...and Breathe...

...Tonight is the first night I have had this week where I have actually had a chance to sit down and even think about writing a blog post...wow what a week!!!

I have taught 10 separate classes this week, done an evening of Marketing for the College, managed to fit in a days shopping for course materials in Manchester and had to prepare samples for my Demo in Lancaster tomorrow...if you are in the area head over to Cardcraft Uk I am there all day demonstrating the Cricut machines and other Kars products.

I will be glad when Sunday arrives and I have a whole day off to...erm...well I would like to say chill but unless the fairies descend upon my house I dare say I will be washing and ironing etc etc!!!

I am off to chill out with the several thousand magazines that have arrived at my house over the last month or so!!!

All Spooked out...

...every day for the last three days I have had to help Mia get dressed as a little vampire, to backcomb her beautiful blonde curls and paint her face into a horrific sight...Friday night for a Halloween party, last night for trick or treating and again today for my friend`s son`s fourth birthday party...Halloween theme...poor child has to keep "cleaning off her make up" before bedtime and I have gotten so used to her having an unhealthy pallor look about her that tomorrow will be strange when I just have to plait her hair and not have to "make her up"!!!

She is busy winding up Jack, Harry and Ella at the moment as she has an inset day at school tomorrow and they all have to go back, not sure about a vampire she can be a little witch sometimes!!!

So I am completely and utterly spooked out, celebrated Halloween in true style this year, love it myself as we never celebrated as kids really, think it is far more commercialised now, probably like everything else...although have to say that the pumpkin I bought last week...Est trying hard to be organised, is still sat on top of the microwave...uncarved!!!

Got the busiest week ahead too, think I have 12 classes this week and even have to work on my day off, doing some promotional work in the evening for the college and I am working next weekend too demonstrating the Cricut Create for Kars in Lancaster at Cardcraft UK...I have four kids each with Christmas lists as long as my arm, luckily I love working!!!

Off now to slide into bed with a nice glass of Pinot and my new book...got to see out the weekend in style!!!

From ghoulies and ghosties And long-leggedy beasties And things that go bump in the night!!!

Yep seen it all tonight!!!

Took the girlie's Trick or Treating and bumped into a plethora of Little Vampires, Worst Witches and Friendly Ghosts, and while I am sat here chilling my little devils are are busy going through their stash of E colours and sugar packaged teeth rotting candy whilst watching the crap...sorry I mean the X factor...

Almost time for little ones to go to bed me thinks muwahahaha!!!

I have had the busiest day today, those who once said the weekends are for chilling obviously didn`t have kids or at the very least had Nanny`s and Servants!!! Spent the whole day...yes the whole day, washing, ironing, cleaning and food shopping...would rather be at work if I am honest at least then I get the opportunity to sit down!!!

Although I did spend an hour in Hobbycraft today...although I was shopping for work, class materials, I did have vouchers from my birthday burning another hole in my purse....picked up these little beauties....

12x12 K and Co Charlotte pad...some really scrummy papers in here, all double sided too mmm....



This cute little book that I have already skimmed through and planned a whole heap of lessons from ....



...and this book, Jesus I am turning into a book nerd....because I couldn`t resist it...



Off now to enjoy the peace...kids have finally gone up to bed exhausted from their sugar rush...listen...its oh so quiet!!!!

And again it`s Friday...

...And I can breathe a huge sigh of relief....Why...because I don`t have to set my alarm clock in the morning...simple things huh!!!

Half term...I am a teacher and usually have the week off...but worked straight through and have had something on every night this week, my poor muscles are screaming at me to take it easy and relax...hmmm chance would be a fine thing...it is Halloween weekend and the kids have me all booked up, already took the girlie's to a spooky party tonight where we all had to dress up so had to dash into town this morning before work to buy our costumes, had a great evening though and the great thing about children's parties is they finish early!!!

Ella decided she wanted to be a Skeleton this year and luckily Asda obliged with a bargain dress up outfit, that she wore tonight and will wear trick or treating tomorrow too...yep I get roped into doing that too!!!



And my little Mia, pretty little girlie girl wanted to be... a vampire...no pretty glittery make up god no look....



Took me almost an hour to make her look that scary...approximately the time I spend doing the opposite to myself in the morning!!!

I love Halloween though, I love dressing up and getting the kids dressed up too...Harry and Jack have both decided they are too old this year so grasping onto the last few years I have with my girlie's.

Took a gang of teenagers, aka the local youth club, to Spooky World last night too...Oh My God I have never ever been so scared in my entire life...there are three main attractions...the Haunted Hayride...not all that scary although did manage to sit on the side where everyone jumped on...werewolves, zombies, and chainsaw wielding psychos...and have bruises on my arm from the poor girl I was sat next to who gripped me so tight I think she cut off the circulation in my arm at one point!!!

Then we ventured to the Field of Screams...which I can only describe as a combination of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Saw and Jeepers Creepers all rolled into one...we were terrified...it is made up of a corn maze with pitch black huts along the way with "people" inside...managed to get chased by another chainsaw wielding psycho in the pitch black....and finally we queued for almost an hour to go into the Haunted House...not for the fainthearted or claustrophobic...pitch black again....people pretending to be dummies until the last minute and scaring the shite out of us....would I do it all again...Oh god yes definitely....loved the adrenaline...loved the thumping of my heart in my chest and loved screaming my lungs out!!!

I think a quiet weekend is on the cards...need to recharge those batteries..Oh and have a heap of lesson planning to do!!!

Birthday week....

...I am sorry for being such a bad blogger lately, can only blame my Birthday and not the fact that I have been up every night drinking and celebrating but I have had people round every night this week, not complaining though, it has been lovely to catch up with all my friends and family and I received some lovely cards and gifts too. Had a lovely Birthday on Monday, was off work in the morning so got a bit of a lie in and had time to open cards and presents, which mainly consisted of chocolates, alcohol, jewellery, perfume, vouchers and money...perfect!!!

Been off work today and managed to get the whole day to myself even though it is half term and I have a houseful of kids off school/college...thank god for grandparents...obviously had to hit Manchester, had a purseful of vouchers burning holes...After spending them all, and then some...I wandered, well I say wandered what I really mean is dodged pushchairs, kids running amok and teenagers screeching, around Primark. I picked up a few bits for myself then hit the queue for the tills... I think half of the Northwest was actually stood there in temperatures that probably broke every health and safety law in the book!!! Will have to return next week as I dumped my goods on the nearest shelf and escaped the mayhem back into the fresh air!!!

I am off to Spooky World tomorrow night with some friends for Halloween, thought it best to leave my kids at home though, not sure I can cope with the nightmares I am going to have over the next week or so let alone theirs!!! And have three Halloween parties to attend this weekend and not one outfit sorted...nothing like leaving it to the last minute!!!

Off now to decide...hmm shall I be a Devil, Dracula, Witch or a Ghost!!!!

I am totally in love.....

...with Adirondack paint dabbers, never used them before and I really don't know how I survived without them, have always loved acrylic paint and have used it forever, but loving the sponge applicator...I need some more...Urgently!!!

Have been playing with them all day...yep all day, done nothing apart from craft my sexy little pirate socks off...my socks have pink skull and crossbones on them!!!

Completed three layouts, one 12x12, one 8x8 square and one 8x8 circle....

Love these pictures of Mia, caught her dancing in my friends garden in the summer ...

This is an old picture of Mia, from 2007 but feeling very "Halloween" at the moment, probably because I bought a pumpkin yesterday...organised for me, usually leave it until the last minute, and because one of my students wants to do a Halloween page at my scrapbooking class this week....

This is one of the firsts photos I took of Harry with my new camera in the summer...managed to get the "Ball in the Air" picture....

Had to make an Anniversary card too for Tuesday....

Which inspired this canvas too....been meaning to do one of these for a while, have hundreds of blank canvases lol and only takes half an hour to actually decorate them...going to do some more of these and decorate my house with them....

And finally...Made this little cracker up for my Christmas craft class tomorrow....

I am almost all crafted out now...phew!!!

Enjoyed my day so much though, been through half a roll of double sided tape, three glue sticks for my hot glue gun and have gold acrylic paint welded to my nails....job done!!!!

Have just had the most delicious roast dinner too, cooked by my own fair crafty hands...you know the really sad thing that we realised today, Jack has never had one of my Sunday dinners, now I learnt how to cook from the experts...my Nan and my Dad and my roast potatoes are quite possibly the nicest I have ever tasted...sorry Dad but you know I am right and Jack agrees now...Date for the diary....25/10/09....Jacks first ever Sunday dinner cooked by his Mum. Now don`t feel sorry for the poor neglected lad, he is usually at his Dads every weekend and misses out, until now...and apparently he is going to stay home at the weekends more often!!!

Off now to celebrate my "Birthday Eve"

Saturday Night...

....and the kids are all glued to the X factor so I thought I would take the opportunity to have a little me time, blog hopping and generally browsing the Internet...not done that for a while, just chilling out in front of the PC checking out latest crafty offers, techniques and what everyone has been making...me I have been making a mess...done a couple of layouts today...

One of Mia, called Angel Eyes...



And one of Ella, called Girl....

Had a great day off today chilling, lunching and shopping...proper Saturday, and I got a phone call from the caretaker of Harry`s school this morning to say he had found his phone...Harry extremely happy as not only has he got his phone back but he doesn`t have to walk around with the Nokia Brick we found for him.

Off now for a bit of a blog hop.

TFI Friday!!!

Oh yeah have the weekend off, and have no plans, well apart from the Indian Head Massage I am booked in to have in about an hour, hoping that it clears the niggling headache I have had for a couple of days, I am planning on collapsing on the bed in a floaty state afterwards so thought I would do an early blog!!!

Had a lovely day today, saw a friend this morning who I haven't seen for a long time and she came armed with scones and jam...for breakfast yummm...she also bought me some flowers and a scrapbook kit for my birthday, was lovely to catch up with her and while she was here I had a parcel delivery from Kars with all my new kit in it...lovely new inks, dabbers and card stock and look what else...



How lucky am I, I love my job, the Mia is busy sat popping the bubble wrap that my Making Memories Organiser and Revolver lushness arrived in!!!

I have also completed a scrapbook layout tonight too, had a picture of Mia "bouncing" that I have wanted to scrap for ages and got a little 6x6inch basic grey Lime Rickey pad in my parcel and the papers were a perfect match....



Very Citrus don`t you think, that has got to count for one of my five a day at the very least!!!

Off now to prepare myself for the ultimate relaxation...can`t wait.

Run Run as fast as you can....

...You can`t catch me I`m the Gingerbread Man...!!!

I didn`t even realise Gingerbread men could run...any that come into our house usually get their legs bitten off!!!

Mia did develop a bit of an aversion to eating them though a couple of years ago after she had watched Shrek...she thought it was cruel to eat them!!!

Luckily my little gingerbread man can niether run or get his legs bitten off as he is ready to hang on Mia`s little Pink Christmas tree that she has in her bedroom at Christmas!!!

Here he is in all his little festive glory ready to come to work with me tomorrow to be used as a sample of what we will be creating. I actually used the FaLaLa cartridge for the Slice machine to create the template for this proving just how versatile a die cutting machine can be!!!



Also doing "Thongs" tomorrow night lol, well teaching how to work with cord and thong anyway and also a little bit of macrame...just what you need at the end of the day a nice complicated knotting patern...muwahahahaha!!!



If you happened to walk into my studio at the moment you would swear I had been robbed, the only clue to suggest otherwise is that my Cricuts are still there....





Yep it still looks like that too and I have to tidy it before I go to bed because half of what I need for my lessons tomorrow is all over my desk and the floor...I even had the cheek to lecture the girls earlier about the state of their bedroom, which now looks like every fairy from fairyland went in and waved their magic wands....I am a terrible example but luckily the girls are in bed so havent actually seen my "creative disarray"

OOOOOH and look what I have got



No its not a sexy new purse, its my new tool kit.....



Picked it up today from The Bead Shop in Manchester....have seen it advertised in a couple of magazines and obviously I need a decent kit, the pliers in this are all box jointed and are fabulous to work with and they are pink!!!

Off to try and create at my desk...wish me luck, my mission should I chose to accept it and all that!!!

Toy Story...

...I loved that film when it came out, Toy Story 2 is just as good, especially the "outtakes" at the end of the DVD...that is the great thing about having kids, you get to watch all the Disney films and not look like a complete Muppet in the cinema...although the Toy I am referring to is my new one...
...Ooh baby
...its been plugged in
...stroked
...and
...played with

I got the whole family now look....



This is the Mummy Cricut...The Create (please excuse the state of my desk...it is a tip and really needs a thorough sort out...that's the job for this weekend...honest)

I already have the Baby and the Daddy and now my little Cricut family is complete...as a Demonstrator I have to be able to demonstrate either one of the three which is why I need them all...I am not complaining though, they are all fabulous, ingenious little machines and I wouldn`t be without either one of them.

I will be demonstrating the Cricut in Lancaster at Cardcraft UK in November, check out their site here for more details.

Have a couple of pictures of some of my samples from the weekend that I thought I would share, got the chance to use some of the new release Cuttlebug embossing folders and Basic Grey Wassail, although released last year it is still a very popular paper collection this year, I love it too, good quality, gorgeous designs but keeping with a traditional theme...

Little topper ready to mount on a card...



Card using one of the new Kars Brass stencils...

12x12 layout of Mia using the advent embossing folder and wassail....



Okay...have worked six days on the run...I am wrecked, but at least I can honestly say I love my jobs...both of them...however I have a day off tomorrow and I really can`t wait, can feel a retail therapy day in Manchester coming on but for now I need to sleep...and may have to borrow Mia`s eye mask as its is just so cool.....

...and how cute is that...and yes she really was asleep how sweet does she look...I even have the scrapbook layout planned...Is that sad or dedicated?

Well, Ah'll go to t’foot of ahr stairs...

...Is apparently number five in the top ten Yorkshire sayings!!!

Well I have spent the whole weekend in Yorkshire and I spoke to many Yorkies (is that what they are called lol) and I didn`t hear that once...But would like to say that although not all of them drink Yorkshire tea lol they are a friendly and hospitable bunch...and I have decided even though I am a city girl at heart I love Yorkshire.

Had the most amazing weekend working for Kars demonstrating this...



For Samuel Taylor

Stayed for the whole weekend in a hotel, could get used to hotel living I think, no housework, no kids and and total and utter peace...honestly Skipton is so quiet...that quiet even when I was outside the hotel having a crafty smoke a little bunny hopped past me...stunned because we don`t have many rabbits in Warrington, well I presume we do in hutches but...well you get my point. Met lots of lovely people too, fellow demonstrators and hundreds of crafters and just had the loveliest time.

So that is the reason I have been such a terrible blogger recently...been busy making demonstration samples, have the next couple of weekends off from Demonstrating although my timetable looks pretty busy for the college.

So off now to plan some more classes and try and plough through the housework that built up whilst I was away...fairies missed me again!!!

Weekend...wow what a weekend!!!

Celebrated the beginning of the weekend as I do best...

Partying!!!

Oh yeah, hit the streets of Manchester...in the dark... to watch my Selfish Lovers perform and what a performance, the best ever so far I reckon, then we all came back to Warrington to dance baby dance, the evening was a little emotional though as we lost a really good friend last Saturday and the evening was dedicated to him...honestly though he would have loved it and was probably looking down on us all...RIP Jim love you man xxxxx

So finally arrived home at about 4am Saturday morning...in true rock and roll style...hit the quilt only to be rudely awakened by the Argos delivery men with Jack`s new mattress at 7am, then the postie knocked on my door at 9am...can`t handle this rock and roll lifestyle if the world around me wont let me have a lie in!!!

Then...and wait til you hear this, Went into town to buy new quilts for the boys and thought may as well buy new bedding too...which meant a new blind to match and some curtains and then thought may as well redecorate their bedroom while I am at it...so I did, started at 4pm and finally finished at about 10pm last night, looks "mint" though...I would have loved a bedroom like that when I was a teen, white walls, black blind, curtains and bedding....very teen looking, Harry loves it, Jack has yet to pass opinion as he is not home yet!!!

So after that was planning to chill out today, enjoy the last of the peace as the girls stayed at the grandparents all weekend (thanks Mum and Dad btw)...but had to get all my lesson planning done today...Job done...

Christmas Crafts class tomorrow...
Funky Tree decorations....



Scrapbooking class for Tuesday....
Using corrugated card, hidden pockets and paper tearing...

Jewellery class for Thursday...

Using chain and beadalon and some gorgeous handmade beads mmmmm....

So that's me all organised for my teaching this week, scary or what but and its a really big but...I have to work all next weekend...no nights out, working all day Saturday and Sunday at Samuel Taylor and am so looking forward to it but have to work every night this week making samples for that so it is a good job I am so organised!!!

Okay so the weekend is almost over and just had to leave you with this gorgeous picture....I am a little biased obviously...of Mia in her new winter coat...



Isn't she the cutest!!!

October...fest!!!

Can`t believe this is my first blog post of October, not really sure where the time has gone over the last week or so, I have had new classes start so been planning and preparing for them and of course completing the delightful paperwork that goes with them.

Had a Demo in Lancaster on Saturday too so was busy every evening last week making samples for that, went extremely well, I was demonstrating the Slice Machine and the little machine sold exceptionally well, especially now its available in pink too!!!

I am demonstrating in Skipton next weekend at the Samuel Taylor 60th Anniversary Papercraft extravaganza...really looking forward to that as I get to stay over in a hotel and demonstrate for two days and some of the new Cuttlebug embossing folders that I am working with are absolutely gorgeous.

After my blog post of last week, I had lots of enquiries about my bracelets and am now selling them faster than I can make them...literally, any enquiries just email me at the above address. Obviously I have had to replenish my bead stock and have spent more hours than I care to admit trawling online shops for beautiful beads and findings...ahem and a fair bit of cash too...not sure I will actually make a profit at this rate lol.

Here are a couple of the bracelets I have recently made...







And this is one that I have made for my Jewelery class tomorrow night...



Finally sorted out all the wedding photos I took at my friends wedding a couple of weeks ago, she is really happy with them...Est breathes a huge sigh of relief was not an easy task being that bossy I can tell you!!!

These are my favourites of the day...

Off now to pick up the entire bag of crimp beads I managed to throw all over the floor earlier on and to count how much money Mia has raised for the "Mia Charity"...she went round the house earlier rattling a tin demanding we give her money for her "charity" and then told me she only accepted 10, 20 and 50 pence pieces...that girl is going to sail through life believe me!!!

Ho Ho Ho....

...Merry Christmas lol!!!

For Jacks first Christmas my Mum and Dad bought him a talking Santa that said that...Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas, I still have it now although the batteries have run out...thank god...but loved that little Santa, the reason I am talking Santa Shite...been playing with my Fa La La cartridge for the slice, making samples tonight for my Demo on Saturday...I know its far to early to begin contemplating Christmas but hey crafters begin preparations in January I think!!!

Even I have started to think about Christmas shopping, although I have Ella`s birthday in November to get through first...and what on earth do you buy for kids that seem to have everything, they turn their noses up when I suggest clothes, and you don`t want to know what they tell me when I suggest sending what I would have spent on them to charity!!! Mia did ask me for an iphone a couple of weeks ago....she is 8 for heavens sake, when I was 8 I was still playing with Barbies and I am not convinced we even had a land line in our house let alone mobile phones!!! Oh how times have changed, is this a sign of me getting old do you think!!!

Me I quite fancy an iphone for Christmas either that or the new kodak printer, or maybe a hot fix gem tool but that is about as likely as Santa himself coming through my chimney...which would be bloody hard as I don`t have one!!!

Anyway getting into the Christmas spirit...almost...by creating these.....

Wall Hanging...



and a couple of toppers to show some of the shapes on the cartridge...





Been to Manchester today...after selling most of my bracelets I made this week I desperately needed some new beads...mmm got some gorgeous ones too, spent an hour in the bead shop stroking and choosing which ones would be coming home with me...lovely day off!!!

Back to work tomorrow after two days off...well I use that term loosely as I am completely shattered and think I actually do less when I am working.

Got to go and dole out Medication (neurofen) to Jack, who is still suffering with his "man flu" and seems to have very kindly passed it onto me...bless him!!!

It`s begining to look a lot like....

CHRISTMAS!!!

Yep been working from home today, catching up on phone calls, emails and making Demo Samples, and I have not stopped!!!

I am demonstrating here on Saturday and received this today to make samples with...



The FaLaLa Christmas Slice cartridge...ooh I love it, made a couple of Christmas cards and a wall hanging already and have a couple of other ideas planned for this too. Along with the new range of Kars Christmas papers and the complete collection of Basic Grey Wassail...god I love my job ;-).

Also received this through the post today...



Borrowed this off someone last year and loved it, and now I have my expression I am really looking forward to having a proper play with it, obviously after I have made all my Demo Samples, planned all this weeks lessons and rustled up some wedding invite samples that I have been asked to do...how can I squeeze more hours into the day...answers on a postcode please!!!

And if that wasn`t enough after I blogged last night, my blog posts are linked with facebook and show on all my friends home pages, I had a few people interested in purchasing my bracelets...sorted that out this morning with proper photos and now have sold most of the arm candy I made yesterday along with the two I made this morning...

Raspberry...



Turquoise



Two of them will be travelling all the way to Canada...how cool is that!!!

I am off now to check on Jack...apparently he has "Man Flu"!!!