Im so excited!!!

Been so busy the last week, It was adult Learners week last week and I was involved in so many events that I actually met myself coming backwards at one point...shook hands and told myself about all the courses the college has to offer!!!

Obviously I didn`t really but it felt like it at times, was an amazing week, especially the awards ceremony on the Sunday which was to recognise learners achievements, some of my students were up for awards so I was a very proud tutor!!!

Work is winding down a bit at the moment, half term next week so a couple of days off planned with the kids and quite possibly a bit of a clear out...I can`t find anything...anywhere, not just craft supplies but shoes and handbags and items of clothing I know I have, I am currently looking for a housekeeper who will accept payment in cupcakes...please apply below ;-).

Off to Preston in the morning to teach another jewellery class at Cardcraft Plus and if you are are around between June 10-13 they are having a four day craft event...details here I will be there on the Friday...demonstrating jewellery making.

And finally my excitement...I have been accepted on a degree programme, really happy about that in professional management and the first module starts in two weeks...I am a student and have been told that I will not only get student discount (Yay) but also that I am allowed to sleep longer, drink more and wash less!!! Not sure I will be putting that part of student life into practice but I am all for the student discount!!!

Cupcakes and Crystals!!!

I am back Online!!!!

Yeah Baby, thanks to some very sound PC advice!!!

So I can check Emails, catch up with Facebook, view my Bank Balance online, and Blog the pictures I took on Sunday!!!

And I have this morning off so I have time to do all that too!!!

Had a lovely day on Sunday with my little girlie...we hit Hobbycraft...only for some class supplies but we had such a lovely girly giggle, she is me to a tee unfortunately and even has the hands on hip shaking of her head pose down to a tee!!!

When we got home, we baked...Yes I know and I don`t do baking!!!

When I say we...she sauntered off to her Grandads and told me to bake the cakes and she would decorate them...she is bloody 9 and I found myself actually agreeing!!!

So Joint effort...and beautifully displayed on my cut glass cake stand that a friend bought for me...so pretty...



And this is my little darling posing in the garden sat at my new table and chairs...finally replaced the one I had stolen two years ago...

Pretty as a picture...



Hmmm...starting the posing...



Where does she get that from...



Looks like she is playing "Air Cello"...



Scarey face...



Just plain cheeky...



Finally...phew I hear you gasp...this is a Swarovski Crystal ring I made a couple of months ago, even taught this in a couple of my classes...



Off now to surf the interwebs...I missed it!!!

Blackberry Blogging!

I have gremlins, or a virus or quite possibly both, my PC decided tonight that it wasn't going to play and I am reduced to blogging via Blackberry...but quite honestly how cool is that?

I honestly had a host of pictures taken ready to upload, isn't that just the way...from a swarovski crystal ring I made to the delicious cupcakes I created today...oh yes I have been the domestic Godess herself today!!!

Hopefully I will have the computer sorted by tomorrow, either fixed or thrown through the bloody window but aiming carefully so I don't damage my gorgeous new table and chairs I bought for the garden yesterday!!!

Wish me luck!!!

OWCH!!!!

I have a headache...and it`s my own fault too, sat up watching the Alternative Election Night last night, but fell asleep on the couch after a couple of glasses of wine, only to wake up at 1am hardly able to move...OWCH!!!

And the fact that I have already had to face the aisles of ASDOH this morning in my pained and hungover state didn`t really help either...trying to decide what meals to cook during the week when all I wanted was a neurofen and a bacon buttie was no easy feat believe me...but its done for another week...yeah me!!!

I was planning on spending the day "doing" the back garden, the weeds out there are ridiculous, I have to take a strimmer out with me every time I want to peg a line of washing out, but it looks like its going to rain :-) and I would hate to get halfway through and have to stop.

Instead I might just sit and plan my lessons for next week or just curl up under a blanket dreaming of somewhere nice and warm.

Made this layout yesterday for my Scrapbooking class last night, its a lovely picture of Mia, taken during the Christmas holidays last year and just really sums up her personality...

Happy...



And finished some more Bling...well this one is more arm candy than bling because the beads look like sweets...



...and I am just loving green at the moment, even considering redecorating in a similar colour in my living room...



Off now for coffee and Neurofen!!!

Ooooops!!!

I promised my students that I would add this picture to my blog either last night or today and I forgot...sorry ladies...



Better late than never!!!

Creativity!!!

Well I have a couple of hours to myself so I thought I would post some projects I have been working on the last few days. Had a funny week this week, I think that Bank Holiday Mondays knock everyone out of sorts a bit and I can`t believe it is Friday tomorrow already. I am not demonstrating this weekend either, the first weekend I have had off since March...Pinot and Lie ins planned!!!

Although I really should clear my desk before I plan anything, its covered in beads...seed beads at that!!!

Okay made a couple of easel cards lately and adapted the design to do a circle one, which I am really pleased with...good old Tilda, been playing at making handmade flowers too, the patterned ones are a mosaic stamp that I have cut into and curled the "petals" layered and secured with brads, the brown ones were cut from greyboard on the Cricut and inked with good old Tim Holtz distress ink, then stamped with the same mosaic stamp using Stayzon, and the rose is several flowers cut and shaped into the 3D shape...I am never buying pre made flowers again, I love fiddling and making my own now....



I am doing another two craft fairs in the next month so I have had to get my finger out and create a decent stock of jewellery...was up at 6am on Sunday morning making this...Beautiful purple glass beads...



...and this...Nautical Nicety...I love those beads so much...



...and this...Apple Green, loving that little charm and the spotty beads...



...And been playing with my new spacer tubes again

and came up with...Tantalising Turquoise...



...and...

Passionate Pink



Don`t those beads just remind you of sweets!!!

Off now to clear the seed beads...Honest...Just want to say a big Happy Birthday to my Auntie Liz who is celebrating her 50th this weekend and my cousin Jessica who will be 21...Happy Birthday sorry I can`t be with you xxxx

Crafty Me!!!

I have really enjoyed this bank holiday weekend, two whole days off with no lesson preparation, planning or paperwork to do because I am pretty much up to date, so I have had time to craft...just for fun...I know incredible!!!

I have also had time to blog and unfortunately scour the Internet for the latest bargains...see it is bad for me to be off work!!!

I have the morning off tomorrow and then Wednesday is my day off, although teaching Wednesday evening, so I am being eased into this week gently, which is lucky because I am booked solid over the next couple of weeks, it is adult learners week at college the week after next and I am assisting in promotional events for that over the week and also doing some work for the lifelong learning team too and I have just been booked in to teach another Jewellery class for Anne-Marie over at Cardcraft Plus at the end of May.

Still waking up really early so this morning I got a couple of jewellery commissions out of the way, ideally to leave the rest of the day free, but I haven`t really got much done, unless you count making a mess!!!

These are the layouts I completed yesterday...

2009...This was a landmark year for Ella as she left Primary to start high school and had 15inches cut off her hair...I just wanted to document that...been making those little handmade flowers again too...



Mint...Just wanted to record some of the words that Harry uses as a teen...



And I am addicted to these little paper flowers at the moment they are so easy to make and thought they would team well with Tilda...Oooh and the frame is one of my new Marianne Creatables that are very similar to Nestabilities, and I like them...



Off now to tidy up some of the mess I have made and then I think maybe some chocolate is needed!!!

It feel like the middle of the night!!

Sunday....Ahh, day off, day of rest!!!

Yeah Right!!!

Woke up at 5.30am and could not get back to sleep, finally got up at half six and have been awake ever since!!!

Have managed to clean the house and do six...YES SIX...loads of washing, and I have finished a scrapbook page that I started during my demo yesterday...will have to photograph it later.

Talking of my Demo....what a funny morning, and that was before I even arrived!!!

Has anyone been to Shotton station...that's where I had to get off the train...you know you are in trouble when the train is rammed and you are the only person to alight...hmmm...did not even realise I was in Wales until I saw the signs in English and Welsh...I couldn`t even find my way off the station!

Imagine this...I am stood in front of a stile in heels suitcase in one hand and a Cricut Create in the other thinking there is no way I am getting over that...luckily I managed to collar a very nice 88 year old out for his morning stroll who informed me if I ventured over the style the only audience I would have for my demo would be the cows and "them ills" which I am presuming meant the hills!!! anyway he was my knight yesterday as he directed me to where I needed to be...although had to listen to his life story along the way bless!!!

Great Demo day yesterday too, Lesley at Purple Butterfly is lovely, go pay her a visit if you are in the area, she administered the correct amount of caffeine, arranged for a lovely sandwich and salad and even bought me a muffin in the afternoon...now that's why I love my job, no honestly I love demonstrating, I love meeting new people and showing them tips and techniques and answering questions about the various machines, and it only took me an hour to get home too...from North Wales!!!

Spent Friday evening Scrapping...I got the bug again I think, although this afternoon I am planning on cardmaking I got some of the new Marianne Creatables and I got to make up some demo samples...look how pretty is this...got to find a lush ribbon to thread through that.



So here are my layouts...

Mia...All Natural Beauty....



And Mia...Cheeky...



Off now to play with my new dies ;-)