you're one of those scrapbookers!". Or words to that effect, my head is still feeling a little woolly from recent illnesses. To which, after I get over my shock that he even registers what scrapbooking is, I reply that of course I am. We have a very brief chat about magazines (he commented that the UK mags are not as good as the US ones!) and he then says that he is trying to give the scrapbooking look to a website he is trying to set up! The long and the short of it is that he asked for my email and this blog address and is going to check things out and, maybe, be calling on me for some advice!

So if you are reading this Borders Guy "hi!".

Laryngitis

Oh, no, I can't just have the usual sort of viral thing that is going around can I? I can't just feel awful for a couple of days and then start to feel better. No, I have to go and get laryngitis! And 4 days later I'm still feeling like crap.

Both Harriet and Richard (Noah did have the viral thing but it was very mild and only lasted overnight and so didn't even miss any school time) felt awful for a couple of days and then got better, albeit slowly. So I'm expecting mine to follow the same route. No. I get up on the 3rd day expecting to feel better but... I. Feel. Worse. As it's a Saturday I have to ring the emergency doctor and then in my hoarse whisper of a voice, which fades in and out to no voice, explain why I think I need to see a doctor. I hate doctors! They make you feel like you are wasting their time. I know I'm not. I know the difference between just a sore throat and something more. I. Just. Know.

I finally persuade the snotty nurse that I really should be allowed to come in to the emergency clinic and so off we trot. Yup, sure enough she can see I have spots at the back of my throat and announces I have laryngitis and need a course of antibiotics. Um... duh! I didn't like to say "I told you so" but "I told her so!".

The worst of it is that I just couldn't teach at PaperArts yesterday and I hate that. I hate letting people down. But I just couldn't. I toyed with just going along, teaching the class and then coming home but even if I could have mustered the energy to stand to teach the class, no-one would have heard a word of what I was trying to say as I've lost my voice. Add to that the fact I have a raging temperature, feel like I've gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson and hurt everywhere, well, there was just no way.

I am going to do some instructions and a step-by-step for everyone who was there though and hopefully I will get this out to you all sometime in the next week or so. Sorry.

Now, I'm just waiting for the antibiotics to kick in. How long does that take?

Feeling Yuk!

That's me. There is some awful viral lurgies going around at the moment. Harriet was off school sick for 2 days this week and now Richard and I have got it. I feel bloody awful. High temperature, headaches, aching all over, the most horrendous cough and sore throat. I don't want to talk. I don't want to eat.

On top of that I finally went to the docs between Christmas and New Year to find out why I have been feeling so awful for the last couple of months. Turns out my blood pressure is pretty high and I've now been put on medication and have been having to go back once a week to monitor it. Started off on 1.25mg of medication, which was then doubled to 2.5mg last week and yesterday that was then doubled again to 5mg! It explains why I was feeling so awful but not why I'm suffering with it - I blame my mother - it's bound to be an hereditary thing, isn't it?

So at the moment I'm sitting here feeling like, well, you can imagine and trying to build up the energy to sort out some page kits for the crop tomorrow. But thinking that maybe I shouldn't waste the energy because if I'm still feeling like this it will be more likely that I will go, teach and then come right home.

If it behaves anything like Harriet's then I *should*, in theory, start to feel a little better as the day wears on. We can but hope. I hate feeling like this. I feel so apathetic. Ugh. Horrid.

Class Sneak Peek

As I've been nagged, I'm posting a sneak peek of the class I'm teaching this Saturday (20th January) at PaperArts. And it is only a peek as it's just about a 2" square of the layout. Mean aren't I? LOL. We'll be using the scrummy Blush papers from BasicGrey.

Confession Time

Fancy doing a little project? Fancy using up some of your own stash? The fantabulous Shimelle is doing a mini-book project AND, because that's the kind of gal she is, it's FREE! Yup, free. So get on over there, grab the badge and sit back and wait for Friday


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Layout Catch Up

I know, I know, I'm not blogging very often at the moment. But I'm going to try harder from now on. I'm not going to make any promises about being a better blogger, about writing more often. Someone once told me "Never break a promise so... erm...never make a promise!". I am, however, hoping that home/work/scrap life will now settle down to a better rhythm now that Noah is at school full-time. In theory I should have more time. Funny thing, theory!

So, layout catch up. Even though I haven't been blogging I have been busy on other things, not just work or family life but I have been scrapping. A little. These 2 layouts were for a class I taught at the December 2006 Scrappers Unlimited Crop using acetate, glitter and paints. The acetate shapes were cut out using my CraftRobo (boy did it have steam coming out of its ears by the time I'd finished) and then Stickles glitter glue applied to create definition and dimension. I then used the negatives left in the acetate, once the baubles/snowflakes were removed, to paint a band of pattern across the background cardstock in varying shades. The red strips were created using my favourite scalloped edged decorative scissors (see they can still come in handy!). You can't tell from these photos but they really are VERY sparkly in real life.

This next layout was based on a cyber crop layout by the wonderfully talented Shimelle. It wasn't a 'do this, put that here' type of class but more of a design principle, one based on keeping everything in the middle of the page and the balance of white space around. I love this style anyway so this was no hardship to me. The hard thing was actually scrapping this photo. It was taken WAY before scrapbooking was a twinkle in my eye and so is a terrible shot but I love it. Love what it represents and the emotions it stirs when I look at it. It also went great with some Imaginisce papers that Fiona had given me at PaperArts which I had been feeling very guilty about every time I came across them stash hunting as I had done nothing with them (orange is not a colour I do!). I mix of hand-cutting and CraftRobo-ing on this one and some colouring in (how therapeutic is that?) on the little Jenni Bowlin journalling card.

The next was for a Scrapbook Inspirations feature in their January 2007 edition. They asked 12 different people to each cover just one month and come up with a calendar page to represent that month. The results were really interesting. Interesting on how people had interpreted 'calendar', the thing they focused on (some the season, some the month etc.) and there were some amazing layouts. Really inspiring. I've never done a calendar page before, thinking they would be boring but now I might have changed my mind. I'm not saying I will do one for every month of every year but they could come in very handy if you need a 'filler' layout in your album.

Finally just a couple of random layouts. The double layout 'Splashdown' and 'The Many Faces of Harriet' were both inspired by a Becky Fleck sketch. 'Splashdown' really is straight in real life and does line up - honest! I loved the sketch for 'The Many Faces of Harriet' and in particular the placement for all the little photos. Such a great idea. 'Christmas Concert' was a layout I did for the ScrapManic weekend, back in November, for my Ad Inspiration class. Obviously, it was inspired by an ad. Got to love ads, such a great source of free inspiration.

Well I think that's it apart from a couple of layouts that I just haven't scanned in yet. I will get to them eventually so watch this space.

Happy New Year

Just want to wish everyone I know a Happy New Year and hope that 2007 is a good year for all.

We had a very quiet New Year which is pretty much normal for us since having children and living so far away from family. We chatted, we watched a bit of TV, we drank champagne, wished each other a Happy New Year and then went... to bed!

Richard hasn't made any New Years resolutions. I'm still thinking about mine. Do I make some and inevitably not keep them? Or not make any and therefore not have anything to aim for? Difficult dilemma as even though I nearly always break any resolutions it is nice to have put those thoughts out there, to know that there are things you want to achieve in the coming year. This year I turn 40. There, I've said it. It wasn't too scary. I will be 40 this year and yes, there are things I would like to achieve. Some big things, some not so big, but something to aim for all the same.

I'm not going to put them all down here on my blog though. I've decided to do a mini album, which I will post as and when during the year.

Today is a glorious day, the sun is shining and a walk is beckoning. Perhaps a geocaching jaunt?

Happy New Year.