Birdsong!!!

Is what I can hear at the moment...honestly, 8.30pm at night and I can hear a bird chirping...his name is Chas and he is our new house guest...temporarily...Harry`s friend has had to go into hospital so we are bird sitting...growing quite fond of him though...look he is even quite cute...



He arrived yesterday whilst I was shopping in Manchester and although he was quiet then he has settled in today and even has the cheek to chirp if he is getting no attention, Mia is in love with him I think and keeps going up to that cage asking if he is "alright mate"...kids!!!

Had a great weekend, very busy and I am just chilling for a couple of hours, hit the very wet streets of Manchester yesterday for a little bit of retail therapy, just what a girl needs although losing my purse is not what I needed...luckily I bought a really pretty new one from Accessorize so all is not lost, apart from the cash and debit card that was in there...card cancelled and no transactions on it after my last one thank god. Bloody typical that it happen on a Bank Holiday though and I have had to beg steal and borrow money...well not steal but you get my drift...to get me through until my new card arrives, which could be up to five days!!! Bloody hell how much do I rely on that little bit of plastic!!!

Had a lovely day planning lessons!!!
Honestly the practical side, all my paperwork is still sat where I left it last week!!!
Got two classes tomorrow: Jewellery and Papercraft, and this is what we will be creating in the Papercraft class.....



Opening up into a 3D Orchid, how pretty is that....



Even managed to prepare for my Scrapbooking class on Thursday...found these gorgeous photographs of Ella last week and have been itching to get them scrapped so used them for my class sample...peek a boo page...



The mat the photo is on opens up to reveal....



I really like this page, think its the colours, not usually a colour choice of mine purple but it works so well with the accents of green.

Supposed to be the weekend...

...But by God I have had the busiest day today, been in housewife mode...well done all the cleaning, washing and ironing anyway, the weekly shop, got the last of the kids bits for school....yeah they are back this week, god the Summer holidays have flown by at an alarming rate, probably helped by the fact I have been working for most of them, I am not daft you know!!!

Finally sorted all my electrics out with my dad, had no power at my desk for nearly three weeks which means I cant work properly as I have no decent light...we spent about two hours sorting it and I finally have light...I have a glue gun, a cricut and my slice...all working!!!

Which is pretty lucky because I am demonstrating here very soon, for a whole weekend, can`t wait, am really excited about this demo as there are going to be so many other demonstrators there too...party time!!!

...and Warrington won the Challenge Cup today against Huddersfield at Wembley...Not really a rugby fan myself but most of my family travelled down to London for the day to watch it and there was Primrose and Blue on display everywhere in Town today....and considering they haven't won it since 1974 thought it at least deserved a mention...

Off to celebrate now...well a girl has got to show willing!!!

My Lil Boy...

...Is not so lil anymore!!!

I can`t believe Jack has left school and is heading off to college, it only seems a couple of years ago he was born, and he was lying sleeping on my chest, in a blue Winnie the pooh babygrow, in Warrington hospital with me stroking his back and promising him the world...God I was so naive at just 17 myself...which is how old he will be next birthday...but I didn`t do so bad, as he is such a lovely lil guy.

He has been away with his Dad, on holiday, so I haven't seen him for two whole weeks yet he turned up at work today, as I was teaching just round the corner from his school where he had picked up his GCSE results.

God I am so proud of him, he passed everything and has all the results he needs to get onto the A Level courses he wants to do...he even managed to achieve a couple of distinctions...proud Mum moment!!!

Bead-Dazzled...

Had the day off work last Wednesday, was supposed to have the day off today too but spent most of it working to some degree, and finally found The Bead shop in Afflecks Palace...oh my god I walked in and was like a kid in a sweet shop...the shop is beautiful, quirky and vintage in design and the choice of beads is incredible, I am not sure I have seen so many different varieties of beautiful bling all in one place...look what came home with me...

Beautiful Indian Lampwork beads...



Stunning Kashmere and frosted glass beads...and check out those little dice...



Of course I have not made anything with them yet, I have them sat on the most beautiful cut glass cake stand, that my friend gave to me today, and keep getting them out to gaze at their beauty, then carefully put them back in their little bags...I know I am sad!!!

Although I have every right to be, it has been a sad day, today I picked up the uniforms that had to be ordered from the school...Ella in a Blazer going to High School and me £75 quid poorer...yep a Blazer each for her and Harry, a tie each and two shirts each...when I think how many beads I could have bought with that much money!!!

Made these ear rings last week for one of my classes, actually took my students over two hours to make these but a few techniques involved there and they are very pretty.



And have just completed this layout of a photograph I took of Mia last year, this is for my scrapbooking class tomorrow...



Got three classes tomorrow, two classes on Friday and then its a Bank Holiday Weekend...oh yeah, three whole days off where I can lay in bed and slob about...hmmm if only...!!!

Off now to pour myself a nice glass of the cold stuff!!!

Flowers beside the seaside!!!

Okay I know I haven`t done this blogging thing for quite sometime but I am back now...muwahahaha...and with a vengeance too!!!

My Dad and I hit the shores of Southport yesterday...yep they let us both in and they waved us off again...wiping their little brows breathing a huge sigh of relief as my Dads little Fiesta hit the A-something or other back in the direction of Warrington...map reading has never been a strong point of mine but I did manage to get us there, in one piece and even managed to work round a road closure too!!!

However although its nearly the end of August, and supposed to be summer I think they forgot that in Southport, it was a little blustery to say the least and we got wet more than once and that wasn`t just because we actually spotted the sea in Southport....see it does exist...



The reason for our visit...The Southport Flower show...and I have found the garden that I want...Dad starts work on it next weekend ;-)



Although I like this one too...what do you reckon Dad, which one would be easiest to create!!!



The flowers were amazing, completely beautiful and breathtaking, here is a selection of my favourites...









Loved this display too...the work that was on show was incredible, not just the quality of the flowers but the displays were so creative.



So great day even if I did have to pay £3 for a bacon roll and £2 for a cup of coffee...and had to drink it out of a polystyrene cup too ;-).

Back to work this week and loving it, great classes today, great classes lined up for tomorrow and just need to be getting on with working again. A HUGE thank you to everyone who has been there over the last couple of weeks for me, your support, love and friendship has been greatly appreciated.

Daddy`s little Girl...

...Nope not Mia but me...just for a change...

Today I wanted my Dad and he not only came to my rescue, but was armed with Chocolate and a bottle of Wine and a big fat hug...god he knows me so well and not only that but he sat on my hard wooden floor for nearly an hour trying to sort out my electrics next to my desk that had gone "puffft" leaving me in darkness and cricutless and unable to work because I can`t see properly...he was, after several fuse changes and re wiring, completely baffled...we can`t work out why I have electricity if he holds the plugs up in the air but not if we lay them gently on the floor...he has temporarily sorted me now though and has promised a two hundred foot extension lead....dear god why do I only have three sockets in my living room....!!!!

He did make me laugh though after sitting on the floor for almost an hour and then trying to get up afterwards...sorry Dad but that was funny!!!

Completed this layout of Ella today...god I love this pic of her so much...



And have completed my first ever circle layout of my little dude...well I say little but he is about a foot taller than me!!!



Today would have been my Nan`s 97th birthday...we lost her four years ago and I still miss her so very much, she was such a big part of my childhood, I think its down to her that I am so crafty now. I remember her patiently showing me how to knit when I was about five and how to tie a bow in the smallest piece of ribbon, a skill I still use today... look how beautiful she was....



Off now to open my Dads Pinot...would be rude not too ;-)

Just wanted to share....

Not had the best of weeks as you may have noticed due to my lack of blogging, but just had a card and layout to share, birthday card for my beautiful and brave niece...



and a quick layout of Mia, love this photograph so much...



Promise to be a better blogger soon...watch this space!!!

Excited Expression!!!

Not the one on my face...well I am excited because look what I got today....The Cricut Expression

Oh its beautiful, I have been playing with it for about an hour and love it, so much that I am thinking my poor little cricut is going to be made redundant...aw and we have had such fun together too!!! So my new expression is currently set up on the floor in my living room and the girls keep looking at it with a longing in their eyes...oh no...back away from the expression girlies...this one is just for Mum!!!

I will be demonstrating the Childs Year cartridge in Kendal at the weekend here using the expression, they have a craft extravaganza planned on Saturday and can`t wait to take part.

Been over to my friends house today, she lives the other side of Warrington way out in the sticks...well there is no shopping centre nearby anyway, had a lovely afternoon in the garden topping up my tan and playing with my camera....

God that child is such a poser...

Blowing me kisses...aw...

And dancing Pulp Fiction style...think she was singing too!!!



Bee Gee style!!!



Love this picture so much...



So in good old British Summer style we had a Barbecue...set the table, got the Barbie lit, opened the wine, cooked the burgers and then the heavens literally opened...mad dash indoors with soggy buns and potato salad, but still had an absolutely fabulous day, perfect day off.

Have to work on samples all day tomorrow, and probably all night too...can see large quantities of double strength Alta Rica being consumed!!!

Off now to stroke my new machine!!!

Got my Beady eye on her....

Lovely day off today...although had an argument with Harry this morning...over what day it was...bloody kids must have cabin fever being off school, he swore it was Tuesday and really was adamant that it was...Bless him!!!

Nipped to a local craft shop today to buy some chain for a class tomorrow night and Ella has since told everyone we have seen that Mum spent £31 in there...note to self don`t take her when I go craft shopping, even when we were in there she told the lady that I had spent £60 in Hobbycraft a couple of weeks ago...Jesus nothing is sacred with her around!!!

Did stock up on some gorgeous beads though that I couldn`t wait to use and spent the afternoon creating arm candy....

And a little bit of ear candy too...

Ella also chose herself some beads, its like a little sweet shop really, and not just for kids, all the beads can be purchased individually and you walk around with a little glass jar, then she decided she wanted a lesson in jewellery making when we got home and managed very quickly to pick up the basics and after only being shown once how to do it she managed to create herself a little bracelet with the beads she bought today and then another to match...stealing beads from my stash...I am going to have to keep an eye on her now I think!!!

And I finally caved in and bought myself one of the gorgeous whiff of joy stamps...I know I have hundreds of stamps, but the samples of cards on display were so inspiring, she begged to come home with me...honest!!!

Off now to tidy up the mess that Ella and I made this afternoon, although honestly I think she tidied up hers!!!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho.....

...It`s off to work we go...yeah...back to work today, lovely class this morning and it was so nice to be back, although I enjoyed my week off I really love work too and had the best of both worlds today as I did have the afternoon off, although cleaning and ironing don`t really fall into the "afternoon off" category!!!

Feeling lousy too, think I am coming down with a cold dosed up on lemsips at the moment so hopefully will be feeling better soon...typical have a week off and now I get ill!!!

Made these this afternoon, using my new mandrel I picked up in Manchester on Saturday, Oh my god how have I ever lived without one of these...it shapes wire beautifully...circles, squares, ovals even triangles...god how sad am I...





Teaching a new class tomorrow too, Papercrafts, and tomorrow will be a bags and boxes class, made this as one of my samples using some gorgeous new papers from Bo Bunny...



Mia has been in such a happy mood this afternoon too so I thought I would try and capture, god that girl is so gorgeous just look at her...





Finally recovered from the wedding, I can walk again and my back doesn`t feel like I have been climbing mountains anymore, my best friend and I in our glam gear...

Look at us with matching purple hair!!!

Off now to buy some strepsils!!!

I love U.....

Wow can`t believe my week off work is almost over, flew by at quite an alarming rate but I am so ready to get back to work...think I have a bit of cabin fever, I have decided that a life of being a lady of leisure is really not for me...I know I just don`t think there are enough shops to visit!!!

Had a crazy few days though, you probably noticed my lack of blogging!!! I have tried to get the house sorted out but have resigned myself to the fact that as much as I would like to be I am NEVER going to be a neat freak...especially not with four kids off school!!!

The girls are currently "trying" to perform on Rockband on the Wii...Mia on Mic and Ella on Drums...god it sounds awful I just hope the neighbours are out!!!

Some friends of mine got married yesterday so after a thoroughly enjoyable day spent in Manchester I shimmied into a gorgeous turquoise number complete with matching three inch heels!!!

The friends are two of the members of the Selfish Lovers, the band that I am forever raving about...so the lead singer Amy married the Drummer Martin and even performed a gig at their very own wedding reception...complete with wedding attire...

First Dance was not done to your typical slushy song but to The Ordinary Boys I luv U...so cool, just look how happy Amy looks...terrible photos but took my little compact camera...which makes me love my new camera all the more.

Had a bit of a chill out crafty day today, as my feet and back are recovering from about three hours dancing in heels!!!!

Made these little bracelets just for me...

Finally finished knitting my wire cuff too...

Finally got round to creating the 3d rabbit that I got the template for at Aintree earlier this year...isn`t she cute...

I am off to find my earphones...Mia is absolutely ruining a very decent Oasis number!!!