New Size!!

For a good while now I've been noticing that most of the layouts that really grab my attention in online galleries and magazines are the 8.5x11 size. I was dying to give it a go - but I'm a bit weird when it comes to organising my albums and all the themes I've started that will have albums all to themselves (e.g Book of Me, Holidays/travel, family pages etc), are all in 12x12, the thought of suddenly changing format half way through an album seriously freaks me out. Yep, I'm that strange! For the same reason I'm not really a mini-book kinda gal either, although, never say never cos I've got some cute rectangular coasters waiting to be transformed into something spectacular once I can think of a theme lol :)

However, being such a clever little chicken, I realised that I’d only scrapped two LO’s of my niece, and as she’d probably end up with an album to herself anyway – what better subject to induct myself into a new size with?!

So, at the crop on Saturday – I took the plunge. Although half way through I did think I was a bit barmy trying to fit three photos, four patterned papers, cardstock and journaling on to my first small page! But, after a grand total of 12 hours croppin’ (ok, so some of that time was also devoted to shopping, teaching and filling my face with delicious couscous, rice and pasta from the buffet!) it finally came together. And I kinda like it! I was pretty chuffed too as I managed to mix some really old KI papers in with some more recent stuff like the urban lily paper I used and I think it still looks really fresh. Giving old papers a new twist is going to have to become an essential way of scrapping if I’m lucky enough to get a place at uni :)

The journalling reads "I agree that you must take time in life to stop and smell the flowers - but that is SMELL, not EAT Ellie!!" The other papers I used were from American Crafts and Scenic Route; Everlasting Keepsakes chipboard monogram and those yummylicious felt flowers were from a local craft shop. They rock and only cost 20p each - you can't get fabber than that!!Also want to catch up in the Emily Falconbridge 52 Card challenge that every blogging scrapbooker seems to be doing at the moment!! It looks like a fun little way to try out some new techniques without worrying about wasting supplies or ruining LO's. Got a few weeks to catch up on, but I'm off until Sunday so may get a couple in during my time off.

That said, I've FINALLY started the NVQ level 3 that I was enrolled onto at work 18 months ago. 18 months of palaver, cock ups and waiting to start something that I was soooo not interested in doing at all anyway, but it’s becoming legislation that all care sector workers have to undertake within the next something or so years (it keeps getting extended!), and now the assessor finally managed to get all my correct details together and come out to see me. But if the messing around hasn’t been bad enough – she broke the news that I have to complete the entire thing by September! Ha! Sounds ages away but it’s only five months in which to complete a years worth of work. So I’m going to be a very busy bunny with all that, plus add in the fact that she can’t really carry out any observations on me during the night (cos I don’t do anything lol!!!!) I am going to have to give up loads of my own time to go in and hold meetings and reviews and undertake support planning like I used to pre-nightshifts, just so a couple of boxes can be ticked to say I can do my job. A job that I hate.

Yeeeeuch! Panty poo poo indeed.

There is one slight upshot though – the NVQ 3, combined with my other qualifications, is an acceptable entry requirement for the course I want to take, so at least that will go in my favour……………..if I ever get my bloomin UCAS form off that is!! I’ve just got a few sentences to go, and then it’s off!! To be honest, as it’s so late in the day I’m not expecting to gain a place this year – but it will only make me more determined to be more organised for next year and apply again on time, and will also allow me to gain any relevant experience that will go in my favour :) And save some money!!

Or maybe we’ll win the lottery in that time and I can forget about having to retrain to get a decent career, and instead buy myself a desert island (and find a good scrap store to ship stuff out to me!), and wile away my days scrapbooking in the sun!!

Catch ya later blogeroonies xxx