Did you miss me!!!

Had a mad busy week as you may have noticed due to my distinct lack of blogging...!!!

All my courses finished last week so had mountains of paperwork to plough through all of which is done now, thank goodness, the only paperwork I like is stroking the latest Making Memories or Basic Grey!!!

Went out a couple of nights last week too, started a course at college last Tuesday...as a student...I am learning dressmaking which is so cool as I would love to be able to make my own clothes, not that I am a tight arse I just like the individual look. I am working on creating a dressmaking pattern of my favourite dress at the moment so I can have one in every colour.

Was invited to a student`s house Wednesday evening for coffee and crafty chat, which is always a good way to spend time, and ended up staying out til quite late!!!

I also started a new Jewellery making course on Thursday evening and think that in total I had about 15 students turn up, they just kept walking through the door and the evening was a flurry of enrolment forms and beads, complete and utter chaos but I love it.

Did have two days off last week though, Tuesday was spent up to my arms in housework, washing and ironing and Wednesday was spent shopping in Manchester...well it was pay day after all!!!

Did my first wedding yesterday too...the photographs that is...was for a very good friend and my wedding present for her, it was totally brilliant, spent the whole day with her, from the getting her hair and make up done, to the nerves before we got her dress on her to the first dance at the reception. I loved every minute of it especially the bossing everyone around telling them where to stand...could get used to doing that at the weekends. I love taking photos and to be able to do it for such a good Friend to capture the memories of her special day was a privilege.

I think that my kids maybe getting the photography bug too as they captured me in my very retro 80`s dress last night before we went back to the wedding reception...

Taken by Harry.....

Taken by Ella...

Mia still can`t get used to the fact that you have to look through the eyepiece to take the picture and can`t see your image on the screen though, so thinking of investing in another little compact digital camera...geek aren`t I !!!!

Got new courses starting this week that I really must get organised and prepared for but rather fortunately apart from a new jewellery class, in a new venue tomorrow morning I am off until Thursday...yeah baby...off to soak my aching feet in a hot bath...being a photographer is hard work you know ;-)

Now I have the Friday feeling...

...On a Monday!!!

Because I have the next two days off work...yeah baby!!!

A little midweek break, all to myself because the kids will be at school...have a list of jobs to do as long as my arm though, mainly involving antibacterial spray, dusters and the hoover...oh and I must not leave out the iron...Bliss!!!

Had a bit of a crafty evening tonight and decorated my acrylic album for my unmounted stamps...still can`t get over what a simple but oh so clever idea this is...



Shockingly made my first Christmas card too.........I know but Redgy the Reindeer was begging to be used...

And had another little giraffe embroidered from one of my classes so turned him into a new baby card...

Off now to enjoy that "Friday Feeling"

Weekend Witterings!!!

Another crazy weekend...I am going to work tomorrow for a rest!!!

I had to get up yesterday morning at 5.30am and got to bed about 2am this morning...nearly did the full 24 hours and bloody hell my body feels like it too.

Was in Burnley yesterday at The Craft Range demonstrating the slice for Kars, and bumped into my good pal Kirsty Wiseman, well I say bumped we were actually sat next to each other demonstrating all day, she was showing people what to do with the Papermania clear albums and one of her samples was an amazing idea to use them as storage books for acrylic stamps...so obviously had to buy one and have washed all my stamps in cold water as this makes them "sticky" again and they are say quite happily in their little album that is just waiting to be decorated now. Had such a great day too and met some really lovely people, the icing on the cake is the little cafe they have in the shop where all the food is completely scrumptious, I can highly recommend the handmade quiche mmmmm!!!

Also bought a fabulous Christmas stamp, designed exclusively for the Craft Range by Claire Rowlands, and she showed me how to use copics correctly too, been toying with trying these for a while, now I am in love and need probably the full set!!! You can see her exclusive designs here Redgy the Reindeer came home with me!!!

So despite Kirsty getting us a little bit lost on the way home...must have been stopping for McDonalds thick shakes on the way home that did it was a lovely day.

Went to a 21st birthday fancy dress party last night...only got in from Burnley at 7pm and then was ready and out again for 8pm...record timing, dressed up as a halfhearted cowgirl...bloody come in handy those cowboy boots of mine, and can`t remember the last time I wore my hair in pigtails complete with ribbons!!! Had a really lovely night dancing with my kids, I love to dance. Not sure that the three shots of Sambuca were such a good idea though...so finally hit the sack at about 2am, completely and utterly wrecked. Had a really lazy day today though, apart from transforming this...





To this...



Took me a couple of hours, but I had limited movement thanks to the sambuca last night!!! My desk has not been that tidy or organised for a very long time but apparently if your workspace is clean and tidy and organised you are far more likely to want to create...must have worked because I then designed this for my class tomorrow...



I am in love with Kashmere beads at the moment, they are truly scrumptious and make the simplest design look so decadent.

So now I am off to bed with a hot chocolate to rest my weary body!!!

Still Waiting...

...For the Friday feeling to kick in!!!

Working all day tomorrow at a Demo in Burnley at the Craft Range really looking forward to it as I have never been before and there are a couple of other demonstrators working too, and I get to go on the train with my ipod too!!!

Had a fantastic day today too, two great classes and my polymer clay make your own beads class was a total success, left my students carefully timing the clay in the oven and we are going to create beautiful pieces of jewellery with them next week...Unfortunately the liquorice allsorts, that we were using as guides to making good enough to eat beads got eaten!!!

Came home and...shock...made some jewellery...for myself...using beads that have not been initiated into my collection properly, they haven`t been stroked or drooled over for nearly long enough but they now are beautiful little accessories for me...



Also created this which was a commissioned piece and I love it so much may have to make another just for me!!!



Okay off now for an early night, the alarm is set for 5.45am my train is at 7.30am, my samples are made, the slice is charging ready for action tomorrow, my bag is packed and I am raring to go...only hope I feel the same in the morning!!!

Accident and Emergency...

...is not a place I have visited very often, even with four kids, I think I can count on one hand the number of times I have been in the almost seventeen years I have been a mum, Jesus that makes me feel old!!!

Well Harry and I had a day trip there today, he came home from school yesterday and showed me what he had done to his finger in a drama lesson and when I told him it looked dislocated he rushed off saying I`m off to play football, so thought nothing more of it until I got a phone call this morning, ten minutes before I am due to leave for work, from the first aider at his school who "advised" me that it looked like Harry needed his finger seeing to...I storm up the school muttering to myself that if he was okay to play a game of football then go onto football training afterwards then it must be okay, convincing myself he just wanted to get out of double science or whatever lesson he didn`t fancy doing...hell no, he was grey when I got there...straight to the hospital and after a three hour wait for an x-ray they confirmed it was broken...at the knuckle...look...



The doctor actually showed this x-ray to Harry then said take a picture on your mobile to show all your mates!!!

Okay so finger broken and strapped up and he has an appointment with the Orthopaedic consultant on Monday but he is still playing on it far too much for my liking...took him to McDonalds when we had done and after a Big Mac meal he asked me for a McFlurry...when I said no he pointed to his strapped up fingers and stuck his lip out...bloody kids!!!

I think he is already planning on which girl is going to be taking notes for him in lessons tomorrow, it`s his right hand, and almost had a panic attack when he realised he wouldn`t be able to go on the playstation, but when I got home from work this evening he didn`t seem to be having any problems with the mouse for the PC...!!!

For Flocks sake!!!

Every time guaranteed that I get out my flocking powder I get covered in it, its similar to when you go into the loft and get covered in fiberglass, you breath it in it gets in your hair and its all over me...that and the glitter I spilt too...Arghhh!!!

I was quite happily preparing for tomorrows scrapbooking class when this happened, I read somewhere that if you sand a brad, dip it into acrylic paint then into flocking powder you can create your own little flocked brads, which works a treat as long as you don't blow into the flocking powder by accident...honestly you think I would know things like that by now!!!

Also have been playing around with some embossing powder and metal charms and burnt my finger...obviously I know now that if you direct a heat gun at a metal strawberry for a minute it gets very hot!!! I think I left my common sense in Manchester today!!!

Layout for tomorrow:



Metal embossed strawberry



Three little "flocking" brads!!!



Had a lovely day off, the weather has been really nice and I shopped...properly, spent an hour or so wandering round Primark, love the fact that when you go in the week you don`t have to suffer heat exhaustion whilst waiting to try anything on. Then had a list to work through in The Bead Shop and Fred Aldous...sat in Starbucks for a bit too people watching, because I am nosey!!!

Bead envy alert...although funnily enough I keep going out buying gorgeous new beads and they just sit on my desk patiently waiting for me to create something beautifull...did however match up these gorgeous Kashmere, glossy wooden beads and pearls today though with every intention of making myself some arm candy.



Off now to carefully remove the glitter from my desk and the flocking powder from my hair!!!

Ten Tiny Fingers....

...and Ten tiny toes...I held a little tiny newborn baby today, and its been a while since I did that, I very nearly completely lost my reputation today by very nearly getting broody...luckily after bringing forty tiny fingers and forty tiny toes into the world I am completely past broodiness and just cuddled the baby then handed it straight back over to his mum!!!

Did however gain more points in my "quest" for mother of the year by letting Mia invite her friend for tea...I usually don`t "entertain" other peoples kids, having so many of my own but sometimes get caught during a weak moment and agree to things I wouldn`t normally do, usually only happens with Mia though...must be those gorgeous eyes of hers!!!

Did have every intention of chilling out tonight with a book I started on Sunday but got caught up doing some paperwork, then a bit of lesson prep too...even though its my day off tomorrow I am still shopping for work, have a list of things that students want me to get hold of for them and a list of things that I "need" too...Primark here I come!!!

Did manage to complete another two cards tonight...yep more of my new stamps...can`t do anymore now until I buy some more watercolour paper, yep that's on my list too...

And had a bit of a play with some wire, this is unfinished and I will probably turn it into a necklace, Shaped the heart with 18 gauge wire using the mandrel then wrapped the heart with 22 gauge wire, I am thinking a 26 or 28 gauge would be easier to wrap with though but still like the effect...



Off now to combine several shopping lists into one manageable one and maybe chill out with my book for a bit...after I have covered the bloody budgie up he is currently singing along to Arctic Monkeys...Bless!!!

Careless Wispa!!!

Admit it you are humming George Michael now aren`t you, I know I am!!!

OH MY GOD...just had one of these...



The new Caramel Wispa...I needed chocolate...this is exactly how chocolate should taste...smooth, velvety and creamy with a delicious caramel filling...this my friends is chocolate heaven!!! Just going to email Carbury`s now to ask if they are considering releasing it in a family size!!!

Okay on to the careless part...no explanation needed apart from I have been crafting...



But out of that chaos these two little cards emerged...still working through my new stamps I picked up at the GMEX a couple of weeks ago...





Had two great classes today and finished my afternoon class a little early so I got shown some Yoga moves by a student, I honestly thought that was supposed to be relaxing, I think I have pulled a muscle in my thigh and I could certainly feel the stretch, not sure I will be taking that up, felt a bit like a form of torture although saying that I have tried to concentrate more on my posture...you know shoulders back chest out...but its making my back hurt so the only posture I am interested in now is of the horizontal type under a quilt...been up since 3am (bloody insomnia) I have to go and investigate the inside of my eyelids!!!

I just blinked...

...and again the weekend has passed in a fraction of the time it is supposed to; my definition of weekend used to be relax and chill out and I have done nothing of the sort over the last two days!!!

Had a terrific one though and crammed a lot in, went out for a meal with a good friend on Friday night, one of those all you can eat restaurants, Thai, Chinese and Japanese....mmmmm although I believe I ate my own body weight, all for £11 can`t be bad. Then went on to a club and met up with some friends to watch another band that another friend is in, not the usual Selfish Lovers but enjoyed it anyway, although was home by midnight, think I am getting too old for this rock and roll lifestyle!!!

Had a lovely evening last night too, my Uncle was up from Landahn Baby, that's where I am from originally and a lot of my family still live there but we moved up north about 20 years ago. So he is a set designer for films...how cool is that, and he has been working in the Mersey Tunnel filming....The last Harry Potter film, got all the inside info on that too and it sounds like it is going to be totally breathtaking, so him and my Auntie were staying with my Mum and Dad last night and of course had to go round for drinks...would have been rude not to!!!

So today, woke about 10am with a terrible head...blaming my Dad and the fact he made me drink wine last night...yep back up my arm job too honestly!!! Good old Alta Rica and Neurofen to the rescue and then I spent the whole day lesson planning for the week, all my lessons are prepped and planned and I feel organised, which is mighty scary!!!

Bracelet and earring set for tomorrows class, using nylon coated beadalon:



Funky turquoise and lime earrings for Tuesdays class using the mandrel...god I love using that:



Also had a bit of a play and made these beads, using fimo:



and just look how cute this little house is...

The rooftop is secured with a button and some jewellery thong and lifts up so it can be used as a little gift box, I love it, so cute and this is the big one, still have the little one to make up yet.

That was my last weekend off for a few weeks now, I am demonstrating next Saturday for Kars at The Craft Range in Burnley, so if you are in the area come along they are celebrating their third birthday and have several demonstrations taking place.

Sometimes I ask myself....

...why is it that kids don`t have a volume control!!!

Came home tonight and they have either all gone deaf or plotted amongst themselves how long they can shout at each other before Mum completely loses the plot!!! I am not talking about fighting they were just generally conversing...loudly!!! Thank god for my ipod which I turned up to full blast while I was working tonight to drown them out, then they had the cheek to tell me they couldn`t hear the telly properly because my music was too loud!!!

I have had such a lovely day today, despite being sent half crazy by my delightful little offspring, had to go into work this morning for some training and to sort out some paperwork but then I hit Manchester to pay a visit to the bead shop...oooh I love going there, could spend all day running my fingers through the boxes of beads, delighting at the colours and textures and obviously coming away with a brand new bag of beautiful stash...yum, although not used any yet, they have to be stoked and gazed at for a certain amount of time before I will commit them to a piece of arm candy...I know I am sad!!!

Did however create this scrapbook layout tonight, the picture is of Mia in 2005 when her wardrobe consisted of fairy dresses in every colour and texture, she refused to wear trousers or jeans because fairies don't!!! Ignore the state of my desk and my craft mat...yes I am a craft slob!!!



Honestly look....



That was a total disgrace, even the kids had a go at me reminding me that I am forever telling them to tidy their rooms...really I should be setting a better example...so I did this...



Clean, tidy and organised...honestly!!!

Off to stroke and gaze at my new beads!!!

It`s Crazy But True...

...I love Tuesdays!!!

Do you know why, I don`t start work until 10am, I teach Jewellery making in the morning and then at the same venue I teach Papercrafts in the afternoon and the place where I teach has the most amazing cafe where all the food is cooked on site...properly...and I stuffed my face today with the most delicious minestrone soup and had coffee and walnut cake to follow washed down with proper coffee...you know the stuff that makes you feel alive for hours afterwards!!!

The other added bonus of Tuesdays is that I have Wednesdays off work...I love work but I also love my day off mid week too...the kids are back at school and I have the whole day to myself...well Jack is still making the place look untidy with his usual slobby self...I don't think he even got dressed today until he had to collect Mia from school and when I got in from work he was obviously making the most of the fact that the heating had been fixed as the house was like a bloody furnace...Unfortunately he starts college on Friday so his days off slobbing are well and truly OVER...muwahahaha...he has to be in at 8.45am and the college is two buses away...bless, well he has been "on holiday" since May so its about time he got back into a routine.

Managed to take a couple of pictures of him tonight before he said "Mum anymore and you have to pay me"... Oh and he is blagging £20 out of me tomorrow to go and sort out his bus pass...and he sincerely said to me "you won`t ever have to pay my bus fare again"...hmmm that's what I am doing tomorrow...Kids!!!



So proud of him though...he not only got great exam results, he got onto the courses he planned to despite places being limited this year and he is the best childminder in the whole world!!!

Managed to make this little card tonight too, that's two cards this week so far...should really be making a start on Christmas cards though...but my new stamps are just begging to be used first...this one is a Sugar Nellie and is called Blossom and I love her...



Teamed again with gorgeous glittery embossed papers from DCWV.

That's two of my new stamps used...only four more to go!!!

Off now to write a list for all the things I need from The Bead Shop tomorrow!!!

Great Gorgeousness...

...One of my new stamps is one of the Gorjuss girlie stamps and its so adorable I couldn`t wait to have a play, I water coloured it and teamed it with some of the delicious new DCWV papers I picked up on Saturday I created this tonight, when I should have been working but hey I like to live dangerously sometimes!!!



Had a great day today, two fabulous classes, a great phone conversation with my boss and a trip to Hobbycraft with one of my students to pick up supplies for tomorrows class...£50 pound later and a carrier bag that didn`t feel like it had that amount of supplies in it...criminal the prices they charge in there but least I can claim that back through work...Did manage to pick myself up a wire worker...been playing with one that belongs to one of my students and they are fab...can`t wait to have a proper play and come up with some designs for classes with this.



Finally got my central heating sorted out today...poor Jack had to wait in all afternoon for the engineer who was due between 1 and 6pm...he came at 4 just after I got home from work...typical...so now I have heating again woo hoo!!!

Off now to tidy my desk, you wouldn`t believe the mess I made making just one card...well perhaps you would...then I am off to bed, I am shattered, still suffering from the weekend I think!!!

Fantastic Friday...Sensational Saturday...Structured Sunday...

I have just sat down and thought to myself that I think I may need another weekend to get over the one I have just had which has been total non stop but bloody brilliant.

After teaching all day Friday went to a party, one where I vowed not to drink any alcohol...hmmm, that didn`t last long, not after I put on my favourite dress and my heels and spent the most part dancing to classic 60`s and 70`s TUNES...was one of my student`s 20th wedding anniversary and had such a great night, although not so great getting up Saturday morning...yep hangover well and truly in place...to hit the GMEX for the Stitch and Creative Crafts show...So on the train at stupid o clock in my shades, ipod blaring, after downing three cups of Alta Rica and several neurofen!!!

God I spent an absolute fortune...my excuse...so many pretty things and most of the stallholders were accepting visa this year which was hideously cruel but kind!!!

Just look at my lovely new stash...

...From Craftwork cards



Total spent £30....but look at those little owls and those lovely birdcage stamps!!!

Turquoise and green stash...mmmm....my favourite colour combo at the moment and have been trying to get hold of those Hero Arts ticket stamps for like ever!!!



Okay this book was a little pricey at £15 and I probably could get it cheaper on Amazon but got caught up in the moment and I love to make and teach handmade embellishments!!! Got it here



I went a bit mad on stamps...well totally actually...26 pounds worth of bloody gorgeousness here!!!



Fell in love with the Crazy wire company stand, learnt a few new techniques that I will be passing onto my students and bought some wire...lime green and red...bloody gorgeous, and some bargain beads too, those little packs of glass beads were only a quid each!!!



So finally got home last night about half eight after a very eventful day and stopping off at the takeaway for a well earned curry!!!

Woke up this morning to this....



Not only did I unpack all my lovely new stash on my desk but all my teaching bags from Thursday and Friday needed sorting!!! Have not stopped all day...cleaning, washing, ironing, food shopping, desk tidying and lesson planning...my back feels like I have been sleeping upside down and my arms are probably at least two inches longer from carrying all my lovely stash!!!

But...and its a big but...I have a clean house, my ironing basket is empty, my desk is tidy and I have planned all my classes for the entire week...I know even I am scared at how organised I am!!!

Just look at my little fairy...



...which I will be teaching Tuesday in my Papercraft class.

And look at this bracelet...which I love...



...which is Tuesday`s jewellery class...making the beads from wire...bloody ingenious and so simple...will never tire of doing that!!!

Okay now I am off I am tired, weary and my bones hurt and I can hear my quilt calling me very gently...over the sound of the bloody budgie chirping!!!

She Survivied...

...Her first day of high school...looking so grown up and walking home alone too :-(

Despite my reservations about her being too young to walk home by herself she managed to get home in one piece within ten minutes of school finishing, looking pretty much as smart as she did when she left this morning...which being such a momentous day was a perfect photo opportunity (and later scrapbook layout too) look....



Of course because I had the camera out Harry had to get in on the action and take some pictures too...but I just think he wanted to prove what a short arse I am because I am wearing heels and Ella is nearly as tall as me...that's their favourite thing to do at the moment, stand next to me when I have nothing on my feet and comment on how they are nearly as tall as me...usually my response is you will never be too big for a clip round the ear to which they usually reply yeah mum but you have to catch us first...bloody kids...anyway I love this picture that Harry took of Ella and I this morning...look at that...before 8am too!!!



Not to forget Jack either, although he is never in one place long enough for me to take a photograph of him lately!!! He was finally accepted into the college of his choice today, he had been provisionally accepted dependant on his GCSE results.

So after a minor issue, where the school had "forgot" to forward his BTEC results on...which were the equivalent to 7 C`s and an A and were the dependent GCSE results he needed he has been enrolled onto Alevel Law, Psychology and English and is resiting his GCSE maths because he wasn`t happy with the grade and has made the decision to do this totally off his own back too!!!

Totally proud of you boy!!!

Although I am still not entirely happy with his "plan" to travel for six months after college in a transit van!!!

All Grown up...

...Ella that is!!!

She starts High School tomorrow and I have to loosen the apron strings...well I don`t wear an apron but you get my drift...I have to let her walk to school and back by herself because walking with Mum is just not cool, I have to watch her leave the house wearing the most immaculate uniform that will no doubt look like she has been dragged through a hedge backwards by the time she returns at the end of the day and I have to finally admit she is growing up...especially as I have just spent over an hour washing, drying and straightening her hair!!!

I have just found this picture of her though, this will have been Christmas day 1997 at my Mum and Dads house...yep that's me in a satin shirt...oh the shame, looks like a pair of bloody pyjama`s, but can assure you it was the height of fashion almost 12 years ago especially one month after giving birth to the cutest little doll...hmmm now she is nearly as tall as me and almost as gobby!!!



Not sure who is more embarrassed at this photo...but at least Ella looks cute!!!

So tomorrow will be a morning of photographs and "what happened to my little baby girl" and as soon as I have packed her and Mia off to school will turn into a day of "Oh my god the kids are back at school...Party Time!!!