Blummin' Banners!!

Long time no blog I know - please feel free to serve me punishment as you see fit :)

The main reason is that, apart from working, I have spent the whole weekend trying to create a custom banner to place atop me shiny blog. But, as usually happens when I try to attempt anything in the least bit clever, it went horribly wrong and was nothing short of a disaster! Two days, and much blood, sweat and almost tears later, I think I've got it right.

I followed the provided instructions to the T, but for some reason my banner decided it was so fab and funky that it was going to take over my entire page and keep tiling itself all the way down - making the posts impossible to read. Naughty, naughty banner. I ended up making up what I presume must be a unique html code from different advice posts on the subject on the Blogger help page - and hey presto - I think I've got there.

So I hope you can all see it - it's rather classy and timeless don't cha fink?! (ahem....cos I'm a classy gal you see ). Thought I'd pretend to be all thoughtful and intellectual looking .....hehehe, I'd pull the wool over anyone's eyes gazing across the water all forlorn like that!! To be honest - not even sure if I'm going to keep that one, it was supposed to be a quick experiment at putting my own banner in, but after all the palaver I've had, it'll probably take me years to get over the trauma so this one's staying for now!

The picture for the banner was taken by Lee when we went for a drive to Ferryside in Carmarthen Thursday evening, it was a lovely summers evening and we took some lovely pictures. And of course - Blogger won't let me add them!!! I've entered a couple for this months' photo comp on UKS which was on a summer theme, so if you're a member you could always check out the gallery there. Otherwise, I'm going to try to upload them later. Perhaps Blogger will have had a think about it's temperamental ways and sorted itself out by then.


It will let me add my most recent page though - et voila, here it is! It's been ages since I've done a weekly challenge on UKScrappers, and, in a bizarre coincidence, after I was talking about these pictures and how I needed to gt around to scrapping them to Gems last week, I looked up the challenge and it was on an animal theme. You had to follow the provided sketch, which fitted my pictures perfectly, and other elements you were challenged in include were an altered title and to have your handwriting on show. I completely forgot about the handwriting bit (typical!) which was a shame really as I could have fitted it in, but managed the altered title. I wasn't sure whether I wanted to do it at first, as I always feel they are a bit messy looking (yes, even for me!!), but actually I'm really glad I gave it a go as I think it's actually quite fitting to the crazy but funny story of Rocky munching through a peach! The base is Bazzill, and the papers are from the Winnie's Walls collection by SEI. The journaling reads:
"Rocky, you are a comical fella, but this is one of the times you have made me laugh most! I was about to eat a lovely juicy peach, but started to tease you that it was a ball, and by accident you licked it. Then, to my surprise, you started nibbling at it, and the nibbles turned to great big bites, until you had eaten all of the peach! I held the peach to help you eat it and make sure you didn't swallow the stone, and I'm not sure by the end of it if it was your mouth or my hands that were more covered in the sticky sweet juice from the fruit. Afterwards, you lay on the rug, looking up at me eagerly, and wagging your tail. I'm sure if you could speak you would have asked "Got any more peaches, love?"!! 26.7.06"

Well, I'm off in a short while to pick up "Waddles", or Katrina as you may otherwise know her *lol*. If she still fits in the Freelander that is mwwwooohahaha! She's been begging me to come over for a craft day - the last time we got to it was the day she told me she was having a baby - way back in late February - so it will be good to have a day together. I need to take another photo of her pregnancy progress too - yep she's grown again! - and make a layout. It will be a special LO too - but more about that in the next week or so.........Intrigued enough yet?!!! She also wants to make a start on her baby arrival cards, even though we've got a couple more months yet. But then again, with the rate her bump is expanding at, perhaps now's a good time while her arms still reach the table! Hehehe.

Right, that's enough cruelness at my lil' sisters expense (Although - that is what big sisters are for isn't it?!).....................Thanks for stopping by, will catch up with you later my lovelies xxx

Sketch Challenge is done!!

Good morning my little blogeroonies!

Had a lovely day yesterday with Gems coming over for a bit of scrapping. Finally managed to get my piece done for the Sketch challenge for Scrapbook Inspirations in the nick of time (I’m so norty leaving it until last minute). All I can tell you is that it’s a Book of Me style entry – I’m gutted I can’t show you, not even up to six months after it’s been published – so you’ll all have to make sure you nip out and get a copy when it’s out!! Awww……ok, here’s the teeniest of tasters just to whet your appetite!

Got some scrapping planned this afternoon too. Checked out the UKS weekly challenge, and it’s on an animal theme, and it just so happens that it was only yesterday I was talking about some great photos of Rocky that I’ve been meaning to scrap for ages…so watch this space – will be returning soon with a shiny new payout for you to see *lol*

Off this evening to visit me lovely buddy Fiona – haven’t seen her for since around Christmas, and since then she’s been a bit poorly and has moved in to her own swanky pad, so we’ll have lots to catch up on and I’m looking forward to seeing her – if you though I was slightly unhinged and off my proverbial rocker – you ain’t seen nothing ‘til you’ve met our Fi!!! :)

Still in awe this morning of last nights’ “first look” Lost – I love it I love it I love it!!!
Eeee – it really has me hanging off the edge of my seat and if someone plonked all the episodes down in front of me I’d watch them continuously without moving. It’s fantastically written and the suspense really is killing me, although we did get a bit more insight last night to the Islands secrets …I’m off to look up hieroglyphics and their meanings....I’ll say no more in case you missed it……..ooh that plot’s got more twists and turns than a Curly Wurly. Love it!!!

Special thoughts too, to my Aunty Jean in London, she’s broken her elbow and although they thankfully took the cast off as it was too heavy and hot in this weather, she’s still in a lot of pain. Here’s to a swift recovery!! xxx

Right – off to sort out some pics for scrapping. Catch you all later xxx

Eeek!

That's it. I knew it was coming for some time. But, in the words of Freddie Mercury, it's finally happened, I'm going mad.

And this morning I got the proof I've been needing.

Ok, so 12 hour night shifts spent with 12 imsomnia ridden paranoid-schizophrenic tenants is probably enough to affect even the sanest of individuals.

However, half way home this morning, the realisation suddenly dawned on me that since the moment I'd buckled my seatbelt, I'd been singing It's a small world afterall, over and over to myself.

This continued until I pulled up outside my house.

Bizarre. Strange. Peculiar. Somewhat chilling.

Call it what you want..........I've finally lost it
:)
xxx

All aboard! Ding ding!!

Long time, no blog, so I thought I better update you on the latest humdrum nothings in my oh-so-boring existence!

Actually got some good news to report! Firstly, my Buddha Buddies LO, which I entered in this months India themed House Challenge on UK Scrappers, has been chosen from the 19 entries to represent the Green Buttons House in the final!! I’m really pleased as, once again, the Green Buttons submitted the most entries, so for my page to be chosen from all the others by my House as their representative has left me feeling pretty darn well chuffed! I have sussed out the finalists that I’m up against from the three other houses though, and I must say it’s very tough competition so I’m not actually holding any hope on being the overall winner – they are three very, very talented girlies!! Still chuffed to even be in with a whiff of a chance though!!

And secondly, I’ve been chosen as a member of a design team for Kraft Stop, a craft store based in Liverpool, following my submission of “Six Months Down…Three To Go” featuring Katrina and her bump! There are eight of us on the team, and they’re a talented bunch of scrappers so really looking forward to getting started on our first assignment in September! Really pleased as my fellow UKS “Doodling Daisies” team mate, Natalie Jubb, won a place in the team too, so I couldn’t be in better company!!


Other UKS news is that we’re all off on a summer holiday!!! As always, the UKS Mods have pulled out all the stops and have created an on-line crop with style! Preparation is underway for a relaxed, five day mini cyber crop, with a daily class, challenge, games and chat to partake in! Members are busily choosing which “route” they wish to take, be it an A-Z album, a heritage album, a holiday album, or a “Book of Me” album. Each route has it’s own “bus” to jump on, and I’ve already packed my sarnies, stash and sick bags for Bus No.24 – the Book Of Me trip! So between the 2nd to the 6th August I’m expecting to churn out a few pages on my favourite topic – me!! Ding ding!!

Not been up to owt creative this week, except making Katrina's 21st birthday card, which I forgot to take a photo of. We're off out tomorrow night for a meal to celebrate, so will promise a couple of pictures of us eating our nosh to amuse, entertain, and more likely than not, cause you psychological harm.

However, my fabbo buddy Karen has kept me busy in one of my favourite new “nerdy” pass times! I love playing about with pictures in my editing software, and after showing her an example of a LO I did where I “removed” a couple of cars from a road to make it appear more desolate, she asked if I could, as she put it, “work my magic” on a couple of snaps she’d taken on a day out with her family.

These are of Berkley Castle, and I got rid of the unsightly building equipment for her, thank goodness there wasn't any "builders bum" in the shot - as that would have proved to be too great a challenge for my poor ole pc!!



Here, I got rid of the lantern and its' funky energy-saving light bulb to make the most of the gothic atchitecture, as requested.



And here she is, the gorgeous thing,with her son, Jake. Got rid of the carrier bag from behind them, as she said she didn't want everyone knowing that she's a bag lady!! Ooops - sorry sweetie, your secret's out now!! *wink*

So if anyone else would like to fill my idle time by sending my any photos they want spruced up - you know where I am - challenges most welcome!!!

Weekend Wishes xxx

Well, as I'm stuck at work I wasn't planning on blogging today, however, at around 11.30 this evening, my colleague and I were standing in the beautiful hostel garden, taking in the last summer-scented swirls of the warm evening breeze, when we both looked to the heavens just in time to see a shooting star skip along the skyline! How magical is that?! Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera handy (and nor do I possess the skill or equipment to have captured the blink-of-an-eye moment anyhow), but a quick Google search has enabled me to share with you our very own magical shooting star moment. Make a wish my friends! :)

Now I'm here though, I may as well tell you about my weekend!! Spent Friday evening with the rowdy Family Housing crew toasting my fabby buddy Alison a fond farewell (crikey - the cliches are really rolling off my tongue tonight!). Seems my reference did the job - of course we'll stay in touch, she often speculates that the only good thing she's got from her two years at Family are making good friends in myself and one of our other colleagues. I should say so anyway, after I rescued her from certain DIY death last summer. I was at her house rectifying her attempt at wallpapering until gone 2am for a whole weekend!!

Spent yesterday with our fabby friends Amanda and Stuart on the Gower. First of all we went Strawberry picking at Beynon's farm (another image courtesy of a google search; well I am stuck at work and I did forget to use my camera yesterday - I was so caught up in the moment, man! If anyone out there lays claim to the image of the juicy fruit - put it in writing to my lawyer *lol*). It was the last day of the picking season (already?! :( ), and we nibbled the most succulent and deep red berries as we wandered through the field adding them to our basket. We bought the hugest basket of strawberries, for the grand sum of .........£1.64! We calculated that the same amount would have cost close on £8 at Tesco (erm, and any other highstreet supermarket of course), plus we didn't have the displeasure of getting them home and finding they were already mushy, squished and wearing little white beards.

Then we went down to the beach for a BBQ. We actually got on the beach at Oxwich, but then drove right across to the Nicholaston end, it's far quieter and even more sandy there. We did have some quite odd looks from our fellow beach goers as we drove the Freelander through the surf along the coast (and Amanda and Stewart actually sunk down in the seats so they could not be identified in a police identity parade, should it come to that), but I just gave them my best Pammy Anderson style smile and wave and I think they presumed we were life or coast guards or something!! Pinched this picture from the Welsh Tourist Board, figured they won't want to sue me as I am kinda promoting what lovely things we have to offer here in Swansea!! Anyway, spent the rest of the afternoon sunbathing (no tan to show for it though, as usual!), and frolicking in the waves! The water was lovely - it's so clear, and there were shoals of tiny fish which were so cute, although I did find myself backing off to the shallower water as I was counting more and more Jellyfish, as pretty as they were! Amanda and I sat on the shore for ages, with the sun on our faces, the wind in our hair and the waves lapping about our legs, I'm certain we looked nothing short of sea-goddesses. Well, we didn't sink any of the expensive looking yachts that were in the bay anyway!!

Came home that evening to a grumpy dog - he must have smelled Oxwich on us - it's his favorite beach to frolic on! If we hadn't have been strawberry picking we probably would have taken him with us - although the thought of him weeing on all the strawberry plants and an unhappy farmer Beynon chasing us off his land kinda put me off. It would have been a bit hot for him on that sand as well, to be honest.

Finally received all my BOB prizes over the last few days. Got my lovely set of alphabar letters and the new sizzlets (the tiny tags and the Hawaiian flower set) that I ordered with my Ellison voucher, although not had time to play with them yet. My Docrafts prize arrived too, the best bit being the 12" Xcut guillotine, just what I need as I relegated my fiskars trimmer to scrapbook heaven a long time ago. I was fed up with the fortune I was spending on blades; every couple of cuts was a fluffy one that I'd end up trimming with a scissors. Also got some letter tiles, metal rimmed tags, some of the Seedee stamps (which contain some handy doodled flower looking ones I'll have to have a play with), some ribbon, handmade paper and a colossal paper pack which, although not quite my style, I'm sure will be used, even if just for the white side (already used a piece as a base for a LO made just from PP- the Buddha Buddies page in fact!)

So that is that. Hope to get on with some scrapping in the next few days, not to mention a birthday card for a certain little sisters' 21st birthday, so hopefully will have something creative to show you next time!

Thanks for listening my blogeroonies! Love to you all, as always xxxx

Pearls Of Wisdom

Good morning!!!

Well, as you all know, I’m a lovely, friendly, helpful kinda gal, and I like to share helpful hints and tips I pick up along the highway of life, and inspire and share them with you. Especially in the scrapping sense. So today, I have one of these anecdotal words of wisdom to share with you. Please be aware no Tenancy Support Workers were (seriously) hurt during the discovery of today’s little gem.

Tip for Secret Stashers (Secret Stasher, noun; person who sneaks scrapbooking stash into work to complete projects in the small hours when they think they will not be caught)
Do not be tempted to run bazzil cardstock attached to copier paper through the dodgy office printer. It is highly likely that said piece of bazzil will dislodge from said piece of copier paper just as it runs through the rollers inside the printer and consequently stuff the machine up. (stuff, adjective; to break or destroy). Such an act is likely to lead to the discovery that you partake in your leisurely hobbies whilst on shift, rather than attend to your duties as highlighted in your job specification. (Job Specification, noun; a list of duties you will be expected to carry out within your work role. Most often includes the phrase “ and any duty as seen fit by the direct supervisor/manager” e.g. counting the hostel jigsaw puzzle pieces and checking that all the biros work).

However, should the above advice not be followed, and you do find yourself in the situation of having a piece of card jammed in office printer, thus jeopardising your future career, the following remedy has been found to rectify the problem.

Remove pair of metal serving tongs from kitchen drawer. Return to office, switch off power supply to printer and proceed to stick tongs into machine to retrieve offending piece of bazzil. This may involve much tugging and brute force, as well as grazes to the forearm and wrist.

Once bazzil is successfully dislodged from the machine, either stuff into pocket or other inconspicuous hiding place and return power to printer. Using a soft cloth, remove all possible fingerprints so as not to leave any incriminating evidence (incriminating evidence, not intelligent to know if this is a noun or whatever; stuff likely to get you fired)

Mission accomplished.

Ahhhh. Yes. My forearm still hurts. But here’s what I achieved for my efforts. The LO was designed for the house challenge on UKS, which this month is based on India. The pictures were taken at Portmeirion last summer, prior to printing them I edited them to remove the colour from the general photo to allow golden balls (and that’s the statue, not Lee!) to become the focus. The journaling talks about how this strange, mystical statue came to reside in this remote and unexpected part of north Wales – it was actually a left over film prop when the village was used as the setting for the 1958 film The Inn of Sixth Happiness, starring Ingrid Bergman. Ain’t seen it myself though!!

Beautiful papers from the Urban window range by We R memory Keepers, fabric file tab by sei, primas, crystal brads, acrylic tile which reads "explore new things", paisley embellishment from local haberdashers, leather floral/eyeleted embelly is from a leather belt from Asda (!), BG alpha stickers and "buddies" hand cut from bazzil in Samarkan font. Journaling - Aladdin font.

Also receive the sketch through today for the challenge in SI – oh what to do, to do!!! Have some pics and papers in mind, so it’s just adapting them to fit now.

Right then, my buds, catch you all later xxxx

Thank you!

for all you kind words and thoughts. Katrina is now home, and although tired, pale, and still in some pain, she and bubba are both ok. Tests shower that she was fighting an infection as her white cell count was raised, however her bloods and urine were all clear, so it remains a bit of a mystery as to what was the cause.

Love and thoughts please xxxxxx

My sister has had to go into hospital this evening as she's been in terrible pain, and almost collpased earlier today. A scan shows the baby IS OK, but Katrina's had some tests and now they need to keep her in overnight until they have more information as they think she has some type of infection. Katrina's understandably frightened and upset - so I was hoping that you lovely people, my wonderful blogging buddies, would send some vibes of love and hope out to her tonight. Thanks to you all xxx

Crop Crazy!

Good evening my blogger buddies!

Had a fantabulous (so is that a proper word, cos me spellchecker isn't worried about it!!) weekend, attending two crops in as many days!! The first was the wonderfully cosy Swansea Crop, where not only did I win the raffle again (must try not to sit in the lucky seat again next time or people will start to dislike me and poke me with their embossing tools and deckle edge scissors!), but we completed this lovely doodling class. I must say - Chrissie I admire your unflappable patience when teaching – each of the orange curves had to be cut differently by each person in order to fit their individual photos and consequent composition, 16 people down struggling to make their circles “just a bit tighter” I personally would have gone bananas – but she’s great is Chrissie!!

As it was a wacky and fun page I chose this daft picture I took a few months ago when playing about with my new camera. Apart from the rather un-lady like delicate nostril hair peeping out from my right nostril, I thought it was ideal. Before printing it off I added a little blue hue to my eyes to reflect the blue tones that would be used in the LO. Had fun going wild with the doodling, and curvy journaling – which reads “"My friends call me crazy 'cos I make 'em laff! .......But sometimes I FEEL crazy when things get me down......but I just keep on smiling!"

Also managed to squeeze onto the popular South Wales crop last minute – hitched a lift with Gems and her sister and we had a great day! Completed this LO there, dedicated to all the things in life I cherish that my grandparents have taught me. Really enjoyed making the flower embellishment which double up as part of the title. Used a Really Big Bazzil flower chip covered in BG Urban Couture, made a rosette effect centre from ribbon and fastened it down with a giant brad, and then added the rubons around the petals to make the word “Thanks”. And yes, ok, ok, a whole day at a crop and I know, I only did one page! Well, with all the chatting, fab shopping and all the gorgeous cakes to munch on, whadya expect from a gal?!!!

Thank goodness that the footie will finally be over in under an hour!!! It’s done nothing but disrupt my TV viewing for the last month - the naughty fing!!. Finally I can settle back into watching Neighbours and at the correct time, and Eastenders on the right day. Hopefully, Holby City will return to a Tuesday now too cos I love my Tuesday-night-in TV-fest!! Lee knows there’s just no point trying to speak to me on Tuesday from 7pm until midnight unless he wants his head bit off!

Ooh I am terrible, and seriously need to think out getting out more!!!

Take care my lovelies, until next time xxxx

Bums Rush

Yep, I've had the delightful company of Bum's Rush for the last couple of days, bad enough at any time, let alone when you suffer from IBS anyway and in middle of a heatwave!! Feeling better now thankfully, although very angry as apparently my oh-so-professional manager was throwing things about the office yesterday, swearing about me, and telling everyone how suspicious it was that I'd called in sick when the sun comes out!!

Newsflash - I don't get paid sick when I'm ill, and after Millies' broken leg I can hardly afford to pull a sickie.

And I guess, Ma'am, I'll wait until it rains to become unwell next time, if that suits you better.

What a moo-moo! I have a sample bottle in my possession, and I'm very tempted to use it, and leave it somewhere delightful for Moo-moo to discover! Mwoohahaha!


Any whooo! On a brighter note, I've done some scrapping!!!
The Layout (LO) is of my sister and her HUUUGE pregnancy belly! We're currently taking bets on just how much bigger she can get in the remaining three months, she's already gone from size 14 to size 22!!!!

I put that doodling into practice too -my first attempt on a LO that I'm happy with! I tried to focus on techniques rather than using different products, and managed to incorporate, hand cutting, stamping, inking, chalking, stitching, doodling, distressing, heat embossing, die-cutting, dymo-labeling, and er, fink that'd be the lot!!!

Sadly, it's no longer in my possession as I've sent it off for a couple of entries to some Design Teams for a couple of UK Scrappers Sponsors. It would be lovely to receive some goodies each month to make a page with to share with to inspire the shops' customers - and I love working with deadlines - it always helps me to get me big behind in gear!

Also had a lovely email from Joanne, the editor of Scrapbook inspirations, apologising for the mix up with my printed LO's, it was put down to a temporary art director taking over due to maternity leave. Apparently he did not have any original images to work from, so made the "executive" decision that the loose photos which arrived in with my pages belonged to the Port Meirion LO and added them to the large journaling pocket on there. She did how ever agree that the "LEE" title was a pretty obvious bloop, and that he should have referred back to the team if he was unsure, so they will be re-running the picture, in it's correct format, with an explanation in a couple of Issue's time.

Other fab news is that they've requested I take part in the sketch challenge that appears in each issue - I think I'll be doing the one for Issue 20 as they work so far ahead - so I'm excitedly awaiting the sketch and information for that! The only thing is I have to sign a contact stating I will not publish the LO anywhere for 6 months (not even on my blog!), so you'll have to buy the mag when it comes out if you want to see it straight away!!

I've become very conscious that my blog, at a glance, is lacking pictures, so thought I'd add a couple of extra ones of recent work cos you've all been such very good blogeroonies! *wink*

No Blogger's being a mean old system and won't let me upload any more, but will promise to do so as soon as it allows me!!

Take care buddies xxx