Something to show

Hiya

At last this week I have something to share, I have spent all week doing not much apart from ironing, walking and running on the treadmill (7 days out of 9 which is blummin good I reckon)

The Scrapbook Magazine landed through my door this afternoon, so I guess that means I can share the 2 layouts that I have in this months issue.

Its a real shame though because I forgot to take photos before I sent them off and it will be months yet til I get them back, so you will have to put up with one blurred one I took before I stuck things down and one that I took direct from the magazine with my iphone - oooops

And then there was light - an update

I needed something good to happen and it did!

Ian from the treadmill company called me today, he was a lovely old northern gentleman who sounded like a male Jane Horricks and after a bit of umming and aahing he said that he thought that a button was malfunctioning and so we set about examining my machine and with his tutelage and the help of my trusty kitchen knife we found the culprit. The Start button was sticking.

Unfortunaltey unsticking it means it doesn't work anymore as it need fairly major surgery to get it all back connected. Fortunatley the machine has several ways to make it start and so the actual start button is not a necessity.

I am in a lot more of a happier mood than I was this morning, but I am keeping a keen eye on this machine let me tell you!

I did my work out and boy did I need it!

Sometimes you just want to cry

I warn you this is a bit of a pity post, I need to get in 'on paper' as it were to just get it out of my head, feel free to skip this one :)

The treadmill is broke, I turned it on today and it will not respond, it turns itself on to 2kmph but other than that it will not respond, more worringly you cannot turn it off from the console which of course is dangerous.

It would be a lie to say that EVERYTHING we have breaks or is faulty but I reckon more than 50% of the things we bring into this house, break, explode, have pieces missing or smashed up etc. It is so regular that I wonder why I am ever surprised or ever dissapointed.

The trouble of course with the treadmill is that it will need to be returned and that requires us to get it out of the house and getting it into the house was stressfull enough, I'm going to ask them for a 2 man return free of charge and I have decided to ask for my money back instead of a repair/replacement as they obviously did not refurbish this one right in the first place, I have lost confidence in them.

So I am destined to be a big ole fat hermit.

And although I am cross about the treadmill it is just one thing on a long list of things that at the moment have me feeling like I will just go and live on a shack on a mountain and never ever again have any communication with anyone other than my family ever again. Yes I realise that blogging that last sentance was stupid!

Soft and Snuggly - Twisted Sketches

Hello everyone

My first LO for sketch 88 is out on Twisted Sketches pop on over to see the sketch and the inspiration from the Design Team







Here is my interpretation and the twist was 'soft'

Its an absolute monster

I did read all the measurements I really did but nothing prepares you for the sheer size of the thing when its in your home!

The treadmill arrived and blokey would not bring it in put did agree to driving round the back of the house and putting it in our drive. Luckily Jason was having a break and was only 5 minutes away so he came straight home and got it into the house - this was not easy, this thing is HEAVY!!!



You will have to excuse the mess in the background, we had to move a lot of things about to angle it in the door and also I was cooking my lunch so its all a bit hectic!!


(think this photo best shows its sheer size, look at it in proportion to the door way!)

I think we have now decided to keep it in the kitchen, the cupboard under the boiler is going to come out and its going to go in there, think that will be best!

I've done my first 'workout' on it and its pretty cool I have to say! I am pleased (if only I could shrink it between uses)

Jessica and the sand snake

I've had this photo since last June and I have had it in my scrap pile for that long too, today it finally got done! I love this photo as I think it looks like a big sand snake coming out of the sand at Jessica.



I used my February Scrapagogo kit for this, love the Cosmo Cricket TOGETHERNESS papers that were included especially.

Much excitement here as tomorrow my Treadmill finally arrives, there is nothing more frustrating than making a decision to do/buy something and then having to wait for the blummin thing to arrive (its going in our bedroom Lisa - romantic eh!!?) I am a little worried about the delivery as they promise kerbside delivery only (further help at drivers discretion), hmmmm there is NO WAY that little me can lug a treadmill into the house on my own - I hope mr delivery man takes pity!!! also our kerbside is a grass verge thats about 4 foot high eeeeek, I must admit to giving it more worry time than I should, but then I think thats symptomatic of my recent anxiety problems.

I think now I may have to spend the afternoon crocheting, as I have been neglecting my blanket of late, don't think I have crocheted a hexagon for it in about a week, I shall put on 'one born every minute' and hook as I watch!

A little apprehensive

Good morning and Happy Valentines Day to you all, I hope you got a nice gift or at least a card from your loved one today.

I love this pic of Jessica, its unusual to see her looking unsure on camera, she is normally a complete poser! It was taken on her school residential just before she went on the zip wire!





Loads of stamping on this one with the polkas and the ink splats. You would not think that I took this photo outdoors, its really washed out and this is a very bright LO IRL!

Portrait of a sleepover and why I am a bit dim!

We had a small impromptu sleepover last night, I decided to let the girls sleep on the sofa as we are in the middle of redecorating Jessicas room.



This is what I came downstairs to at 9am this morning bless their hearts, what an absolute mess

Jessica has as usual taken her duvet cover off, both my children do this most nights and it drives me absolutely batty!

Look at Bruno he was absolutely desperate for attention by 9am this morning.



Do you like this new hexagon I tried yesterday? Its called an African Flower Hexagon and the pattern is here

Why am I dim? Because I have been doing a double crochet stitch all wrong and for a very long time! all my blankets I have made when I have believed I was doing a double crochet stitch (US treble crochet) I have actually been doing an extended double crochet, this was the cause of much confusion for me the other day whilst following a pattern and realising my mistake! oops!!

Twice as N'ice'

Yes I actually scrapped today, I've been uncreative all week, not even inclined to sit at my desk. Decided enough was enough today and forced myself to give it a go.

Not scrapped in 8.5x11.5 landscape ever ever before, but it worked well with this layout, it did occur to me that I should have used ice-creamed themed products but I went where the paper lead me and today that was birds!



I like this pic of Jessica and I because my face look slim and at the moment my face is anything but!

Got a call from the treadmill company (fay its http://www.restylefitness.co.uk/ that I bought from) to say my treadmill was out of stock and so they have upgraded me to the next one up, not sure how I feel about this, it looks to be a maybe slightly better machine but its not as pretty, the display looks a bit clunky.



And finally I found this pic on my memory stick when I uploaded today, poor poor Bruno, he puts up with a lot!

Hit the deck running

I have just made a BIG purchase in a bid to get back to running. If you read my blog last summer you will remember that I did the couch to 5k program, and I loved it (as much as you can love getting fit and running around whilst wearing lycra and getting up at 6.15am so you would not be seen wearing the aforementioned lycra)

For various reasons I got out of the habit, which I have kicked myself over and over again about, but now at 10lbs heavier there is NO WAY IN HELL that I am going to be seen in public wearing sportswear and not to mention that the weather is grotty!

So today I ordered a treadmill - yup I am mad! Its bliddy MAHOOSIVE, but I need to get back in control of my fitness and body, these jeans have no extra room in them and I REFUSE to buy more!

Its a rather nice one, its refurbished which means for our budget we got a much better and higher spec than buying brand new. Jason is a runner and so we are going halfs on it and I have just cancelled my Scrapagogo sub to make up for it!

So the plan is to redo couch to 5k, if it goes very well I may skip a week or 2 of the beginning of the course as I found it pretty easy first time round. Hopefully by the better weather I will be back up to 30mins of solid running and will look better again in lycra and so will be able to get in some outdoor running too!

Wish me luck.

Say Cheese!

Hehe I like this little card I made yesterday, its quite funky and retro, the woodgrain sets it all off just lovely - very 70's!



And this is for Jason guess how old he will be on Saturday! Bet you can't! I am mean, I always put his age on cards and he is one of those ones who get a bit depressed around his birthday every year, he is ageing very well so he shouldn't worry (although I am working on making his hair even more grey!)

I've been scrapping today, 1 layout that I really like (but can't show just yet) and I also rejigged a couple of ones that I have done and not felt quite right about. I can't seem to stay away from my paper and glue this last couple of weeks, I ALWAYS want to be creating and that feels good!

This week has been a boring scrappy purchase kinda week though, I had to buy ATG tape and I will have to get a new trimmer tomorrow as the blade in this one is really dull and no amount of running it through tin foil is gonna help. I hate rebuying tools and basics like card and adhesive tape :(

Hope you are all having productive and crafty days!

Superstar

At last a Layout of my son, he is very unassuming and therefore I do tend to take less photos of him - he also won't pose and so its harder to think of titles for pages with him! I've had this photo of him for ages though and have kept getting it out to scrap. The photo had a blemish on it and needed reprinting and it is that fact and that fact alone as to why it hasn't been scrapped before - what can I say, im lazy!!



I dug into my January Scrapagogo kit for this, I have had it 16 days and this is the first thing I have done with it - I needed some different stash from the AC pretty pretty stuff I have been using lately and it was chock full of loveliness. Loving those Studio Calico wood veneer stars!

By Jove I thinks shes got it!

The hang of card making, i'm not hating my last few efforts I have to say!

Have had a lovely morning pottering around making a couple of cards

This card is made using my woodgrain embossing folder, its a little overzealous and keeps actually cutting the card so I have to be careful to not press down too hard when its going through the machine, but it gives a cute effect. The tree is from My Little Shoebox clear stamps.

I'm thinking that the key for me is to keep the card base small, less space to fill and I seem to do better with that.

This butterfly card is another with my home printed sentiment, this one is not quite right, but its a learning process.

And this one was super simple and took me 10 mins, wham bang thank you ma'am!

I'm trying not to turn this blog into a card making one I promise but this is what happens when I potter about in my craft space with no clear purpose well that and the complete lack of decent photographs at the moment, I NEED to use my camera more. I did buy Jessica a whole new look at the weekend and she is threatening me with a photo shoot (shes threatening me!!! she loves the camera that girl!) so stay tuned! It would be nice to actually get some nice shots of Joe though but he is a lot more elusive!!!