Scrapbook Magic...

...Thats the feeling I get when one of the kids looks at one of my layout or flicks through an album and smiles or makes a comment...pure magic!!!

That`s the reason I scrapbook, well that and Basic Grey :-), to be able to preserve memories and not just of special occassions but of normal everyday moments, that walk in the park or the fact that now my 15 year old son is taller than me he is now able to give me a piggy back, not momentous moments but those I wouldn`t ever want to forget.

I was working in a care home this morning where some of the residents suffer with various forms of memory loss and dementia, I had one of my scrapbooks with me of me and my kids, and was showing it to them, the joy it bought to their faces was just incredible, whether it tapped into memories they had forgotton or moments they remembered I don`t know but just to see the light shining in their eyes as they smiled...that was magic.

Scrapbooking is good....

And on that note here are two layouts I completed Sunday...

This is the first 12x12 layout I have done for a while and I really like it...



and an 8x8 layout in my favourite colour scheme...needs something else though...



Will have to re-think that one tomorrow...

And using the leftovers from the above layout I created this which is currently sitting on top of my microwave in the kitchen...



And now I am seriously considering hitting the quilt, even though its only 7.30pm my little peeps are struggling.

Its a little bit funny but....

...I am such a bad blogger, I know this is the case because I have been told...to my face...so I thought I would sit, feet up on the couch, laptop carefully balanced on lap, coffee at my side and blog in the peace and quiet that is Sunday evening, I love Sunday evenings that full tummy feeling after a Sunday dinner and those last few hours of the weekend stretching ahead, I may even treat myself to a glass of the old grape juice before hitting the quilt early tonight.

I headed over to the Stitch and Creative crafts show at the Gmex in Manchester yesterday for a couple of hours overheating, being battered by shopping trolleys and at one point very nearly knocked out by an unsuspecting elbow...one of those sat on the floor moments, I went to stand up and some poor lady nearly had her arm shot into next week by my head...I saw stars and I am not talking about Stephanie Weightman or Nancy Watt!!!

Anyway I think the show was a little bit of a letdown to be honest, although it was absolutely swarming with people...mainly women...nothing jumped out and screamed buy me buy me...I did see the Grand Calibur machine being demonstrated...oh how strange it was walking round watching other demonstrators instead of being the one demonstrating...So the new die cutting machine that will cut and emboss up to A4...I am not sold on it yet will stick to my Cuttlebug and Cricut for now.

So I did make a few purchases mainly embellishments, pearls, bling, ribbons and flowers, some stamp sets and a scrapbooking kit and some lovely heart shaped doily's to go with this....

I couldn`t resist her...isn`t she cute.

Spent today planning for my upcoming Demo at Inspirations by Cardcraft Plus over in Preston on Tuesday, where I will be demonstrating the Cuttlebug Machine with the gorgeous Nellies Creatables.

Here's a sneak peek of one of my samples....



This layout was on my camera when I uploaded to the PC it is a recent one because its using stash from some of the bargain scrapbook kits I got from TK Maxx...Harry and his "Sea Legs"



And I have been making Jewellery...no surprise there then considering I teach Jewellery making, however I very rarely make Jewellery just for the sake of it, but I have got myself a little granny lap tray stuck a beading mat into it and so all my beady bits, my sexy Swarovski`s and my fabulous findings fit inside it and I can sit on the couch when I have five minutes with it all in one place ready to roll...clever huh...I even have the granny beaded glasses chain for my specs...which I have to wear all the time now for close up work.... booo :-(.

Loving these frosted acrylic flowers and leaves at the moment, I don`t usually do plastic but teamed with some pearls and crystals they look particularly pretty....



and teamed here with Swarovski and some metallic roses...lush...



Okay so hopefully that little lot of waffle has more than made up for the fact that I have been an awful blogger lately...I am blaming working evenings and poor lighting at night so I can`t take decent pictures...that is my excuse...and the overwhelmingly humiliating fact that I have become the biggest Eastenders fan too!!!

You can take the girl out of London but you can`t take London out of the girl...especially when I say: Grass, Glass and Bath...for which my kids constantly take the mick out of me for...so there I said it my secret is out..."My name is Esther and I like Eastenders"

Off now to pour a Glass (said in a southern accent) of grape juice ;-)

Landing Lights!!!

Well Hallway to be precise but you get my drift...spent the day shopping for the house today and got myself some cracking little bargains including this gorgeous chandelier style lampshade which sparkles beautifully...

So along with that I bought some Black filigree panelling to hang on the outside of the dining room door...facing into the hallway, a new doormat and some big fat fake black Gerberas.....looking very funky now but a little shabby...not shabby chic either shabby screaming I need a paint job shabby...I have asked the kids what colour they think and not too impressed with Harry's suggestion of grey...so I think I will decide then at least I can say I consulted them...Im thinking a nice fresh apple green to go with my striking new black accessories!!!

Spent a little more time Lesson Planning last night, I am very nearly done now, I don't think I have ever spent this long planning before but all my courses are brand spanking sparkling new ones...

This is a basic stamping and watercolouring card for my card making course...

And this is a basic vintage page for my scrapbooking class...the photograph is of my Nan and Grandad on their wedding day not sure of the year but their anniversary was on Boxing day, going to have to check with my Dad on that one.

Going to have a mooch on the Dulux website now and try to convince Harry that Green was his idea!!!

Sleepless in...Warrington!!!

Two nights of chronic insomnia are finally taking their toll, I could fall asleep standing up right at this moment yet if I go to bed you can bet your bottom Dollar....Or last quid...that I will lay there tossing and turning listening to the noises of the night...mainly cats and dogs where I live...willing sleep to come only when it does to be disturbed by my insanely loud Blackberry alarm, that not only wakes me but half of Warrington, and thinking and feeling that I certainly didn`t get in my eight hours!!!

However I have been productive and actually got out of bed whilst suffering this latest episode of sleeplessness...I have almost completed my lesson planning for the next term...I am teaching 45 classes for the college between now and the February break and I have 31 of them planned and prepared for...I know shock...I`m actually organised, I have even wrote my lesson aims and objectives!!!

Here is a couple of cards I am going to be teaching to Adults with Learning Difficulties in a basic Craft class...Iris folding and Tea Bag folding...wow took me back a couple of years I can tell you, It has been a while since I did either of those but actually rather enjoyed it...shhhh!!!

Tea Bag folded gate fold card....

Iris Folded card...couldn`t resist putting a little Tilda on there...

And a layout for my Scrapbooking class, using glitter, acrylic paint and chipboard...pretty brave for me because I HATE glitter, but it looks so pretty ...

Got another day of lesson planning tomorrow but had a nice day today shopping in Manchester, mainly for class supplies but it was nice to wander round the shops without getting elbowed by bargain hunters or my toes run over by granny shopping trolleys, I love the Sales!!!

It may be the New Year but....

...I`ve had one of those funny "old days"...New year or not!!!

I have spent the entire day Lesson Planning for next term but haven`t actually achieved much, normally if I sit down for a couple of hours I can have my entire course outlines wrote and have an idea of each lesson plan...but pah...nothing...I`m about half done which is not good as I wanted a couple of days next week to enjoy the last of my holiday but looks like I am going to have to spend another day at it tomorrow...:-(

Did manage to finish this layout, started it last night just before I got my backside kicked by Ella on Just Dance!!!

And made this card using my new Paisley Cricut Cartridge...how cute is that little doll...

This is however for one of my lessons next term...little shabby chic heart with buttons sewn on trimmed with lace, ribbon and a pearl pin and scented with lavender...sweet or what...

And this is for another class...a canvas wall art, using all "up-cycled" or found objects and materials...I quite like this and am thinking of hanging it on the wall with the little heart next to it on a shabby style hook...well until my lesson anyway...

I`m off for mince pies, custard and cream...before they go out of date...honest ;-)

Merry New Year!!!

The little comment that Mia came out with this morning to a friend of mine...and after purchasing Just Dance 2 for the Wii a bottle of Baileys and three bottles of wine for a tenner in Asda this morning I honestly think it will be a "Merry New Year"...The girls and I are planning a dance off tonight and the rechargeable batteries are on charge as we speak...I am not sure Harry is planning on joining us, he will probably just record us looking like Muppets flailing about and upload the videos to You tube or Facebook before we know it!!!

So that's it then almost the end of another year...am I officially getting old now because this year has flown by at the most alarming rate and time is supposed to go faster the older you get!!! Speaking of which it was my Dads birthday yesterday and I made him this card, little Edwin coloured with Pro-markers.....

...and celebrated with him by having a little (!!!) glass of the old grape juice...I am certainly on target with my five a day with all this grape juice I am drinking lately!!!

This is one of the new additions to our family...another bloody build a bear...I swear that shop will not go out of business...EVER Mia now has 6 of them complete with outfits, pyjamas, shoes and god knows what else...so introducing Holly....the Christmas Kitty!!!

And here are a couple of the scrapbook layouts to go in my "Twenty 10" album....

Blackpool Beach...

Mia at the Albert Dock...

On A Beach in Liverpool somewhere....

Just want to say thank you to my readers, I know I have not been the best blogger this year, hopefully I will improve next year and blog at least once a week!!!

So Wishing you all a very "Merry New Year" and all the best for 2011...Bloody hell I have only just got used to writing 2010 and now its going to change all over again!!!

So this is Christmas.....

....So that's it then...Christmas almost over for another year, my tree is looking very bare without the contents of Argos/Asda/Primark/Game sat under it prettily gift wrapped and the fridge almost empty again, the thought of another mince pie making me feel ill and two days of sales shopping with my kids are enough to have me reaching for the alcohol...Again!!!

Don`t get me wrong we had a lovely Christmas, but it was very quiet...I think that's thanks to electronics...Xbox, DS, PSP...you get me...I long for those days where it took me four hours to assemble something for the kids, where I broke my nails and had to stick a thousand stickers on in numerical order...I miss the excited whoops instead of the "cool" or "mint" comments that occasionally escaped my teens lips every so often when they open something they asked for...the magic is almost over for me as a mum, I only have Mia left to live the magic of Christmas through and at almost ten I am not sure that's even going to last much longer...However...Just look at this.....

Christmas morning...looking very grown up in her new dress and her new haircut but just look at that sparkle... that's what Christmas is about.

And this very beautiful shot of Ella...complete with new fringe....

Here`s a card I made just before Christmas...obviously, using my new Edwin stamp....

And I have done a fair bit of scrapping over Christmas, here`s one layout from Blackpool beach in October...Not recommended for those who feel the cold....

And I was supposed to do a demo earlier in December on Promarkers but had to cancel due to the weather, this was one of my samples...

I am off now to drink some water and eat some fruit and vegetables to cleanse my system of all the stodgy sugary crap I have eaten over the past week.....Just kidding bring on the wine and celebrations!!!

Oops I did it again...

...Yep another blog post, two in one day I can tell you are all impressed...but considering I have only managed 50 this year I thought I had better get my backside in gear!!!

Here`s my "Twenty 10" scrapbook album complete with title...

And here are a couple of layouts I have completed over the last few days that are now in my album...

Off now to get ready for the X Factor final...Go Matt Cardle...yes I am that sad!!!

I Did It!!!!!

I bloody did it, I passed my first module of the degree I started, I received confirmation today and I am Bloody Beaming...

...because I really did not expect to pass, not because I thought I couldn`t do it but because I decided two days before the hand in date that I wanted to change the whole angle of my assignment and rewrote it completely in about six hours!!! I am over the moon and now have to decide if I want to continue with the second module, which obviously I do but have to work out if I can fit it in as I am back at work for the college next week and I have an awful lot of Demonstrations and Classes over the next couple of months at the weekends too...

...if anyone has a little house elf they want to lend me then I would really appreciate it, failing that I am thinking a personal assistant, a nanny or an Au pair...when I was little my Nan used to work for a family who always had Au Pairs although I always thought they were called "old pears".

So I am in a really "wow I really can do it " mood tonight, you know what I mean, as adults and especially as Mums we tend to doubt our own abilities as we get a little bit older and more often than not put our families before us so to achieve this even after screaming at my kids to shut up, ironing with one hand, on the phone with one shoulder, we`ve all done it perched the phone between our shoulder and our ear...whilst trying to work on my assignment...multi tasking to the max I do believe, I feel damn bloody good and intend to revel for a little while longer ;-).

Mia went back to school today...no tears!!!

Although that was because we got to school after the whistle had blown, not my fault I wont go into the grim details but as we left the house she had a nosebleed so I had to clean her up which made us late...I swear there is always a drama in this house, and because she got there after the whistle I dont think she had time to think about crying whilst I bundled her PE kit, games kit, lunch bag and school bag into her arms which were already full with "Sarah" the build a bear in school uniform!!! Do you know you couldn`t make this stuff up could you!!!

Look at this...



Does she remind you of anyone!!!

And how beautiful does she look here...



Beautiful because she insisted I braided her fringe and then straightened the rest of her hair...kids!!!

Completed two layouts today, after having my purse emptied by Harry and Ella, new phone for Harry, new earphones for Ella, and various sprays that make them smell sweet...bit of a worry considering Harry is nearly 15 and should be allergic to water and cleansing products.

Another one of the series of photographs I took of Mia when she collapsed after the shopping spree...this is the one where she realised I was taking her picture, just before a big scouse security guard told me off for taking pictures...of my own child...yeah whatever mate!!!




And one of Jack and I messing about last Monday in the sunshine...



So that's three layouts, a card and a "cupcake tube" I have created in two days...you want to see my desk...no really you do, I have turned over a new leaf...I have been tidying up as I go along!!!

I know even I am worried...the sooner I get back to work and back to normal the better!!!

Off now to search House Elf on Ebay!!!

Thats it then....

....Summers officially over....

Mia starts back to school tomorrow and Harry and Ella on Tuesday, Jack begins a new course at a new College tomorrow too and I....

....Have another week off work..hehehe!!!

Peace and quiet and the house staying tidy all day, no five thousand to constantly feed throughout the day and being able to go out exactly when and where I want to without twenty bloody questions...but I will miss them, I have really enjoyed spending the summer with them and despite the awful weather we have had the last week off was beautiful and we made the most of the sunshine with a couple of days out...

A picnic in the Park on bank holiday Monday something not quite right about the sun shining on a Bank holiday....lots of fun, my kids are good company when they are happy and outside...

Sunbathing....



Trying to sunbathe but having our sun blocked....



.....How high can he jump!!!

Piggy backs....



Then on Tuesday we hit the streets of Liverpool.

Too early in the morning waiting for the train to take us to the land of the Scousers...



My Munchkins in the Sunshine sat by the Mersey...



Going for a Titanic moment on a Ferry across the Mersey....Bloody brilliant boat ride...anyone who knows me really well knows I love the water and I loved every minute of the boat trip, but this for me was amazing, looking down at the sun sparkling on the water and the wind ruining my hair...



On a little beach the other side of the water, this was the safe beach, the one we went to before this we literally had to run for our lives as the tide came in!!!



...and after walking what seemed like twenty miles, the ferry ride, the beach, running for the ferry to get back, lunch in McHeartattacks and a mammoth two hours in Primark...poor little Mia....



Quite literally shopped til she dropped!!!

Yesterday I headed over to Manchester Central...GMEX to everyone for the Craft show....my poor feet are seriously screaming at me after this week believe me...

This is my stash....



Two scrapbooks for a fiver...bargain, two Tilda Magazines, lots of bling, three stamps, lots of gorgeous new papers, a Martha Stewart border punch....Yay finally lol and lots more, and I even started to play last night with my new goodies...so far have created this....



Very naughty I know but I saw a kit to make these "Cupcake Tubes" but wasn`t going to pay £7 for them when I knew I could make them myself from some card and acetate and one of my new stamps, isn`t that just the sweetest.

Layout of Mia from Tuesdays shop til you drop...using brand new papers...not like me at all I usually have to stroke them for at least 6 months before I will cut into them...



And because I had some paper left over and I wanted to try out another new stamp I created this...



I am liking aperture cards at the moment and created this with one of the Nellies frames, added an acetate window and stamped on that too.

Eagle eyes will notice I have used my new Martha Stewart punch in every one of those projects...see there its already paid for itself ;-), and showing just how versatile a punch can be...I so need another one now!!!

Off to lay out Mia`s uniform and make her packed lunch...I haven`t missed doing that I can tell you.