Bleurghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

That's how I feel today, I was alright this morning, I had a fabulous nights sleep, think I clocked up about six hours uninterrupted sleep, got up reasonably early got organised and ordered all my class materials for next week and hopefully they will all be delivered before my classes start.

Then went to town to collect my new blind, that yes I have fitted and no...typically...the old blind fittings were unsuitable and I had to do it all properly...drill, wall plugs, screws...the works...and I didn`t even have to call my Dad, although it is probably down to him that I am able to tackle such jobs!!! And I am happy because its still hanging and looks great, smells good too, I love the smell of wood!!!

By the time I finished that I was a little warm to say the least, must have overdone the screwing!!! And since then had one of those headaches that wont shift...you could say it was a "blinding headache"...god I am sad, the kids keep asking me if I think it maybe swine flu and are walking "around" me giving me a wide berth...bless them!!!

Did manage to complete another layout tonight and photographed the three I did last night too...scrap crazy at the moment, have lots of lovely pictures that I have taken over the last few weeks with my new camera and this morning the printer decides to run out of ink...Bloody typical!!!

Mia and I larking about at the Albert Dock...




Me and my Girlies...love this picture taken by my gorgeous niece...the journaling on this reads "No matter where you are or what you do you are my girls and I will always love you"



Mia in the Disney shop in Liverpool...Journaling reads "Once upon a time there was a little girl who dreamed of being a real princess...she will always be my princess"



Took this gorgeous picture of Mia on Monday, while she was chasing pigeons...



Did this to it in photo shop....



And created this with it tonight...



And was just about to say I am off but turned to check on the kids, they are watching Kung Fu Panda and had one of those "Kids are too quiet moments...what they up too"

Look....





Mia is looking very comfortable in my chair looking through my scrapbooks...Jesus that really bought a lump to my throat, she has independently got them off the shelf and is looking through them all and can hear her chatting away to herself remembering past events, special occasions or just simple perfect moments....now that is why I scrapbook...a beautiful moment captured on camera...that will no doubt get scrapped!!!

I am off now to sit and cuddle my little girl and tell her how much I love her.

A little hometime!!!

Today I spent the whole day at home...no shopping, no trips with the kids, no visiting friends, no lunching...just me an old pair of jeans, my hair scraped back and a spray bottle of Cillit bang!!!

My house has never looked so good, I spent most of the day cleaning, my kitchen is gleaming, my floors are sparkling, I have even washed the paintwork. I have done all those little repair jobs that needed doing, fixed the towel rail in the bathroom that has been stood behind the bathroom door for more months than I care to remember, repaired the curtain track in the girls bedroom and re hung their curtains. I have finally measured the kitchen window and ordered the new blind that I want that I am collecting tomorrow and have measured the bathroom window so I can go and buy some fabric tomorrow to make a blind...even have the sewing machine out and ready to do this....Feel all domesticated and not just because my hands feel like someone has been at them with a sheet of sandpaper, even the kids said wow the house is clean Mum...which proves we usually live in a sty obviously!!!

Hopefully all that exercise will help me to sleep because that bloody insomnia has crept back, hardly slept a wink last night and woke up this morning feeling as though I had been wrung out...had to rely on a double spoonful of Alta Rica this morning to kick start me!!!

Managed to finish this layout this afternoon, Ella posing last week before she shimmied away to her leavers disco...



Have also completed another three layouts this evening but the pictures will have to wait until tomorrow as the nights are drawing in quicker and quicker!!!

So off to town tomorrow with a list as long as my arm...as I was cleaning each room in the house I did the incredibly organised thing...Mum`s influence here...writing a list of all the things I needed...I know I am a Geek!!!

A Day at the Museum!!!

I have lived in Warrington for over twenty years and I have never visited the museum...that was until today!!!

Luckily for us Ben Stiller was not around and none of the artefact's came to life, Mia would have literally poohed her pants she was terrified of the "Mummy" as it was and that had nothing to do with me!!!

So the museum is full of interested old stuff as you would expect and that was just the staff...just kidding, they have some pretty incredible artefact's in there, including this little Egyptian girl...who we made walk like an Egyptian....



Then she transformed into this little beauty outside in the sunshine...



Also "Discovered" this little dude outside...




Stumbled upon this little mini me...



Scary how much she is looking like me...well she is bloody bound too when she is again wearing my clothes!!!

So had a great day with my kids larking about but wanted to just send special thoughts to a couple of people very close to me having a tough time.

Organised....

...Yep I am so organised even I am scared...

I have been out with the kids today and bought all their new uniforms for September...even they were a little worried and they are concerned they are going to grow over the summer so what I have bought them won`t fit them when they go back to school...bless them...they had better not grow because I have parted with an absolute fortune today...Harry insisted on two pairs of the most expensive trousers in the shop, Ella would only entertain black skirts and they were typically more expensive than the grey ones and even Mia decided she didn`t want the two pack of shirts for £2...oh no £5 each shirt because they have flower shaped buttons!!!

Bloody kids...not sure where they get their fussiness for fashion from!!!

It has been a lovely day today but rather than enjoy the sunshine this afternoon I made the kids clear out their bedrooms...muwahaha...I had been threatening this all week so today we bought the bin bags and the poor bin men are in for a bit of a shock when my bin is emptied this week...think we managed about 6 bags of crap, the house feels de-cluttered and airy all of a sudden!!!

Took this lovely picture of Ella tonight while she was watching some American crap on the telly, I still can`t get over the fact that she starts high school in September and will be walking to and from school on her own...but just look at her, look how grown up she is...



And a lovely smiley shot of her....



Made some cards today too, doing a craft fair in a couple of weeks so trying to build up some stock, at this rate I am going to have three bracelets and six cards!!!

Off now to get some scrapbooking done, have a pile of pictures, some gorgeous new papers and the time to actually do it!!!

School`s Out For Summer!!!

Oooh and what a monumental day, after seven years at Christchurch Primary School, Ella finally left today and is officially "between schools". I spent the morning at her leavers assembly where the children put on a performance and thanked the all teachers individually, and the Headmaster said some pretty lovely things about the year sixes...there were tears and laughter and that was just the parents!!!

I managed to remain composed, as did Ella, the tissues managed to stay in my bag but I think if she had of cried then I would but she just enjoyed herself despite half of her friends bawling their eyes out!!!

Took this lovely photo of Ella and her teacher, she has been in her class for the last two years so is extra special to Ella, I have so much respect for this lady, she is an amazing teacher and Jack and Harry also had her, so I am secretly hoping that when Mia is in year five she has her too. What spoilt the moment slightly was the fact that she had to ask me if it was okay for her to put her arm around Ella!!! But never the less a lovely happy photo for Ella.



The girls then had achievement assembly this afternoon and both of them received the Certificates of Excellence...awarded to one boy and one girl from each class...Proud Mum!!!

And Ella has had her shirt signed by it seems the entire school, what choked me was the comment her Headmaster put on..."You have always been nothing short of outstanding and will never be replaced here...you will be sorely missed at Christchurch"!!! That my little girl he wrote about.

God listen to me gush...!!!

Okay gush over, I had a class tonight, after three whole days off work I had to teach...great lesson though made even better by carrot cake...mmmmmmmmmm.....one of my students was celebrating her birthday so bought it in for us to stuff our faces with...I don`t recommend jewellery making whilst eating sticky carrot cake though!!!

I am probably going to be teaching some classes in the near future here and Anne-Marie has set up her own blog too, she is famous you know...goes on the telly!!! I have done a couple of demo`s at her shop and really enjoy working with her and her team so really looking forward to going back soon, but for now I am enjoying the fact that I have a whole week off work...yep I am free until 5.30pm next Thursday evening...although I have so many courses to plan and samples to make and my Saturdays are starting to fill up nicely with Demonstrations for Kars and I reckon it is going to be Christmas before I get any length of time off again...It`s a good thing I love my job!!!

Off now to finish the card I started making today...just for fun!!!

Manchester, Mia and Making Memories...

Wow all the "M`s" there in the blog title!!!

Hit the streets of Manchester today for a little retail therapy, funnily enough though I only bought myself a skirt and a new handbag, even though my bill in Primark was over £50...Ella and her bloody "Mum I need this and Mum I Need that's"...spent a fortune on her on new clothes in the hope that she will stop stealing mine...I really thought I would have a couple more years before she was borrowing my clothes but I should probably be thankful that she actually wants to be seen in mine!!!

I really wouldn`t mind but have to take her shopping at the weekend for her new uniform for the high school too...Kids!!!

Did nip into Waterstones though and could not resist this little gem...



It`s so cute...obviously because it says so on the cover...duh...and full of the most gorgeous felty fun makes...Ella...again that child...has her eye on me making a couple of the creations for her...hmmm we will see, but in actual fact I can`t wait to get my needles, threads and felts out to have a play...so my mother of the year crown will remain polished and sparkly!!!

I think I have another Geek in the making here too....



Little Miss Mia caught as she was building her school web page...obviously I am a little bit biased but how gorgeous does she look, oh and very tired, last week in school always a busy one and the girls are having to be literally peeled out of bed in the mornings this week...bless!!!

And just take a look at this, the ultimate in organisation....if only it would organise my lesson plans, my tax return and my housework...well I can`t have everything can I...



Look at all those compartments...little drawers and a big section in the middle, and it spins too, have wanted one of these for...ever...and now I have one...sad and geek like...I did warn you all!!!

Tomorrow is the last day of school for the girls...finally...every man and his dog seem to have broken up for the summer...have to take my tissues to the leavers assembly, obviously Ella will be performing in this and I swear the teachers try every year to think of the most tear jerking song for all the kids to sing...must remember the waterproof mascara, hmm can I get away with wearing my shades in the school hall, I have a reputation to maintain...never cried yet at anything whilst others around me have sobbed...if I concentrate on taking photos...but who am I trying to kid, my little baby girl...yep the one who keeps stealing my shoes and my clothes...is leaving little school and has to go to big school...they really do grow up fast!!!

Off to prepare my tissues and camera and to hide my new skirt from Ella!!!

Complete and Utter Randomness!!!

Funny old day today!!!

Did I mention I had twelve days off work!!!

Well now I only have eleven...but today, although the weather was complete and utter pants, my friend and I headed into rural Warrington...well Lymm to all you Warrington residents, to the Willow Pool Garden Centre...which by the way is not your typical Homebase style garden centre...oh no...it is just completely bizarre...beautiful but bizarre...look...

Of course we had to "do lunch" and we did it in style...oh yes china cups and saucers for our coffee, porcelain dishes for our homemade soup and plates for the hot chocolate fudge cake complete with ice cream, which can be eaten either in the indoor tea rooms with genuine log fires or outdoors sheltered from the elements in these rather quirky thatched, heated gazebos...as it was raining we opted for the log fire!!!

So after all that "fresh country air" tonight I am exhausted...but in a healthy "I have been outdoors all day" kind of way...just have to contend with a days shopping in Manchester tomorrow...oh the strain of being off work is so hard I can tell you!!!

Sad Day Today....

I am wiping a sad little tear from my eye as we speak, choking back the sobs that threaten to rack my body...my lil girl is all growing up...look



11 years old...School leavers disco...wearing my eyeshadow, my sunglasses, my scarf and my shoes!!!

Look...



She was even told by her class teacher and the headmaster that she looked like me and she does, a little mini me!!!



She has three days left at Primary school then its going to be a whirlwind of hair straighteners, make up and skirts that are far too short for her as she hits High School in September...oh god I remember what I was like when I started so I can only hope she is the complete opposite!!!

Also finished up teaching today too, that's all my classes done (apart from evening ones) until the first week of August which means....Twelve whole days off work....TWELVE Days...ooh it sounds just like the Twelve days of Christmas!!!

And on the first day....I am off out with a friend tomorrow for the day here
And on the second day.... I am hitting the pavements here
And that's about all my plans so far...well unless I count what the kids have in store for me next week...which is no doubt going to be expensive!!!

Off to load some new songs on my ipod, have discovered Porcupine Tree and I quite likes them!!!

That Friday Feeling....

Came and went, I had this morning off from teaching, the class I usually teach on a Friday morning finished last week so I spent the morning making samples for my demo tomorrow, using the Slice machine...and a whole lot of the most scrumptious pink, embossed, glittered card...yum

Little 10p notebook from Asda covered...ideal teachers gifts



Love card using a little bit of wire work



25th wedding anniversary card...and yep I hand glued every one of those beads on...the background paper is the most gorgeous vellum...



Little pot of blooms that will never wilt...

and a little chip carton, that Harry actually showed me how to make this morning...credit where it is due...

I think I am all crafted out now, have all my samples carefully packed in my funky wheels and have just done my nails...they have to look good when you are crafting in public...they are all glossy and pink to co-ordinate with my samples...that's sad right!!!

So although I had the Friday feeling this morning its now Friday evening and I know I have to get up early tomorrow, no blissful lie in for me, then I am out tomorrow night to watch the band, having a chill out day on Sunday I think!!!

Off to check my nails co ordinate perfectly with my papers!!!

Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding!!!!

Yep on a Thursday...oooh and it was delicious I met a friend for a spot of shopping and lunch today and we nipped into our local Toby Carvery, I have never been before even though its been open for about a year. Wow £5.00 for a bloody gorgeous beef Sunday dinner...on a Thursday, so today I was officially a "lady wot lunches".

Then had to teach a jewellery making class with a belly full of beef and roast potatoes...hard life huh!!!

I did however get a chance to finally have a play with some wire knitting, one of my students had bought in a piece to show me and she lent me some knitting needles and before I knew it I had remembered everything my lovely Nan had taught me and I had not only cast on I managed this...



I love it, although my fingers are hurting a little, I am planning on making it big enough to turn into a bracelet cuff and weave some more wire through it with beads on...how cool is that.

Also managed to finally complete this necklace last night, only took me about two hours because I kept dropping the crimps...god they are soooo small and are only just visible to the human eye, I think a trip to the opticians is in order as I am finding it more and more difficult to focus on close up work!!!



Look what has come to stay with me too...



The Slice from making memories, back where it belongs on my craft desk, demonstrating this machine at the weekend here and I have not one but two of these little beauties, one to use for Demos and one for me...also got my hands on some of the Slice papers and acetates...oooh so lush and also the embossing kit which turns the die cut cartridges into embossing folders...now that's cool!!!

I am off to stroke my new papers and charge up my little slice ready for a mass play tomorrow.

Gradually Going Green.....

...It has taken some time, especially when you consider the uniform I had to wear at school...Green everything, shirt, skirt, cardigan, socks and yep those horrible PE knickers...so approximately sixteen years later I can finally say I like green again...bought some gorgeous lime beads yesterday from here and have spent the afternoon turning them into these little delights...









On to working with turquoise next I think...although I must say the green is so fresh and lush and looks fabulous with the raspberry pink beads I also got.

Also managed to hang my new tea light holder this morning, bloody hell it weighs a ton, so hopefully it wont pull half the ceiling down if by any chance it falls down, isn`t it pretty though, can`t wait until later when I light a vanilla scented candle in there and it casts a candlelit glow over my desk...either that or it will fall down and set fire to my new papers!!!



Dum dum dum dum...school report day today too...for the girls anyway, Harry either genuinely hasn`t received it or he has "mislaid" it!!!

I am a proud Mum tonight, my girls have done really well this year, they have some outstanding comments written by both their class teachers and the headmaster too, one that sticks in my mind is the headteachers comment on Ella`s report:

"She is a reflective and thoughtful young lady with a great sense of humour, High schools gain-our loss!"

What a lovely thing to say, and I must admit I had a little lump in my throat when I read that because she is growing up, she is starting high school and she is not a little girl anymore...she had her first taster day at the High School today and had an absolute ball apparently...I even did the good mum thing and went to collect her at the end of the day, to see her beaming as she walked towards me was just a lovely feeling and she has been excitedly chatting about her day all evening, lovely to see such enthusiasm...just wondering if it will last!!!

Off now to play with my turquoise beads...bored with the green ones now!!!

Bad in Blakemere!!!

Oooh I have been a very bad girl today, had a fabulous day but I was a little bit naughty and spent far more than I should have done in the bead shop in Blakemere...I am blaming Geoff...completely and utterly...yes Riley you!!!

OOOH there were some beautiful beads in there and I bought a lot of them home with me, was like a child in a sweet shop lushing over the pick and mix of beads available singly, in tubes or strung...bead heaven...got some beautiful findings too and some much needed thong ;-)

I have it all laid out on my desk, on my new bead mat, ready to stroke and purr over later....look at my stash of goodies...



We also came across the most fragrant candle shop, which sold candles in every colour, size and shape...I have never seen so many candles altogether...treated myself to a beautiful hanging tea light holder which is still in the box but will be hung over my desk tomorrow if I can find my bloody hammer which has mysteriously disappeared!!!
Look at all those candles...



We met a few "little people" while we were shopping ;-)



And Geoff went completely potty...

Still the sun was shining, although we did encounter a bit of a "Draught"

How cool is that giant draughts board...I am getting one of them!!!

Now funnily enough I can`t just go on a shopping trip, managed to get chatting to quite a few of the shop owners, crafters are so friendly, and a couple of them asked for my details when they found out I teach, so day of shopping and networking too!!!

Off now to play with my new beads and work out how to spool knit!!!

One Day in Two days off...My kind of working week!!!

Today was my only full day in work this week and what a day, busy as hell but a really enjoyable day, as the academic year draws to a close a lot of my courses are either finished or finishing up in the next couple of weeks, although courses will be running throughout the summer starting the first week in August and it seems I have a pretty packed timetable again but I actually have a whole week off work the week after next although I have a feeling I am going to be de-cluttering and decorating, my poor little house needs some serious TLC...watch out charity shops of Warrington I do believe you are going to be inundated with all my crap!!!

So I have two whole days off work...although I have plans both days so can`t really get down to serious housework just yet which is unfortunate as I was so looking forward to dusting and scrubbing!!!

Tomorrow I am being taken here for the day by some of my students...really looking forward to that, apparently there is an amazing bead shop there...can see a small fortune being spent!!!

On Wednesday I have a very exciting meeting regarding a new business venture that I am really looking forward too, Thursday and Friday mornings I am off too but can see those being boring paperwork and housework sessions. To make up for having time off though I am working all day Saturday, running a craft demonstration here this will be the second time I have demonstrated here so I am looking forward to meeting up with everyone again, and I get to travel by Virgin train which has free wi fi you know...ipod will be in hand!!!

Off now to read...can`t remember the last time I read properly but started one of my books, I bought yesterday, last night and am already halfway through...yep it`s that good!!!

Shopping...On a Sunday!!!

Have been up since stupid o clock this morning, about 4am, couldn`t sleep because my mouth hurts, am getting slightly sick of it now, thought that once the tooth was out I would be suffering less but still keeping Neurofen in business, needless to say spent most of the afternoon in bed and am probably going to be up half the night now...!!!

So took advantage of the fact it was so quiet this morning...even the kids aren`t up at that time...thank the lord... and lay on the couch with coffee and magazines...pure bliss, then decided to complete the pink layout of Jack I was going to finish last night...



Then managed to make this little card too, water colouring at 6am in the morning is one of the loveliest things to do at that time...so relaxing and when it is a Tilda well that's just the icing on the cake...I love this colour combination, saw it in a magazine this morning and thought I would give it a go, papers are all good old K and Co...



So after all that crafting I took my sorry little self into town ...retail therapy was required...god on a Sunday that is an adventure in itself...okay so the shops are all open for so many hours, Sunday in the town centre seems as busy as a Saturday so why are there only three buses a day...and these buses go around the whole of Warrington before they actually reach town!!!

Had a lovely mooch in Borders, the smell in there is divine, Starbucks upstairs...mmmmmmm, then hit the Town Centre...got these out of The Works...along with 3 books for a fiver...bargain...got myself some summer reading now, not read for ages and really missed it, I love to loose myself in a book, I think its the ultimate form of relaxation, especially in a hot bubble bath accompanied with a nice glass of Pinot...so all these were £1 a pack!!!

My first utter bargain of the day though was this book...Oh My God...reduced from £20 to £1.99...and full of fabulous tips, tricks and tutorials and I spent an hour flicking through it this afternoon.

Then went "proper shopping" to us girls this means clothes shopping and managed to find the most beautiful pink top in Zara reduced from £40 to a tenner...bought a couple of other tops too, one being a little turquoise cardi out of the kids section of H&M...aged 11-12....fits perfect...not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing because Ella (aged 11-12) has already cast her beady eye over it...Kids!!!

Off now to chill with one of my books, and maybe that glass of wine too ;-)