weekend antics

Quite a busy weekend. Sat morning, DH went out to do his advanced motorcycle training. He was out for 3 hours! I thought, great, I will do my SG cyber thingy while he is out, and then go out with him in the afternoon. But they didn't post any classes until lunchtime!! I did make a start on 3, an altered mint tin, a bazzil chip brooch, and a Lippy Chick book. Well, I don't think I read the instructions properly do I? I have gone wrong on all 3!!! The mint tin I put beads in the lid as well as in the bottom, and the lid wouldn't shut! I had to scrape them off with my craft knife, and all the paint as well! The brroch is OK, but I can't do the beads, I have no idea how to do them, so they don't look very good! And they will probably fall off! The Lippy Chick book won't fold properly- I think I have spoilt that. Oh well, it's all a learning curve. I feel quite frustrated that I haven't had time to finish them, but that's becasue:

Sat afternnon we went into town. I bought some new shoes (for work), and we have bought home another load of samples for curtains for the lounge. I am optimistic that we will make a decision this time. In the evening, we went out to watch a Mass Concert Band concert. it was the Adur, Littlehampton and Bognor Regis bands all together. Our friend Andy plays the trumpet in the Adur band. It was quite good, they played some stuff that I knew(!), but I miss the strings!!! Give me a bit of violin any day.

On Sunday we went to see John in his new bungalow. It is vbery nice indeed. It feels very homely, and quite enough space for one person. It is in a very unusual setting, next to hadlow Castle. It has a very tiny garden, with a large wall, but it doesn't feel oppressive. Behind the wall is the castle, and a huge tower or folly! The bungalow is tucked into a corner, so the appraoch is in front of the neighbours bungalows, but I think that makes it seem very snug and secure.

The kids were left instructions to make tea, but Lucy put the chicken in later than I asked, and Nicholas was a in a very bad mood with his computer, so had not doen the vegetables. When I made him do them he forgot the brocolli, even though I had put it out right next to him, so we didn't eat until 7pm. No time for crafting in the evening:(

Sad day

Toady is the funeral of Adrienne Reeve, a very inspiring and gifted teacher. She taught Nicholas in year 7 at West Park C of E school, and was one of his favourite teachers. She had the gift of making every child feel special. Nicholas says 'she liked maths, I like maths, she was very enthusiastic, which inspired us children'. She taught Lucy science in year 7, and she ran the netball team of which Lucy was captain. Lucy was not so keen as Nicholas, but she still feels sad today. Lucy says 'she taught me to play netball, and she inspired me to play more sport. She remembered my name!'

Adrienne was one of the teachers that inspired me to try teacher training. Most teachers at the time told me not to go into teaching, Adrienne and Jenny Colcohoun told me it was the best job in the world, go for it! Unfortunately, my teaching career never took off from 1st base - I lasted 8 months in training. But I will always remember Adriennne's enthusiasm and love of children (older children though - she didn't like young children!) She died of cancer aged only 43. I am thinking of all those children who will miss out on having her as a wonderful teacher.

lost!

I went to Kelly's crop in Plumstead yesterday. My goodness did I get lost! I started off going up the A24 to drop Nicholas off at work, and decided to go across to the A27 at Shoreham to get to the A23. Up the A23/M23, stopped off in Crawley for Nicholas's parcel at City LInk, and joined the M25 ok. I even went the right way on the M23!! But, I left the m25 for Bromley on the A20 instead of the Bexleyheath turning A2! (DH has made the point that they both begin with B!!). It took me ages to realise what I'd done. So back to the M25, and off at the A2. I followed Kelly's instructions, but quickly went wrong, not sure how, so I just followed signs. I did rejoin the A207 at one point, but not sure where I was in relation to where I should have been iyswim! Anyway, I finally got there at 12.15!! But we had a fab day. It is a very nice church hall (I love church halls and all the community things that go on in them!) Kelly made us lunch - a very nice jacket potato with beans, cheese and salad. Kim from Stamp Galaxy was there with stuff from her shop, so lotsa shopping (especially when she said I could pay by paypal!!) Although there weren't many of us, it was a lovely atmosphere. I will go again in a few months time. Kim gave me different directions to the A2, but I still got lost, don't know how? I got on the A2 at Greenwich, and got home in a hour and a half - not too bad. All this in our hired CRV, with gears and it's a diesel! I did fill it up once, and you may laugh when I tell you I drove on the A2 for quite a while before I realised I was only in 3rd! (It has 6 gears, why does it need so many? I am so confused by lots of gears)

I did 2 LOs for Nicholas's album. I am quite pleased with them. I'll show you tomorrow. I bought some fab stamps from Kim, and I'll show you those too.

Today I am knackered, and am going to go to bed in a min (9pm). I have to go to work tomorrow, and get up at 6am, YUK, especially as it is half term for the kids. I don't suppose either of them will take the dog for a walk this week! Today all I've done is a huge mountain of ironing! (I so hate ironing, and I always leave it till the weekend!) Actually that's not quite true, I have just spent quite a long time surfing the net, and have made my list for things I need for Kim's Cyber Birthday celebrations (cyber stamp) www.ukstampers.co.uk

Universities

We have been looking at universities for DS this week. We went to Southampton on Tuesday, and Bristol on Wednesday. We have already looked at Surrey (guildford) and Bath. DS wants to do Computer Science. In fact, his primary school teacher would know that was what he would do! He has always been fascinated by computers, right from when he first had a go on our Amstrad, and used to fill the screen with X's and then hold the delete button down , and watch them all disappear! He's come a long way sonce then!

Here is my summary of these unis:
Bath, gorgeous town, lovely gree campus, accom right there next to the uni. Good reputation, and the degree course seems good. Year in industry very well organised, and well - liked by students and cos. Offer AAB
Bristol. City uni, very vibrant city, lots going on. Very fine reputationCS dept, very young, fun, lively (showed us lots of games!) Downside, accom quite a long way from uni. Offer likely to be AAB.
Southampton. Campus a bit grim, staff a bit distant. CS is in electronics dept, so degree slanted that way. Research led, but staff seem to like this better than their students. Accom a long way from uni Offer ABB
Surrey. Lovely campus. Quite near home. Staff friendly, approachable. Course: perhaps more business slanted. Year in industry well organised. Not so high up the uni pecking order, good insurance choice becasue of lower offer BBB.



Car crash update: We have a new Honda CRV as a hire car. Trouble is, it's manual (ours is automatic), and diesel!!! I have to remember not to put unleaded in it!!!! Ins cos are talking to each other, and our car is going to be repaired. I am quite pleased that they are going to try and repair our car, becasue I'm not sure I want a new car just yet. I really like our CRV, even though it is so juicy on the petrol.

Craft: Not done any this week. I did order some more bags and some large book rings, and I have finished sorting my ribbon. Just gor to use it now! I really ought to do that CJ entry, and organise my stash to take for Kelly's crop tomorrow.

car crash!

I am so pleased with these 2 LOs. I did them at the Brighton and Hove crop yesterday. 'Family' is scraplifted from jhansen on UKS, 'Stinky', and Lizzie and Harry (my maternal grandparents) is scraplifted from Caroline on UKS 'button page'. I couldn't resisit doing this, becasue Mum gave me a whole load of old buttons recently, and these are them! I suppose they are vintage buttons, and the colours are subtler than new ones, so really go with the vintage photos. The photos are of my maternal grandprents probably taken about the time of their marriage in the 1920s. The 'Family' photo is taken on my dad's birthday 1998 at a family get together, that is me and DH(who took the pic), my brother and DSIL, and their 2 girls.

ON the way home, I was involved in a car accident! Luckily noone was injured. For those that know it I was on the A27 just west of the Holmbush Centre, going west up the hillat about 50/60mph, when suddenly there was a stopped car in the middle of the road (broken down)! I braked hard, and didn't hit it, but someone hit me, and then someone hit them! So bit of a pile up really. Looks like the car could be a write off cos the back wheel looks all wonky. Shame cos we really like this car (Honda CRV), except for ther fact it uses too much petrol.

Ooooh I had a great day today! I went to the Brighton 'Creative Stitches' exhibition, and met some new friends from tandastamps craft forum http://www.tandastamps.com/forum/index.php

There's Tasha (Chicken Licken), Burnice (Angel), Me (linda321), and Linda (Lindy Lou). We had lunch together, and a great chat, all about ATCs and 'Inchies' - our latest craze. I also saw Lorna and Sue from my Brighton crop. We have a crop tomorrow, so looking forward to that.

Here's what I bought..... DH promised me a lamp for my birthday last year, and it's nearly my birthday this year, so I bought one. I'll try it out later. I'm also looking forward to using my brayer, the water pens, and the new stamps are for the inchies. I also bought lots of ribbon and buttons.- not that I'm short or anything, but I never have the right colour......

Off to have a play.

disappointed

Oh I'm disappointed this morning, we have no snow! The weather forecast last night was full of dire warnings for 7" os snow for most of England, especially the SE. Well, we had rain all last night, and when I cycled to work at 6am it wasn't even cold! I think North of the downs has some snow, but worst hit is north of the M4. Loads of schools shut (why?), roads blocked and general chaos as does happen whe we have a single flake of snow in thsi country. I suppose we just don't get enough to warrant snow ploughs etc.

Oh well, here are my first 5 cards from the Emily Falconbridge challenge http://www.embers.typepad.com/

We are using a pack of cards to make an art journal, one for for each week of the year. Emily is giving a prompt each week. There is a chat thread on UKS http://www.ukscrappers.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=148596
which is just brilliant! It is so great to share work with other like minded people, and to get comments. I just need to finish the backs of the cards. Atm they are uncovered, and I think I'll cover them with some pp and journal a bit more from each week.

been a busy girl

I've been too busy to blog! During January I did a huge amount of sorting out, my bedroom, the lounge stuff (that was in the conservatory), and the cupboard in Lucy's bedroom. Plus all my stash!!! I now have all my scrapbook papers, card, stickers, and small bits of card sorted into fabby Cropper Hopper storage, and they are all sittting on my lovely new CH trolley! It is wonderful to be able to scrap, and then put things away before I start again.

Hence, I have been on a roll with the scrapping this week. I finished my garden album!!! YIPEE! There are about 3 Los that I HATE, but I have decided not to change them atm becasue I want to move on.

Today I have been doing Kelly's scraplift challenge on UKS. Kelly came up with this fab idea, and asked for LOs we thought she should scrap. There are some gorgeous LOs there. I was going to do my 2006 album with them, but that meant sorting and ordering photos, so Im doing more to DS's album, which is 8 x 8.

'West Park' is scraplifted from Heels by juliebee, and 'Playing with Nanny' is scraplifted from 'Mine, mine, mine, by Kirsty.


Here are 3 of the LOs I completed for my garden album. Autumn Tinges and Pretty in Pink are October, and the other one is obviously November!!! I am trying to use up all my primas - they are one of those things that gets left in the packet and never used. One good thing about sorting stash is that it stuff that has bee forgotten comes to my attention again. I am using lots of brads atm. Need to use more embellies! Some of the embellies on the garden LOs come from the garden swap I did on UKS last spring/summer, and the tag was from a calendar swap also on UKS. They are gorgeous, all my tags, but I have found it difficult to incorporate them into LOs.