Meet Janey

This Saturday, at the grand old age of 37, I bought my first ever car.  My Gran died in April this year and she left me some money, I haven't had it yet but I do know roughly how much it will be.  This weekend when I was informed what I would be getting, we went car shopping.

I am sure some of you UKers will gasp in horror, but I went for an automatic, they have always fascinated me and although I can use gears/clutch and I think I have good clutch control and am reasonably confident about it, why (as my good friend Mandy says) use a twin tub when you can have a washing machine?

Another good thing as far as I am concerned is that there is so little choice in Autos, so I didn't get bamboozled, in the size of car I wanted there were 2, and so I test drove and chose Janey  (Named after my gran!)

I pick her up in just over an hour and I am so excited I could just about explode, after 37 years I will be able to go where I want when I want, also thanks to my grans money I have got a really nice, reliable (I hope!) little car that should last me many years, I don't have to drive an old banger!

Its always inspiring...

.... for me to get new papers.  Ive not had any new papers for a very long time, however today I happened to be in The Range and I saw the Papermania ' Happy Days' range and loved it.  Its my birthday tomorrow and in anticipation of a bit of birthday money I treated myself to the stack.  I don't normally 'do' stacks as I hate too much of the same pattern, but they are all so usable and its good value so I broke my rule.

Have new paper will scrap, and so this afternoon I sat down to create.  Its been so hot here in the UK this week that I haven't really been up to much, it drains me does the hot weather and crafting in my furnace of a kitchen has no appeal at all, I like to lie on my sofa like a great beached whale with the fan on full blast!

I did struggle with scrapbooking today, felt like I had forgotten how to do it, but after 3 hours (yup Im a slow mo) I finally finished!  and ta da....

So yes, tomorrow is my 37th Birthday, we don't have the kids as they will be at their dads, at lunch we had a cream cake and they gave me their pressies to me, crafty bits and pieces off Jess and a lovely brick wall embossing folder from Joe!

Tomorrow I am off for a spot of lunch with Jason and our good friends Alan and Nicky and then on for some drinks around Keynsham.

Sweeping away the tumbleweed

I might have been conspicious by my absence of late, but I have on occassion, got my craft on.  In the last 2 days in particular I have made a few cards, which is well over due as a spate of birthdays in the last 3-4 weeks has really depleted my stock.












This time around i've concentrated on print and cuts and using my printer and cameo for almost all aspects.  The 'have a happy day' card was entirely printed out and cut on the cameo (aside for a bit of embossing on the white square)  the arrow background was a cut file that I turned into a printed background, the yellow is actually a subtle pattern for more depth.  The car, trailer and tree were also cut files I turned into print and cuts.  The sentiment was simply printed out.

This card was a card cut file that I turned into a pnc by filling the shape with a pattern leaving a small white offset and then cut out.  A few fluttering butterflies and a greetings tag completes it.





Vases printed onto card, then a square cut around it to form a base, the branch is printed, cut out and foam dotted for dimesion.  Simple and elegant!


Finally ( god I hate this new blogger layout, I can't do anything, can't type where I want etc) this simple sunburst card, another cutfile pnc and a bit of added glitter on the rays.

I may never post again, if this new blogger has its way.  Although I do have some more to share!

So the results are in....

I got a call from CBBC on friday afternoon, to say that Jessica had not made the final 5 for the show, they said they loved her and they would like her to be the Standby.  To say Jessica was gutted would be an understatement, she really didn't need bad news and she cried and cried and then didn't really speak or engage for about 24 hrs.  She is slowly feeling better about it, she is just desperately dissapointed.

So as standby we still have to go through the rest of the procedures, which means traveling to London again on Saturday (yes Jubilee weekend, in the capital, it is going to be hellish!)  Jess has to have a Pysch test and so do I.  Hopefully by Saturday Jessica will be able to put her 'game' face on.

Tomorrow it is mine and Jasons 2nd wedding anniversary and the 7th anniversary of our 1st date, we are not doing anything to celebrate as Tuesdays are manic, with Joe's air cadets and so even having a nice meal is a bit difficult!

I just made this little card, suddenly realised I needed to pull my finger out and get on with it!

Cards, CBBC and Crappyness

Ugh! I am just about done with this week.  We are trying to get Jessica transferred to the other secondary in our town, she is not happy at Broadlands and even though she doesn't come home crying anymore she hates it, is moody and her whole personality has changed since starting there.  Add this to the news that her one remaining friend (the others have already moved) is now transferring and you have a desperately unhappy little girl.

This week she was bullied in English and got so upset that she ran out of the class, she is now not attending English lessons with the rest of the group.  Its a lot to deal with, I have to pysch myself up every day at 3ish to get the strength to cope with it all, the tears, the moods, seeing my little girl so upset and bewildered.  She had yesterday off school as I felt she needed a break, believe me the teachers are not arguing with me over that one!

Her head of year is new and hes really lovely but the sooner we can get her moved the better, I do not know how she will react if there is no space for her.  I'll battle it and appeal but that will take time and I feel Jessica needs to move ASAP.

No news on CBBC as yet, hopefully they will call soon, hopefully it will be good news she could do with a boost.  My big dread is that its a no from CBBC and a no for a move.  How she will cope with that I do not know, I can't tell you how bad it is at the moment.  By the way the audition went well, they took her off and miked her up, she had to answer lots of questions and dance like an animal in front of the camera, she says that they laughed at her a lot and they did seem to like her.  Fingers crossed!

I suppose at least the weather has been lovely this week, and I have a nice new hair cut so thats the positive to take from the week!

We're going to London....

.....to buy Heat magazine.

Sorry had that little ditty in my head since 8pm on Tuesday night when we got a call from CBBC to ask Jessica to attend a casting call for the show she applied to be on called " Show me what you're made of"  The casting is actually on Saturday but Jessica has her birthday party (recording a song in a recording studio) then and so I was like errrrrr oh dear!  Jessica was all for cancelling the party but CBBC said they could see her Friday afternoon if that was better and so we went for that!

We are all in a bit of a tizzy about it, she has to have an informal chat with the producers on camera and she has to dance like an animal.

Today one of the producers rang me for the parent interview, grilled for 15 minutes on all things Jessica, eeek it was hard to play it exactly right, they want to take privledged kids on this thing and whilst I want her to go, I will not outright lie and make her out to be a diva spoiled little thing!  I think I got it right.  Jessica has her own little attitude (oh my god and some!) and so I played that up and talked of her love of gadgets and the next 'big' thing, but made her sound fair and compassionate too, which is about right.

And so tomorrow we hit the road for London Town, its very exciting and i'm looking forward to the trip, fingers crossed for her.

Oh and theres a little card I made, thinking of it for my brothers birthday which is coming up!

Sweet as a Strawberry

Hi guys, nice to pop in and see you here!

I have a little card to share with you today, by way of easing me back into crafting as I have had zero desire lately!

Last Wednesday I finally woke up to the news that it was my driving test  - hooray and oh my god all at the same time.

My examiner was very friendly, not chatty, but smiley and with a jolly voice.  I was nervous waiting for my test and was so worried about queueing in traffic and getting clutch leg due to nerves.  I definatley wanted to turn right out of the test centre as I like those routes, of course I was asked to turn left, but during the whole test this eeeire calm descended on me! I had a very stop/start, small residential street kinda route, I didn't get higher than 3rd gear all test.  I luckily didn't get anyone doing anything stupid that I had to deal with, which is a surprise, cos I swear people see the Learner signs and are determined to get passed you/cut in front.  I had a parrallel park, and to my amazement I did it perfectly, probably my best ever.  And then someone zoomed past me at top speed and I hadn't seen them, so I hadn't stopped during reversing, couldn't believe I had failed after such a great manouver!

However I got back to the test centre and was told I had passed!  I just said "oh, really?" Jason says its the most subdued reaction he has ever seen (I like to process things and so often don't react to these sort of things)

I've since been put on Jasons insurance and done a couple of solo drives, took the kids to their dads etc, I am defiantly not doing my best driving right now, I need to settle into it and feel a bit nervy/edgey but I am sure that will pass.  I parked up in Tescos on Sat, I was dreading parking, but it was ok, slightly over the edge but it was quiet there so I just left it at that!!!

Its been great for the waistline this driving test/passing malarkey, hardly felt like eating all week!

I don't think its sunk in yet, still can't believe i'm allowed to get in a car and drive it on my own, feels so surreal to me right now.

Using the Cameo to make masks

A fun thing to do with the Cameo is to make your own masks.  I really wanted a brick background on this layout, so I cut a brick wall file with the cameo and then placed it over my cardstock.

I then dabbed white paint with some scrunched up bubble wrap (its all I had on hand to apply it with!!) onto the stencil/mask.  I'd already used this mask to spray some glimmer mist and so my white paint had a grungy look to it, which was exactly what I wanted!

So there you have it! Another use for the Silhoutte and the possibilities are endless.

Well the dogs chilled at least!

Just a quick post, life is HECTIC right now, I've hardly time to have a cuppa.

Jessica wanted to apply for a CBBC show called "show me what you're made of" where children are taken to Asia to see how things they take for granted are made and to work in the factories and experience their home life.

So she filled in the application form and sent it off late last week. And there I honestly thought it would end. On Monday CBBC rang and asked to speak to Jessica and promptly did a telephone interview. We were told it would be 2-3 weeks until we found out if she gets through to the next round. The next day they called again and asked her to do a video audition.

Part of the video audition is to tour her room. PANIC!! her room is a toxic waste ground. So I ( and Jess) have spent the last 2 days, tidying, chucking stuff out, putting stuff in the loft, scrubbing, organising and painting her room. I have washed the curtains, cleaned the rug. Lots and lots of hard work. Not to mention going into town to buy her new clothes and some new dressings for her room. I am BEAT!!

The dog just sleeps through it all, lucky bugger!

Waxing Lyrical

Ok guys, I went and did it..... what?

I became a Scentsy Consultant!  Heres my website Scented Wax Heaven contact me before placing an order for reduced postage.

You might rememeber about a month ago I made this post all about how I had bought the products and loved them.  I'm spending enough money on them, they are that great that I thought I might as well get the starter kit and have a go!

If you love scented candles or plug in air fresheners, then this is for you!  Gorgeous high quality wax that doens't evaporate (the smell just dissipates over time) no flame, no soot, no mess and over 80 fragrances to chose from, ranging from bakery smells, fruity smells, perfumy smells, clean, crisp, floral, warming  there really is something to suit anyone!!

I've also set up a facebook group, leave your email addy, if you'd like to join, im hoping to do special offers and promotions on it when I am up and running!

Im selling this simply because I love the product, id been searching for an alternative to candles (never enough scent for me) and ive hit the jackpot with this!!