The cyber crop is now all over, and I felt quite flat yesterday - scrapped out I suppose! I managed 4 layouts & a mini-book in all, and I am really pleased at how they turned out. Now I have the Scrapbook Sisters kit to work with and give my full attention, which I am looking forward to.
It has started - I LOVE these cyber crops. Usually I get loads of layouts done because there are classes to follow. Did one yesterday:
which seemed to take all night - don't think I'm the fastest scrapper in the west, but I like the finished layout. This morning I am taking Oliver to judo, having a burst of the 'Leg Magic' workout & then scrapping my little heart out all day. Lovely.
Been out for a meal with Mark, Charlie (eldest stepson) & Oliver at Bella Italia, for our Anniversary, which was yesterday. I had Calamari followed by a pizza, and I feel bloated. I was determined to eat everything in sight since a) I paid for it and b) I have been on a diet for a few weeks. Serves me right. Had a glass of wine & feel a bit squiffy, but feel I should carry on drinking wine as, in my experience, stopping now & drinking water/soft drinks makes me feel worse throughout the evening. That's the trouble with going out early pm. Now I will feel hungover in the morning, and it is my full day at the Bank, UGH. STILL - it is the Cyber Crop over on UKS tomorrow & I am looking forward to that....
Today is our 9th Wedding Anniversary! I love being Mark's wife & I remember our wedding day with real joy. It is a second marriage for both of us, both of us having done the big white wedding previously (not with each other LOL), and this time around we were married at the local Registry Office for £35 with Mark's children present (then 6 & 7 years old) and two witnesses. It was fab. I remember it so clearly - Mark and I were grinning like cheshire cats throughout the whole ceremony. For anyone who knows me, I am not generally given to smiling, being a huge pessimist, but Mark filled my life with hope and optimism, and we chose to be together for the same reasons, and our 'life aims' are still the same. It has not, however been an easy marriage, with stepchildren, ex-partners (Mark's), and lots of 'issues' but I like to think we have gritted our teeth when we needed to, and the choice to stay together, and be together, remains constant. I genuinely prefer Mark's company to anybody elses, and that is a first for me. (having previously enjoyed my own enormously!) Here is my favourite snapshot of the day, forgive the bad scan, red eye & everything else. We look dead happy....
It's been a good day today. Started off with a trip into town to get some fabric bits for a CC layout. Bought Oliver a plastic battle axe from Poundland with battle sounds, and you can't switch the bloody thing off. Think it's movement sensitive, but once moved it sounds like the Battle of bloody Hastings for about 10 minutes. Think that might end up being lobbed down the garden before sunrise....
Came home & found out that I am going to have one of my layouts published in 'Scrapbook Inspirations' magazine, which is great news. (Space allowing obviously) Will be really nice to take it & show everyone who doesn't 'get' my scrapping - oh, that's pretty much everyone I know then! (with a few notable exceptions of course). Also, there were a few of my layouts on the Scrapbook Sisters blog yesterday with some nice comments from them, and that is a great boost for my confidence.
In between a frenzy of scrapbook stuff today, have managed to get down to the allotment for a spot of digging with Oliver and also when cousin Jack came up to play (with Oliver!) got to do a load more digging in the garden, which is great too - job done & a good workout. Rustled up a Quorn, leek & mushroom pie for Mark's tea and so I feel like superwife today. LOL.
Incidentally, have lost over half a stone now & feeling pretty good about it actually. For all my dislike of dieting as I love food - I feel so much better when I restrict the amount I eat. AND there is a bit of room in my trousers for the first time in too long... AND have cut my wine intake down (a bit) too, which was previously an insurmountable task...
Some sneaky peeks of my mystery kit layout for the cyber crop: think the scrapping police will get me if I put a full picture of my layout anywhere before the allotted hour...
Been working on my mystery kit for the cyber crop. Can't say too much as it's a mystery..... but I'm liking how it's shaping up. Also got another kit from the Scrapbook Sisters. Very bright & partyish with gorgeous Basic Grey papers. Here it is:
Got a few ideas for this - am looking for a photo I had taken at one of my birthday parties where I had a major tit-on about something rubbish & you can spot me a mile off in the line-up. Brilliant. Will post it if I can find it...
Very rainy day here. Just been to the University to watch Mark play in a badminton tournament. It's the end of season one which used to be the highlight of the year - I used to play too & this one was the one everyone took part in. However, the sport seems to be dwindling and it's a shame.
Probably off to the Range this afternoon for a bimble and to stock up on things for the cyber crop. Wow, we live life in the fast lane!
Went to the Cathedral again today, to decorate a ceramic tile in a medieval style. What Oliver produced was modern enough to rival tomorrow - clearly the whole point of going around the Cathedral beforehand to suck up inspiration of an ancient kind was completely lost on him as he painted this:
Still, I think it is lovely, as does Mark, to whom this was given. Here are a few more pics from last week when we went to the Cathedral. It is a stunning and breathtaking piece of architecture.
Tomorrow is the last one of this Easter hols: Gargoyle masks. We intend to go if Oliver's cough/breathing does not deteriorate - he seems to go from well to ill within a shockingly short space of time. Think at this age he has developed a weakness (which I think he will outgrow) on his chest, and I will have to watch him tonight to make sure he is not working too hard to breathe. I sense a trip to A&E.....
My Nan would have been 78 today. She died, unexpectedly in July 2002, about 6 weeks after Oliver was born. This is her, with Oliver in hospital.
I like to think she hung on to see him. I grew up close to my Nan, I was the first grandchild, and somehow she made me feel special. I know for sure she was just as close to her other grandchildren, but I felt special anyway. She was probably the only person who ever made me feel that way. For sure she was the only person I have ever been close to that I have never fallen out with. She never judged me - through my failed first marriage and then when I married Mark, who had 4 children with two different women (shock horror), she treated them, and him, well, and with the same regard as she treated her other great-grandchildren. She was not phased by the modern lifestyle in that respect. She was a proper Nan, who grew up in the gritty north with bread and dripping, and she cooked, unafraid of lard and over-cooking veg. She knitted and grew blackberries in the back garden. I always ate the red ones and can still hear her yelling 'leave those bloody blackberries alone!' out of the kitchen window. I saw her weekly, at least, and enjoyed her company. She did the 'Sun' and 'Star' newspaper bingo, in reams of cards on a clipboard. She loved Coronation Street, and it is with great fondness that I watch it now and imagine her pretend shocked 'Oooohhhh' at the storylines.....
My Mum reckons she knew she was going to die, by account of the fact she was poorly anyway - she'd been in hospital a couple of times with pneumonia, and she was diagnosed with slow cirrhosis of the liver, despite VERY rarely drinking alcohol, (although she had smoked copiously over the years much to my often-voiced disgust), and the last time she visited the Doctor before her death, she refused to let anyone go with her and was pretty sketchy about his diagnosis, apparently. So, I believe, because I choose to, that she held on to see Oliver - she always shook her head and said I would never have children - it was a joy to tell her I was pregnant, and she was genuinely happy for me.
My Dad came around to tell me, on a Wednesday evening in July, to tell me she had died - and whilst I remember it clearly, and that I never remember feeling shocked, I don't think I will ever stop wishing she was here, and remembering her with a heavy feeling of loss.
I have never been to see where her ashes were scattered - but I often think I might. Happy Birthday Nan, and I miss you.
Because the Easter hols have started, there are things like workshops on for kids - the RAMM (Royal Albert Memorial Museum) are running a few at the Cathedral for free (therefore more worth the effort!) and yesterday we popped along to make a 'stained glass window' and today to make a 'gargoyle'. Tomorrow is brass rubbing. The best bit (I think) is that they give you a sticker for free admission into the Cathedral, which is just such an absolutely stunning building oozing with history - it was fantastic. Because Oliver is home-taught, things like religion, history, whatever need to be explained by me/Mark/anybody else but not a teacher & so taking him to the Cathedral meant lots of talking, explaining and showing, which was actually extremely enjoyable.
Here is his stained glass window:
Obviously it is now stuck up in our living room window!
Today was the Gargoyle:
Think the boy did good! Bless.
'True Love' : Oliver with his beloved Pokemon. This class focused on felt. A labour of love, really, since I had no cutting machine, these letters were cut by hand. Owww
'Dotty About You' : Oliver at St Michael's Mount, printed out onto Bazzill textured cardstock. Another labour of love since these buttons were all sewn on! I must be mad! A button class obviously!
'King Of The Castle' : Oliver persisting with the building of his sandcastle at Trecco Bay. This was a masking class - the original example used a heart for a mask - I made a castle mask to fit in with this theme.
'The Sun Always Shines...' : I really like this when it was finished - Oliver striding out alone across Trecco Bay. I like these colours together. The class was a stitching one - the Sun's rays are hand stitched.
At last, after months of struggling with another blog provider and not getting on with it (or getting it at all really) I have started this one up & I like it! It vaguely resembles a proper blog & that's gotta be a good thing dontcha think?! Have pasted and copied below the last few entries on my old blog to make it all seem a little more interesting (?!)
my first cyber crop
I am loving this cyber crop. For those NOT in the know, it is an online scrapbooking ‘crop’ where basically you sign up prior to the start date, get put into a team and when the cc starts, you can take part in challenges & classes related to the cc theme. Since signing up to UKScrappers, I have missed the Harry Potter CC and the Alice in Wonderland CC. BOTH of which I SO wish I had taken part in. This one has been a bit different, running over 3 consecutive weekends which has given more time to do layouts, pop in and out of forums and I have loved every minute of it. Mark has even given me the space/time to get on with it which has been great. (should I mention the tolerance to get on with it too, since he likens my scrapbooking to trainspotting……!)
First posted on old blog 21st October 2007
Tae Kwon Do or Judo?
Taking Oliver off to TKD in a minute - this will be his second session, he loved the first on Monday, but then I took him to Judo on Wednesday, which seemed to suit him better & he reckons Judo is the one he wants to take up. I would prefer that too, I think, but Mark insists (and I know he’s right) that Oliver gives the TKD another shot to be sure….
So, at stupid o’clock on this cold Saturday morning, gotta drive to the other side of town to sit in a draughty sports hall in the quest to better my son’s life…
THEN I have to pop back into Sainsburys to collect my frozen food which both of us left in a bag on the floor at the checkout AFTER paying for it yesterday. Duh. This afternoon I NEED to do some scrapping to get moving on the album I’m putting together for Mum & Dad’s 40th Wedding Anniversary. It’s next Saturday & I haven’t started it yet!!
First posted on old blog 19th January 2008
Definately Judo….and too little time & too much to scrap
TKD is not really what I had in mind for Oliver - not enough contact & too much yelling at this age, so think Judo is the thing. Going again tonight.
It’s Mum & Dad’s 40th wedding anniversary on Sunday. We (me & my two brothers & all respective offspring) trollied off to have our pic taken last Sunday which was all horribly embarrassing, but seeing the pics on Monday - they have come out well. My portion is setting me back £115, but I will have some really decent photos to scrap at last….
Also have started an album for them which must be finished by Saturday night! Only done about a third of it. Got the Exeter Scrapaholics crop on Saturday (my first one there) so can finish it there as a last resort. (Would rather not though).
Took Oliver to the Free Range Learning group in Exeter today (usually go every Weds) and he played with a new boy, Ash who seems OK, and another slightly older boy called Marley? who I haven’t seen before. Today’s game seemed to be running around the park waving sticks and shouting alot. Being male really I suppose. There are some parents there who definately just let their kids ‘be’, which is a very laid back ‘home-ed’ ethos, but these kids are yelling and shouting and crying their way through the day and it’s just bloody annoying sometimes! Still believe that you can allow a child to express themselves within reasonable social boundaries. Also believe that there are times you should say to your kid - ‘OK, enough now’ and that’s that…..
AND FINALLY….have applied to be on the Scrapbook Sisters Design Team for 2008, and I am seemingly in the final 9! That’s very gratifying, but after taking a look at the other finalists names - I recognise at least 2 of them from being published in Scrapbook Inspirations mag, (Audrey Tan & Pam Thorburn) so I don’t really hold out much hope!! Still, I am in good company, I think both of these ladies do great work, and at least my name has been ‘mentioned’ in a scrapping circle!
First posted on old blog 23rd January 2008
‘Mum, you should just eat more less’
As Oliver says, I suppose if I feel fat, I should eat more less. Or try for a poo - that was his other suggestion. And right back at you there mum. Clearly this is the crap information I impart to him when he has tummyache……
My Mum & Dad’s Ruby (40th) wedding anniversary meal tomorrow - very low key, but looking forward to a meal out. The pics we had done are very good & we have had one large one done of all of us & then 3 separate ones underneath of the kids. Pretty sure M&D will love it. Finished their album tonight, I am pleased with it – just hope they will be too…
First posted on old blog 26th January 2008
I got in!
Very exciting email last Thursday night - after giving up hope of getting into the Scrapbook Sisters Design Team, I had an email to say I’d got in! I am so chuffed you wouldn’t believe! Having no experience of being published, or of being on a design team, I feel that they have taken a chance on me & I so appreciate that - I saw the list of who else was up for choice, and they are very good….
Anyway, kits go out next week sometime & think it’s just possible I may pop with excitement before then……
3rd February 2008
Hospital, tummyache & toothache
What a week. Oliver has had a cold for about a week which developed suddenly into a cough for a day & Tues night (well Weds morning) when we checked on him before we went to bed, his breathing was very laboured & rapid. Took him to A&E where it was discovered his oxygen levels were low 90% & he had an oxygen mask on for a couple of hours, then a nebuliser & then steroid medicine. He was admitted to the children’s ward at 5am where we then woke up at 7.30am. Felt right spaced out. It is frightening how Oliver seems to go from having a cold to being hospitalised in such a short space of time. He was discharged Weds at around 8pm. There are some really ill kids in there (unsurprisingly) and what is quite strange is that it felt perfectly acceptable to brazenly ask other parents what their kid is in with, even if they are clearly disabled/terminally ill. In any other environment you wouldn’t dream of it. It also makes you very ashamed (well me ashamed) of my lucky life and my taking that for granted.
Friday I ended up taking off sick from the Bank due to wisdom teeth cutting through and a very sore throat, and in the evening I suddenly felt sick and was awake all through the night with ‘will I won’t I be sick’ syndrome. Had to get up Sat morn and go with friends to a chocolate egg making workshop, which I HAD been really looking forward too, and in the end was really good - but stomach cramps/ill feeling made it hard going and I spent all Saturday afternoon in bed, trying to summon up the wherewithall to get into the hospital for my evening shift at 5pm. I did it - and the stomach cramps disappeared late Sat night. Woke up Sun morn feeling perfectly well, apart from the nagging toothace around the left side of my face which I can’t decide is caused by the wisdom teeth or by toothache in it’s own right! So I have had to gird my loins and ring the dentist (terrified of the dentist) and so I am off there at 11. There is something sick about a person scared of the dentist having to voluntarily ring and pay a visit there…. I live in terror he will have to perform a root filling. I am ‘hoping’ he will put me on the waiting list at the hospital to have my wisdom teeth out under general anaesthetic as I think they are impacted….
Anyway, too much blither. Oliver is well on the mend and that makes me feel better…
First posted on old blog 17th March 2008
Bloody Drama Queen
What a drama Queen! Basically there is nothing wrong with my teeth!! Big hoorays all round! There are some gaps around the bottom of them apparently which need extra super cleaning and care as they cause aggro and can undermine the teeth & my wisdoms at the bottom are horizontally impacted and so near the nerve in the jaw that I probably will never need them touched! The upper one is through, and may need to come out as it rubs and cuts my cheek/gum sometimes (my idea not the dentists) and there is not one on the other upper side! And only £15.70 for the privilege!
Oliver is lots better now. Missed Judo again last week - he has coughed so MUCH over the last week or so. Poor bugger has been kept in for ages & is sleeping late because he is just not tired!
First posted on old blog 23rd March 2008
