Twinkle Twinkle

Today happiness is...

2010-07-10T21:20:00.010+01:00

sweet smelling lilies in my kitchen;

my biggest little boy concentrating whilst doing some schoolwork;

a photo taken from a 3 year old's perspective;

my littlest little boy finding his toes;

filling moulds with plaster cast (can remember doing this with my Mum);

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

Take two.

2010-07-07T10:49:00.019+01:00

Inspired/embarrassed by our fake picnic on Saturday we went to Wisley on Sunday for a second attempt. As there was little/no suitable food in the house I stopped at a petrol station with an M&S foodhall wotsit on the way and told George to put what he wanted in the basket. I know, I know, I know, but it was already bloody hot and I really didn't want to get bothered by a major showdown with a 3 year old before we had even arrived at our destination ;)

He chose a Fruit Shoot (surprise surprise) a pack of mini sausages (unexpected), a tuna and sweetcorn sarnie (doubly unexpected), three packets of crisps (oh god) and a packet of custard creams (me likey). What I actually expected I don't know but I was petrified that Jamie Oliver was going to jump out of some nook or cranny and do a picnic inspection before we could scoff the lot.

We found a nice little shady spot at Wisley and had hardly cracked open the spoils when the early food-detection alarm in the duck's HQ must have been triggered and we had some visitors!

In the event, the ducks ate half the sandwich, the giant fish ate half of one packet of crisps (other two still in the cupboard along with most of the Custard Creams) and George wolfed down the sausages in their entireity!

Thank heavens for tree stumps when you fancy a bit of peace and quiet eh? George had taken two Custard Creams out of the packet before venturing off to climb on and off the tree stump 56 times, and when he came back to our blanket and saw they were still there, he looked at me and said "Good girl Mummy for not eating my biscuits". I didn't know to laugh or cry. Out of the mouths of babes eh?

George decided he wanted to take some photos with my beloved DSLR but things had been going pretty well generally so I let him do his thang and was very pleasantly surprised by the results, bless his cottons!

On the way out we stopped to look at the fish. Who on earth designed this bridge? I suppose someone who realised that no one would be so silly as to actually let their kids dangle out of it whilst taking a photo.

George took this photo whilst dangling through the hole with my beloved camera. It was quite possibly the bravest 30 seconds of my life.

Anyhoo, George has his school induction this afternoon (I am totally dreading it, he has already made it very clear that I will NOT be leaving him there) so I need to find the 4,356 permission slips that I have had to sign in readiness for the start of term.

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

Hot, hot, hot.

2010-07-03T22:07:00.019+01:00

Mad dogs and Englishmen and all that, even so, we had a light luncheon under the shade of our old parasol that I unearthed from the depths of the shed. We have only had the shed for about 6 months so how it can have depths already I do not know, but depths it has, and it wasn’t too bad sharing our spoils with various spider’s nests and 42 yards of cobwebs.

I can’t really call it a picnic as a) it was in our own back garden and b) there was no ‘proper’ picnic food but George had his fave cheese and ketchup roll (his mother’s son) and some grapes and Harry managed to sneak in a fistful of grass when I wasn’t watching.

I took a few pics of some of our flowers we have growing, it is such a joy to have a virtually slug-free garden and a wholly squirrel-free garden. Plants that are there one evening are still there the next morning *gasp*!

Simon is at Goodwood Festival of Speed all weekend *yawn* so it’s hard to get up to too much trouble as I am a bit limited by having the two littlies, especially when Harry is still so young. Situations like queuing/negotiating shops/open spaces take on a whole new dimension with a pram and a fast moving 3 year old in tow. I hope it’s a bit cooler tomorrow then I can fulfil George’s request of going for a walk in his pushchair (ah bless, I think he must miss it!) as I can take Harry in his sling.

Anyhoo, Simon is home for the evening, I have a cuppa and now I’m going to enjoy a nice quiet bath.

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

Cardmakers!

2009-09-26T09:21:00.003+01:00

I very rarely make cards but I really really really wish I could make cards like these girls.

You have to check out Jane's blog, she makes the prettiest and most detailed cards I have ever seen, so beautifully coloured in and with the sweetest little touches, I spend ages looking at her creations, and to top it all, she is a really lovely lady.

I am also very excited that my friend Lousette has just started a blog, she is going to be making samples from the brand new Stampin' Up releases and I just know they are going to be blummin' brilliant. She has only just posted her first entry but already has shared some gorgeous creations, she is so creative and has a really unique style that I totally love!

So, go and have a cuppa and a nose and we my friends, are off to the zoo!!

Charlotte xx

I wish I had a ......

2009-09-22T16:22:00.002+01:00

This is George's most absolute favouritist thing to say right now. It is used most prolifically during ad breaks on NickJr and applies to just about every single advert that comes on, including Barbie, My Littlest Petshop and Glade Touch 'n' Fresh. Sensibly he follows this request with "I'll have to ask Santa for it" bless.

When he first started saying this I thought I was being dead clever by surreptiously making a list until I realised that it was a) going to be the World's Longest List and b) he did indeed say it for everything, totally indiscriminately (btw, when oh when is an advert going to come on for the Sylvanian Families Hotel for crying out loud? That WOULD get on the list.)

Anyhoo, today in the car he said he wished he had a birthday, so I told him he could - albeit next August - which went down okay. He then added that he wished he had a Santa cake for his birthday. He asked for a Snowman cake for his August birthday this year. I think he has Christmas issues. I have no idea where he would have got those from *whistles Jingle Bells innocently*.

These photos are from his second birthday (pre-Christmas issues, when he asked for a Dinosaur cake) and all these papers and bits are Cosmo Cricket and were sent to me by my friend Jackie at Make the Moment Last, she has fab taste (in papers and people ha ha!!).

Anyhoo, must off,

Laters taters, Charlotte x

Rainy Day

2009-09-15T12:10:00.006+01:00

I love rainy days (as long as they aren't every day obviously). Today my little one is content on a bit of drawing, a bit of playing cars, a bit of watching Toy Story on the sofa, a bit of obsessive teeth brushing (don't ask) so I thought I would give my new cheapo scanner a whirl.

Bonus ball was I found the disc that my stitching software came on and - shock horror - it appears to be Vista compatible I am cooking on gas babies!

First two victims are layouts from a mini cyber crop I took part in earlier this year, the first layout was my own sketch, the second layout is from a sketch by Katie Hadfield who is the most delicious digi-scrapper ever (except I did a paper version because, try though I might, I just can't get the hang of digi-scrapping, just not enough opportunities for fannying about probably).

This one has sort of a two-layer thang going on, and is perfect for you if you have lots of little scraps to use up and about a zillion foam pads lying around with nothing better to do. I used up some of my ultra-precious old-school KI Memories scraps on this one *sigh*.

More old-school here :) This time the Doodlebug stickers got a dusting off.

Anyhoo, off to try and artifically ripen an avocado,
Laters taters,
Charlotte x

Scrapbook Inspiration time!

2009-09-14T10:41:00.010+01:00

Today the new issue of Scrapbook Inspirations magazine should be arriving with subscribers (in the shops Friday) and my ugly mug is in it!! I am very very chuffed to have been asked to join their new extended design team as I really do love working with these girls and think the mag is great :)

Here are all the girls on the team with their blog links below:

from l-r

Andrea Gourley
Anita Mundt
Anne Parry
Me (see notes below!!!)
Cheryl Johnson
Chloe Harp
Helen Miles
Jane Dean
Jen Naulls
Jo-Anne Cavanagh
Julie Kirk
Karen Cole
Kathy Bridgwater
Laura Buckingham
Mary Anne Walters
Morag Cutts
Sam Ball
Shimelle Laine

I'll tell you what though. I look at that photo of me, and this is what I think.
Errr...have I never heard of under-eye concealer?
...or hair straighteners?
...or flattering camera angles lol!!!!
Ho hum ;)

Anyhoo, I'm waiting now for the postie so I can see what the other girls have contributed to this issue (they were all slaving away whilst I was moving house, although I know what I would rather have been doing....big time)

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

More skelligtons...

2009-09-13T19:34:00.003+01:00

Will you look at my little monkey here? I scrapped this layout last year but having him dressed as a skeleton 24/7 at the moment reminded me of this layout so I thought I'd dig it out. Butter wouldn't melt eh?

This year I really like the look of My Minds Eye 'Boo to You' papers and embellies, maybe I feel another skeleton layout coming on :)

Anyhoo, husb is settling down to watch the Grand Prix on Sky+ so that's my cue for a bath before I start sewing name labels on everything in sight in prep for George starting nursery tomorrow :)

Laters taters x

How rubbish am I?

2009-09-12T16:12:00.008+01:00

You know, I love blogs, I read them all the time. My Bloglines list is huge and I check it far too many times and yes, I get cross with people when their blogs are not showing updates. I mean, how dare they?!!!

Yet still I don't bother with my own. That's different ;)

Anyhoo, I have had a lazy Saturday today with lots of surfing whilst my boys have been playing Lego and visiting the swings and I thought I would share some of the sites I like to visit when I've got 5 minutes, a cup of tea and an urge to look at some crafting pretties.

A site I started to look at when i very first started crafting is this one. I have to confess I have never bought from them but I love the way they present their products and their ideas gallery is just beautiful, just lots and lots of simple ideas which I think are real classics. Go and have a look :)

In other news I am still tidying my craft space (started 1 week ago, the shame) and George is mostly wearing a skeleton costume,

at least he's a healthy apple eating skeleton though, eh?

Party party!

2009-08-02T19:54:00.004+01:00

Have you been for a nose to see what this is all about this weekend?

Just look at all those projects! I am currently in post-3-year-old's-party recovery (lying on sofa watching the Antiques Roadshow) and am going to enjoy a happy evening visiting all the blogs of the clever girlies who have been busy making bits and pieces with Shimelle's printables.

As soon as I saw the goodies that I received I knew I wanted to make a little plaque for the wall by the front door - we are renting at the mo whilst our house is being built - and I thought a little reminder that this house is still home would go down a treat ;)

Anyhoo my lovelies, I need to recline once more and scoff leftover rolls and pizza slices ;) Back tomorrow with pics of the infamous snowman in summer cake.

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

Good cake vibes please

2009-07-31T21:54:00.006+01:00

So....phase one of the snowman cake is in the oven and I would like to know why it takes soooooooo long for cakes baked in pyrex bowls to cook? It's glass for goodness' sakes, not bloody asbestos!

My Mum and Dad are down ready for the weekend's festivities, and tonight George is tucked up with Nanny and GanGans in their caravan in West Horsley *wubs*. Tomorrow morning = lie in *double wubs*.

Oooh, and talking of festivities, be sure to check out Shimelle's blog this weekend, a little birdie tells me she has a lot up her sleeve ;)

Anyhoo, seeing as we have been pic free of the nearly-birthday boy I thought I'd pop in a recent one, Smarties 'n' all :)

Best get back to my (attempts at) baking,
Laters taters
Charlotte xx

Planning...

2009-07-30T11:00:00.005+01:00

Today I have the fear. George is 3 next week and we are having a little 'do' on Sunday, and when I say little I mean little. Even so, I still have about 6,392 things to do before then, including replacing the carpet and learning how to change the weather forecast.

George is adamant he wants "a snowman cake". I have re-asked many, many times and everytime it's the same answer (he also says he wants "santa presents" bless his cottons). I have a magnificent snowman cake planned in my head, but in reality I think it may end up two circle cakes flat on a tray heh heh, I'll keep you posted.

Anyhoo, I tried to scan in some layouts yesterday to share but discovered my beloved ancient scanner did not want to play with my new laptop, no sirree, so my old laptop was dragged out of retirement and, to cut a fairly long and very sweary story short, one layout took the pretty much the entire duration of Midsummers to scan in. In an attempt to preserve the little sanity I have left I have ordered a new scanner, cost £37, how can that be?

So, rambling on, here is a little one to share, just a simple one but these photos make me want a million babies (then I remember the mess of compost left on the decking and....) Papers and letter stickers are Sassafras.

Well my lovelies, must spend the rest of the day writing lists about what I have to do, but not actually doing anything ;)

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

Oh lordy loo laa....

2009-07-29T14:23:00.002+01:00

It's been a looooong time and I have no idea what to do, it took me an eon to work out how to write a new post - the little toolbar thing has disappeared from the top - where in Hell's teeth did that go? I really need to stop freaking at the first hurdle but, if you remember, I don't get out much and all that.

Anyhoo, I thought I would get back to blogging every now and then as I have some bits and pieces to share and I just read some lovely comments on here AND I have just found out my cousin-to-be is a scrapbooker (or at least knows what one is!) but the lovely girlie lives in America so I am going to virtual-scrap with her - lucky you Jocie ;) xx

Now I need to work out how to update my links and things - although I am still craving Gene Genie he may need to take a break me thinks.

Laters taters,
Charlotte xx

Pedro

2008-05-27T11:06:00.006+01:00

I have been sorting out some layouts to file away and came across this one....this photo was taken over a year ago, a year! I know it's a terrible cliche but blimey, I can't believe he was ever such a lil' pootle!

Bank Holiday was a total wash out here but luckily we were at my Mum and Dad's in Shropshire over the weekend too. The weather was fab on Saturday and George had my Dad lapping the garden 53 times, and then some. This is Pedro, my donkey-on-wheels, whom I ALWAYS thought my Mum had bought me back from a Spanish holiday - I had a real mental picture of her on the plane with Pedro sitting on the seat next to her. Anyhoo, turns out she got it from a toyshop in Shrewsbury so there you go.

Seeing this photo reminded me of this one from 1975.....I think Pedro has fared pretty well considering :)

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

Felting!

2008-05-23T15:14:00.006+01:00

This is my bamboo blind, err, I mean rolling mat and a few different colours of wool tops (positioned on the kitchen top which turned out to be a wise move).

Per the instructions of someone who knows what they're doing - you have to pull off wispy thin layers from the wool and lay them in alternating directions onto your mat...

..and slowly build up your pattern or image in very loose freeform shapes (just as well!)

I didn't take pics of the next stages as it was very wet and very soapy and a lil' bit sweary and I was very wet and very soapy and a lil' bit sweary but in a nutshell you lay your net curtain, err, I mean piece of netting, over the top of your design and wet it with soapy water, then rub a bar of soap over the surface. After this you need to rub the whole surface with your hands for a good ten minutes until the fibres are holding together. After this, rinse out as much soap as possible and then roll your piece in your blind and roll that back and forth for England.

It was at this rolling back and forth for England point that Simon came downstairs. After his initial reactions he made the comment that at least it looked like good exercise (cheeky sod) and I added that I probably wouldn't be able to move my arms the next day.

He replied in his inimitable dead-pan stylee, "at least you'll have a piece of felt".

I really don't know whether he was joking or not....I actually think not....but my god I laughed so hard for about three hours! I think you had to be there. Anyhoo, yesterday morning my dried out little piece of felt looked like this:

I do confess, it wasn't quite what I had pictured in my head but you know, it's a start ;)

Shortly afterwards it looked like this:

..because I wanted to know how it cut and I wanted to use it as a drinks coaster and (mainly) I can't stop fiddling with things.

Anyhoo, yesterday evening I thought I would have a go at needle felting which is water-free and therefore an awful lot less messy. It is however an awful lot more dangerous as it requires the use of a giant super-sharp needle with tiny little *shudders* barbs on the point!

Needle felting can be suited to 3d shapes so I made a little heart as a beginners project. I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with it but I took a piccy of it on a daisy to make it a little bit more interesting!

I then moved it onto the garden table for a more rustic setting but this happened before I could get a photo....

Heart last seen hurtling across the garden followed by a very excited 21 month old. Maybe I have found a use for it after all ;)

If you want to know how to do all this properly then I would recommend this book by Gillian Harris, it has some really pretty projects in it and she makes it look dead easy...

Anyhoo, off to find my heart,

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

Poorly poo

2008-05-21T21:02:00.007+01:00

My little bunny is poorly sick :( Will you look at that little red nose and those hot cheeks and that constant stream of snot? Nice huh? He sounds like he has been smoking 40 Lambert & Butler a day for the last 35 years as well which makes me giggle a little bit, then feel terribly guilty.

Anyhoo, you know how I am totally on top of all my housework and have absolutely no hobbies taking up every available centimetre of space in this tiny little abode? Well, of course that isn't exactly true but even so I have decided to take up a new one. And it is already taking up a lot of space. Sometimes I actually do look at myself in the mirror and ask the question "Why?".

So felting it is and a felter I am. After having been seduced by a book I read last week I ordered a starter kit and expected back one of those little sushi bamboo rolling mats and a bit of net. Instead I got a bamboo blind that, quite seriously, I am considering installing at the French Windows and a net curtain that I could protect the privacy of the whole street with.

Whilst Simon was upstairs with George tonight I gave felting my first go, I will share photies tomorrow but, you will be pleased to know, I will not be sharing the words that came out of Simon's mouth when he came back downstairs and saw the state of the kitchen. It was fun but definately one of those "oooh, this isn't as easy as it looks" moments!

I think those clever Etsy ladies can definately sleep safe in their beds tonight ;)

Laters taters

Charlotte x

Beach Party, all welcome.

2008-05-13T13:39:00.011+01:00

I have been doing a bit of internet mooching and nearly fell off my chair with joy when I discovered Jennifer McGuire has a blog. She has already loaded some how-to videos so all is good with the world.

I also spotted this free class on 2 Peas to make an album based on baby's first year which looks nice and simple and, well, free, and there are weekly downloads. I just might (should) give it a go.

I also also spotted about 5 million trillion things I want on Etsy so shall be boring you all to death with that in a place very near here soon (i.e. here).

On the homefront we ordered George a sandpit/watertable thingy the other day and it is finally here! Not a moment too soon either as he was having a lot of fun treating the flower beds to a bit of aerating courtesy of his little spade.

The ensemble looked so cute when it was first set up.... (factor 50 has been trowelled on)

Then it slowly (actually, very quickly) degenerated to this.... (t-shirt added for mid-day sun)

And now its just one big pile of very wet sand! Ho hum, my lil' pumpkin is still having a lot of fun with it though and you will be pleased to know there is not one sand-free squared centimetre on man nor beast nor house round these parts.

I am a step closer to making some bunting - I ordered some summery fabric from eBay and it's here. Actually, thinking about it, that's not a step further at all as I already had fabric. Oh well. You have to get thise things just right you know.

Anyhoo, my Mum is here *wubs* so best get back to lying down on the sofa ;)

Charlotte x

Country boys...

2008-05-10T19:30:00.007+01:00

Have been doing a bit more scrapping, I had a go at one of the Two Peas NSD classes - I had all the papers and necessaries for this one - seeing as I have seem to have started collecting Sassafras Lass papers with great gusto this year - so couldn't say no really. Plus, lord knows what I would have done with that blummin deer otherwise.

Inspired by Caz and Di's garden bunting on IACW earlier on the week my mind has taken to sewing again. I thought I might use this as-yet-still-untouched pile of pretties that I bought donkey's ago to do I Know Not What with.

Well, actually, some of it did get used...remember this?

Well, now it looks like this: (Only a bit more scrumpled up probably - and, errr, I'm not entirely sure where it is either.......)

Maybe it is time to unearth the sewing machine. Not until after I've had lie-down though.

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

I am getting younger (and taller)

2008-05-09T08:11:00.005+01:00

We have been testing out the Wii Fit this week - btw, did you know that if you have the board on a woolly rug you weigh about 2 stone less than if it is on a normal carpet? Always good to know. Anyhoo, I am 37 in Wii Fit years. I am not 37 but it's a darn sight better than 74 and beggars can't be choosers.

The main issues so far have arisen from Simon refusing to take heed of my expert hula-hooping instructions and him laughing very hard when I fell off the end of the ski jump. I would have taken some photos but there is no way on God's green earth I would let a photo of me in such circumstances ever see the light of day, and Simon was only wearing his pants, ha ha!

You have to measure your height first and I am 5'5''. This is a big deal as for most of my adult life I have thought I was 5'3'' on a good day. I remember it well, I was in the 6th Form and popped in to Woolworths on the way from school to the train station. I was buying Prince's 'Diamonds and Pearls' album (not his finest hour let me tell you) and you had to walk through the kiddies clothes to get to the music bit. I saw a height chart on one of the mirrors and measured myself and I was just under 5'3''. I took it as gospel.

Anyhoo, today it is my turn on IACW, I made this lil' photo album which is extra quick and easy.

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

Bits and pieces...

2008-05-06T19:53:00.008+01:00

I started to scrap one of the 2Peas NSD layouts over the weekend but didn't have an appropriate photo. What? Not one in the *insert silly number here* photos that I have printed. How can this be? I despair, I really do.

We had lunch in Pizza Express on Sunday, George ate a portion of doughballs, a (baby sized) pizza and a whole ice-cream sundae, he near enough scratched the glass trying to get the last morsels out. I do not know where he gets it from.

This evening I tried to get all arty farty with my camera in the back garden. I wanted to get some of those shots with like a halo of sunlight around the subject and this was about the best I could do...

....until I remembered that something like this works best with hairy animals.

Hang on a minute...

I have one of those knocking around here somewhere don't I?

Do you think this is overkill?

(and yes, that is Simon in his work shirt/PJ-shorts/work socks/trainers combo. Love it.)

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

Curtains, I have Curtains!

2008-05-03T18:45:00.004+01:00

Today, after a mere 4 and a bit years, I have discovered what it is like to have Proper Bedroom Curtains. Tonight will be a revelation - imagine being able to walk across the room in the nud like a normal human being, not a crab!

I bought the Proper Bedroom Curtains *insert silly amount of time here* ago, along with a Proper Bedroom Curtain Pole. This morning I decided enough was enough and I was going to flippin' well get those curtains up. And besides, they had been cluttering up the top of my dresser which I need to be cluttered up by many other little things, not big bulky curtains.

Anyhoo, cue much swearing, near falling off of step-ladders, a husband tentatively shouting "are you okay up there?" AND a drill bit snapping off and nearly taking my eye out, and the curtains are up. What's with drill bits snapping off? I was only drilling into a wooden baton, I just don't know my own strength. It must be all that Wii sports I'm doing.

After my little DIY exercise I felt positively bursting with over-achievement this morning, so much so that I celebrated with a lie-down on the bed and fell asleep! Yes, I had an afternoon nap. That is because my Wii Sports age is now 74, the extra effort to lose those 6 poxy years last night must have really taken it out of me.

Anyhoo, it is National Scrapbooking Day today and someone pointed me in this direction.
I am definately going to try some of these classes and I really want to do this one

in particular, except I have grand plans to change the colours a bit and turn it into a canvas to go in my newly curtained bedroom. Yes, I will do that when I get organised. And when a pig flies past the window. But I won't be able to see it because the curtains will be drawn ;)

Later taters,
Charlotte x

Puff...pant.....

2008-05-02T10:57:00.006+01:00

...so the four of us cracked open Wii sports last night (I need to build myself up for the actual Wii Fit, the box is very heavy you know - which is never a good sign) and a bottle of Asti Spumante. I really don't know quite what I was thinking as I just don't do sports and I don't drink alcohol (hardly ever) either.

When it was my turn at boxing I quickly realised (i.e. immediately) that the exact same effect can be achieved by hardly moving at all (as demonstrated by me) as by throwing yourself around the room like a demented lunatic (as demonstrated by my brother). I seem to have a magical sixth sense for sussing out the path of least resistance for most things a.k.a. having a lazy gene.

I need to erase this fact from my mind permanently else the whole point of buying the bloody thing (last ditch attempt to get me out of a stationary position) will have flown out of the window.
Anyhoo, to cut a long story short I got whipped at everything and my fitness age is 80.

Yes, that's right, 80.

I think that is the capped maximum too. My only consolation is that Amy (who in real life is 10 years younger than me and is extra slim and gorgeous) has a fitness age of 79. Oh well, at least I can draw. I bet the Wii can't draw. Stupid machine. Ignore me, it's just sour grapes, it was actually a lot of fun and worth every minute if only to see my brother doing a cowboy-shooting-at-his-own-feet impression whenever he got a strike at bowling (is that a thing people actually do?).

Anyhoo, to celebrate breaking into a light sweat last night I baked again this morning - twice in one week, twice I tell you - but for some special reason only made enough icing for 3 of the cakes. Probably just as well for my octagenarian health.

Anyhoo, I am getting that urge to feel 79 again,

Laters taters, and I hope everyone has a fab long weekend,
Charlotte x

Visitors

2008-05-01T14:45:00.004+01:00

My doll-face little brother and his gorge girlfriend are coming to visit tonight.

He is 27 now but was much cuter when he was two and Mum let me call him Amy-Louise and put make-up on him.

Remind you of anyone?

Anyhoo, must go and polish off some more cupcake pops before our guests descend and get the wrong impression that they are for sharing *shudders*.

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

I did it!

2008-04-30T08:54:00.014+01:00

I finally had a go at making these!. I would have posted the pics yesterday but, quite frankly, I was in recovery for the rest of the day.

They taste pretty good and look pretty good (neither down to me) but they are a bit of a faff and create a lot of washing up and, as we don't have a dishwasher (apart from Simon, boom boom), they get slightly marked down for that.

Am now going to post 53 very boring before-during-after photos so that when I am making Simon toast for his Sunday lunch I can look back on them and try to convince myself that yes, I can do better.

As per the recipe suggestion (honest) I used a packet mix (M&S I'll have you know) for the cake base, it still required some effort though. Btw, I never even knew I had a spatula before now but it made me feel pretty important to use it.

Fresh out of the oven! (shortly after this photo I discovered that if you use a plastic spatula to loosen the edges of a cake fresh out of the oven, the plastic spatula becomes deformed).

Laptop out on the breakfast bar showing the Martha Stewart video clip for reassurance.

Making the cream cheese frosting. I really could only make this part in future and be just as happy.

Adding the crumbled cake...

Little rolled-up chocolate balls off to be chilled overnight. I did take a photo of them in the fridge but when I realised that the rest of the contents of the fridge were showing, and that they might result in someone shopping me to Gillian McKeith, I thought it best to post this photo instead.

Next morning, the balls have now been squished through the daisy cutter and are back off to be chilled.

Dipped in melted chocolate and the lolly sticks added.

After a bit more chilling time the tops have been dipped in white chocolate, sprinkles and M&Ms added. There are a lot less red M&Ms in the packet than any other colour fact fans.

The hardest bit was finding somewhere to hold them whilst the tops dried. Not having a styrofoam block handy (!) I was a bit stuck until I raided George's play-doh and wodged some of that in the bottom of these containers. Well, it is non-toxic....

George has given them his seal of approval :) Mind you, he gives pretty much everything his seal of approval, except for porridge.

And yes, I do still have a laundry mountain :)

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

Not quite there yet....

2008-04-28T12:39:00.005+01:00

This morning I *thought* I had reached the pinnacle of my domestic goddessness thus far. I had a brainwave whilst making George some toast and used cookie cutters (of the aeroplane and dinosaur variety - virgin ones at that surprise surprise) to make shapes and therefore add variety and interest to my child's breakfast routine. The initial response was textbook excitement. Then the dinosaur's head came off. Cue lots of screaming. I'm not sure whether this was trauma induced or crossness related, either way, I won't be doing it again.

We did lots more gardening this weekend having spent the best part of a mortgage payment at Wyevale. Things are starting to take shape but thank god we only have a small garden. I won't be saying that when Simon's 80 sunflower seedlings need planting out.

Anyhoo, somewhere in the background George is rifling through the kitchen cupboards (and we all know what that means - see below) so must off,

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

Lil' catch up...

2008-04-25T19:09:00.009+01:00

Today was fun, George and I went on an outing for a playdate with the lovely Marja and her gorgeously gorgeous Noemie *swoon*. I kept 1/2 an eye on George and 1 & a 1/2 eyes on Marja's stash.

I did take my camera but of course totally forgot to take any piccies, doh! I was too busy tipping up pushchairs ;) I am SO cool, nothing like a sophisticated first impression.

Anyhoo, I had a look at the piccies from our farm visit and, lets face it, you've seen one photo of a goat you've seen 'em all but these snaps did give me a giggle!:

Going...

Going....

Gone!

Check out Simon making the tractor noises!

George doing a pretty good job with steering inspite of being virtually cut in half by a too-tight set of reins I think George's fave bit was the tractor ride, with an ace vantage point from Grandad's knee:

Anyhoo, I am getting down and dirty with some embossing powders this evening ...I already have some in my eye.... and I'm definately going to be taking a look at the UK Scrappers cybercrop to see if I can make a stab at some of the classes.

Oooh, btw I am living on borrowed time here as the screen of my laptop is, quite literally, hanging by a thread. Currently fluttering eyelashes at Simon to bagsy a new (red) one before the lights turn out completely! Promise I didn't drop it.

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

My nan was friends with Percy Thrower you know....

2008-04-24T13:51:00.004+01:00

Thought I would share the latest sunflower pics... looks like George's Quantity over, ooops, I mean as well as Quality method paid off afterall. There are about 80 seedlings!

*We are sorry to announce that shortly after the taking of this photograph 3 of the seedlings met an untimely end - death by football*

Mum and Dad have been over the last couple of days for a pitstop on their way to a long weekend in the West End. Simon took the day off yesterday so we all trundled off to Odds Farm (thanks Sarah!). Will sort out some piccies to share but I will say this. George was alarmingly well behaved considering the sheer potential that such a place yields. I have now decided that a ratio of four adults to one child is just about right.

Anyhoo, off to consume more Custard Creams in peace whilst my little angel naps,

Laters taters,

Charlotte x

Weekend capers

2008-04-22T09:37:00.006+01:00

I went cropping on Sunday and *surprise surprise* was still trying to work out what to take 5 minutes before I needed to leave home. In the end I had one of those moments and just chucked all my photos in my tote, plus the binders and photo sleeves I bought for my Library of Memories course. I admit I spent the first 3 or so hours just gassing but then I did manage to get nearly all my photos in sleeves. It was the only way I was ever going to get it done.

Everything of course is still in my tote and probably will be by the time of the next crop.

Anyhoo, another 'back in the day' pic of me!

Small change to plans at the weekend - Simon had been getting strange pains and blurred vision in one eye so went to get his eyes tested Saturday morning - which resulted in us hot-footing it for an emergency appt at the Eye Hospital in Marylebone. Luckily Nannie and Grandad Poole were visiting for the day so we had babysitters. Turns out the optician in Boots thought Simon was having a stroke (!!!!). Thank God I didn't have time to open the referral letter and Google the contents before we left. He is fine though, just needs to take it easy at work for a while.

Meanwhile the kitchen table looks like a flaming greenhouse over-run with sunflower seedlings. Simon treats them like newborns, he is going all Prince Charles on me. I have no idea what we are going to do with them when they get a bit bigger.

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

Oooh yum

2008-04-15T10:35:00.004+01:00

I have been drooling a lot over these in the last 24hrs. I keep having visions of me actually making them. Then I look at the 5 load backlog of washing that needs doing and come back down to the reality of my domestic capabilities with a (small) crash.

Today I have ordered some prints from Photobox that I flippin' well know that I have already ordered and received. Since commencing on my Library of Memories ordeal, ooops, I mean Journey, I can't find any photo that I start looking for. This is not good.

I can't exactly blame Stacy J because there really isn't anywhere in her teachings that even vaguely suggests removing all your photos from their current hidey holes and then putting them in one big pile and just leaving them there for 5 weeks.

So, I was going to scrap last night but I didn't!

I thought I would plan some sketches today but everytime I get my notebook and pencil out George goes bananas with glee and has me slavishly drawing 'planes', 'spiders' and 'bees' until my fingers seize up. His new favourite word is 'lawnmower' (!) so I am dreading the day he adds that to his request list.

Anyhoo, maybe best make an attempt to scale that laundry mountain,

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

Ally Pally

2008-04-14T13:02:00.007+01:00

Recently I have been on a bit of a mission to actually use some of my yummy KI Lace cardstock.I scrapped this lo over the weekend, 2 sheets down, *unreveal-able amount* to go.

We went to Ally Pally yesterday morning, bright and early as I had heard very bad traffic reports about the North Circular. For once in my life it was pretty much clear and we got there in plenty of time to join the peachy keens.

It was pretty quiet actually as I think a lot of people had already been on Saturday, I overheard that you couldn't even move in the aisles, what a mare! I can't say George was particularly impressed (not surprising poor thing) but Simon took him down to the restaurant and apparently he found some consolation in a 4 bar kit-kat.

It was really nice to see Bev and Shimelle on the Banana Frog stand, I couldn't resist and came away with two of their new stamp sets. Also got a nice squidge from my friend Clare :)

There was lots more going on, including muchos elbowing and trolley inflicted ankle-bashing. Some crafters don't half get a focus on!

One of the best bits was waiting in line at the sweetie stand and the lady infront of me near enough chucking her bag of pick and mix over the server when she found out it would cost £6.30. She obviously hasn't been to the cinema recently (neither have I come to think of it...)

Anyhoo, time for lunchy munchies,

Laters taters,

Charlotte x

Gardeners' World chez soi

2008-04-13T15:26:00.010+01:00

Yesterday afternoon the boys were left unsupervised to plant the sunflower seeds whilst I took photos from the comfort of the swing seat. Again, what was I thinking....

Daddy shows George how he is going to fill the pots with compost:

George discovers the trowel....

George discovers how to get soil onto the trowel all by himself. Please note: Simon nowhere to be seen.

George ditches the trowel once he discovers his hands are just as good, if not more so, at dispersing soil around the garden. Please note: Simon still nowhere to be seen.

Simon returns and seed planting begins quite sensibly.

George decides that he will go for the quantity as well as quality approach. Please note Simon nowhere to be seen.

Believe it or not we have actually ended up with a lot of little pots of seeds here there and everywhere.

We used the seeds from last year's flowers (literally wrenched from the paws of our neighbourhood gang of evil squirrels) and we have no idea what we are doing (as if you couldn't tell) but, statistically speaking, we should end up with at least a few!

Anyhoo, we made it to Ally Pally this morning so will bore you with that tomorrow ;)

Laters taters,

Charlotte x

More oldies!

2008-04-12T13:15:00.012+01:00

A little layout I scrapped this morning whilst Simon and George were having some rufty tufty playtime - you know, the sort that usually ends in tears (Simon's that is).

Anyhoo, these photos were taken at a fancy dress party which was part of the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations, so I was 3 (nearly 4). I was a Queen and my cousin Adam was a King. I can remember this day pretty well, the little girl next to me in the Welsh Cockle girl set up is Lesley Briggs, she lived across the road from us and we were in the same class at school. I remember getting ready in my Mum's bedroom and Adam (who is a year older than me) getting the hump because he had to wear tights! Funny that I can remember these details from 31 years ago and not what I've gone upstairs to fetch now.

I can really see George in me in these pics, poor thing.

We might really push the boat out and do some sunflower seed planting this afternoon, George is very helpful where soil is concerned *insert shock smiley here*.

Anyhoo, maybe Ally Pally tomorrow :)

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

The Truth

2008-04-11T10:23:00.004+01:00

Welcome to the morning after the night before!

I have had quite a scrappy week so there have been bits and pieces all over the shop and I wanted to catch a bit of golf before bed so my desk didn't get tidied up last night and then this morning.........wait for it.........the sun came out so I wanted to photograph some layouts and bits whilst the going was good (approx. 43 seconds as it turns out).

George was a little angel and kept himself busy by emptying the contents of our dresser drawers.

I might go to Ally Pally tomorrow, Simon likes to come to as it doesn't take that long to get there and the views are so cool. Not sure how well suited it is to a pushchair mind you (well, not at all I would imagine) so Simon and George might busy themselves in fresh air whilst I brave the throngs. On the other hand I really don't *need* anything, not one thing.....hmmmmm.

Anyhoo, best have a little tidy up,

Laters taters!

Charlotte x

swoon

2008-04-10T22:11:00.004+01:00

When I come across things like this...

...it doesn't half make me want another baby. A pair of little socks for each day of the week for each of the seven dwarfs! Would only swing the vote however if they came with an extra bedroom for our house.

I am happy tonight as The Masters coverage has started. I don't mind golf really but I could just sit and watch it all year for the scenery alone. The course is so beautiful, and I love the peace. Heaven. Almost makes up for the hole left by Ashes to Ashes.

Laters taters,

Charlotte x

Bribesville

2008-04-09T13:15:00.004+01:00

The Tesco shopping arrived this morning, good news, but it is very difficult to put said shopping away with a small child rifling voraciously through all the bags pulling out and attacking anything that vaguely resembles what might be a 'biccy'.

So, I gave him a little bowl of Doritios (*gasp* in horror, yes, I know they are strictly illegal but I do promise it was a one off!) to keep him quiet and pointed him in the direction of the lounge.

All was VERY quiet so I sneaked a peak. Aaaah, magic Doritos!

A few minutes later all was still very quiet so I sneaked another peek and found this little set-up in front of the telly! I had to laugh out loud. Do you think George and the toys are planning on some sort of telly-watching marathon in the near future?

His vocab is coming on really well but there is one word we cannot decipher. It sounds like "Tommie" or sometimes "Commie" and is normally uttered repeatedly in a whinging or pleading tone. At first I thought he was talking about Thomas the Tank Engine but oh no.

My best translation goes something like this: "Things are not going for me at all the way I want them to right now, please can you fix this IMMEDIATELY" Maybe he has just invented a word for this sentence? I don't know.

Anyhoo, my little treasure is napping so I am off to watch my SKY+ copy of this morning's 'How Clean is Your House?'. Always always makes me feel better about the state of mine, ha ha!

Laters taters,

Charlotte x

Stylin'

2008-04-07T19:28:00.004+01:00

Check. It. Out.

And what was with the posing? Seriously, more often that not I would rather shoot myself in the foot than pose for a photo these days, never mind doing it Sam Fox style-ee.

The stickers and papers are all Scenic Route except for the paper with yellow flowers which is K&Co.

Whilst sorting out photos for my Library of Memories wotsit I have unearthed a few other beauties from the depths of time. I spent hours looking at this next photo, trying to work out what all the little bits and pieces I had crammed on the bookshelf were and squinting to read the book titles. It brought a load of memories flooding back so I wanted to scrap it sharpish before the photo got buried again. I just kept it simple as I wanted to do a fair bit of journalling.

The paper is K&Co Wild Saffron and the flowers, buttons and brads are Making Memories. This photo has really made me think twice about how I try to 'fill the frame' now and how many backdrops like this I'm not recording....maybe if the house wasn't always so messy I might take a few steps back now and then, ha ha! :)

Oooh, and if anyone anyone anyone can help me take a even vaguely decent photo of a layout I will be your bff, whether you like it or not ;)

Anyhoo, some scrummy Sassafras Lass somehow ended up on my doorstep this morning, so all is good with the world, and I am ready to scrap!

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

To quote my beloved Prince...

2008-04-06T17:59:00.005+01:00

...sometimes it snows in April!

I got George wrapped up and ready to go out before breakfast as snow has a history of hanging around for a nano second in our back garden. To my surprise he was really unsure and held my hand so tightly as he edged an inch at a time across the decking before making it very clear that he wanted to be picked up.

We carried him round the garden for a bit but he weighs a ton, then I had a lightbulb moment. Snowballs are balls made from snow (er, yeah, durrr!) and George loves balls! So we showed him how he could make balls from snow and he was away having a whale of a time.

Trouble was he didn't want to come back indoors and it was blummin' freezing. In the end I had to bribe him back in......guess who had coffee cake for their breakfast?

Have been doing a bit of scrapping today so I might unearth the scanner later so I can share my 1980's stylin' with you!

Laters taters
Charlotte x

Sun and stickies (and water)

2008-04-04T12:46:00.008+01:00

The sun was out this morning so George and I ventured into the garden to water the plants - me with my big red watering can and George with his little Finding Nemo one ( he chose it himself). Seriously though, what was I thinking? Within I would say 3 seconds he was drenched from head to toe. His t-shirt, his vest, his trousers, his socks, his shoes. I have no idea what exactly happened, I wouldn't have even said there was enough water in the can to cause that amount of damage. All's I know is I turned my head for 3 seconds and turned back to a lil' drowned rat. To quote George himself "oh dear"!!

Anyhoo, I signed up to road test a scrappy product and a cute little E-Z Runner turned up yesterday. Now when it comes to roll-on adhesives I am a die-hard Herma fan but I thought I would give this little fella a go.

On the plus side it is very easy to use and the results give a good strong hold. This is going to be perfect for any projects where I would have otherwise cracked open the double-sided tape - bonus ball is that there are no annoying lengths of peeled off backing everywhere and no need to gunge up my scissors!

Corners pretty well too ;)

I am definately going to keep this baby around to use for sticking ribbon and chipboard, born for the job.

The downside is that the whole thing is disposable so no refills - saves faffing about which would suit some people but I can change a herma one-handed and in the dark so it would just feel wrong to chuck a perfectly good dispenser in the bin when it had run out.

For my everyday scrapping I will stick to my repostionable herma as I like moving things about but for those times when I need a stronger hold I will be ditching the dst for the E-Z Runner!

Anyhoo, George is having more watery fun with his Squash, must be something in the air today.
Oooh, and it's my turn to post on IACW tomorrow :)

Laters taters

Charlotte x

Colo{u}r Combos!

2008-04-02T14:31:00.006+01:00

I think this blog is such a good idea, every week they set a challenge to scrap a layout using a given colour combo. Anything that gives me a kick start is good news in my book, and seeing as it's the colour choice means I can scrap any photos I want to my own design!

Suzanne is one of the DT members, I love love love her work.

I came up with this quickie today whilst George was napping and a bit sneaked here and there when Peppa Pig was on ;) . When I saw the colour palette for this week I immediately thought of my Basic Grey Phoebe papers which I've had kicking round for a bit and they really did the work for me! Just added some Brenda Pinnick chipboard letters, a couple of American Crafts chipboard flowers, a few squiggles of my Sharpie and some journalling paper from Scenic Route.

I think the pictures are hilarious, what the hell were we doing?! The funniest thing is that back then I thought I was huge except I'm half the size I am now, ha ha!

Laters taters
Charlotte x

My scrap space

2008-03-31T20:27:00.008+01:00

So here it is, my little under-the-stairs hidey hole!

I am making a photographic record of it as since the phenomena known as 'The New Drawers' have been installed my desk has never been so tidy (and yes, I have used it).

When I moved here the desk was already in place but was a revolting dark blue colour with a wierd mini-shelf in one corner which I ripped out. The wall unit is actually an Ikea (where else?) spice rack which I picked up in the sale for a bargainous £3.50 (funny what you remember) about three years ago. God bless Ikea.

The buttons are all housed in, yes, you guessed it, Ikea jars plus some Prima jars for my brads. The poor Primas are now unceremoniously shoved in a plastic bag somewhere. I have only used those Doodlebug glitters once but I still think they look pretty so they stay out!

My paper rack is a Display Dynamics one which Mum and Dad bought me for my birthday last year (they may not realise this so thanks M&D, this is what my birthday money bought!).
There is approximately enough patterned paper to wallpaper the whole house, but that would involve putting glue onto it and possibly *gasp* cutting into it so not going to happen sorry.

The black files are for my curse-ed Library of Memories project. They are D-Ring binders with photo sleeves for different sized photos, I am sure it would work very well if I could be bothered to fill the bloody things up. Next to them is my cute little daylight lamp which has provided Simon with much comedy material "Oooh, is it morning already?" etc. everytime he walks past and it's on...

The little wooden tray is a cutlery tray from you-know-where and is very useful for keeping all my pens and bits in check. I'm sure I don't need to tell you where the glass jars are from (getting embarrassing now, I honestly don't go there that often but I could well be keeping them in business) and their idea is to make me use at least some of the 3 miles of ribbon I have. Not worked yet but we shall see.

Then my little buddy the Cricut (I just can't stop pronouncing it Cri-cut although I know it's supposed to be pronounced Cricket, they just should have spelled it Cricket) which was made to measure for that little corner spot.

Hidden away on the end is my barely touched Selphy printer and some more glass storage for chipboard bits, again, a thinly veined attempt to encourage myself to actually use some stash.

So there you go...and many many congrats if you have lasted this long!

Laters taters,

Charlotte x

Spring has sprung!

2008-03-30T19:29:00.002+01:00

I got the garden centre itch last week so that's where we headed yesterday morning. Simon got treated (if you can call it that!) to a jet washer thing and I stocked up on some new pots and plants and bits.

The jet washer was long overdue as everytime George and I go into the back garden to play one or the other or both of us go a over t on the slimy decking. There was no avoiding it. Simon couldn't wait to try out his new kit so soon stripped the deck back and now you need sunglasses to look at it. Honestly, I can't believe the difference it has made. I am hoping that the novelty won't wear off for him and that the patio out the front will get done too, at the moment it is sort of browny black but I am sure those tiles are yellow.

I set about planting up my new pots and George had a real 'You've been Framed' moment and stepped backwards ending up wodged in one of the smaller round ones. I really should have grabbed my camera but I had only just planted that pot and as garden centres really do have licences to print money I was too busy hoiking him out of it to think about the photo opportunity. I did have a good old giggle even though my pink Ranunculus is no more.

Anyhoo, it was a photo free weekend sorry but I am going to take some pics of my Harry Potter styl-ee scrap space to share soon, hee hee!

Laters taters
Charlotte x

Choc Heaven

2008-03-26T13:07:00.009Z

We are still working through our chocolate 'balls' (as George calls them, I prefer to use the less mis-interpretable 'eggs') so all is good in the Poole household. I have even done some sharing.

Whilst I'm on a sugar high I shall share some photies I took of my newly filled storage!

The absolute best bit is that it caters to the heiniously lazy side of me in that I only have to push my chair back a bit to get at 99% of the stash I use most often. Good times.

The bottom two drawers on each side aren't open as, well, they would have dropped out, but they are empty except for some 'ephemera' or whatever it's called - leaflets, tickets that sort of thing which I faithfully collect and then never use. Or throwaway.

Anyhoo, I am really pleased with how it has turned out. I haven't taken a pic of the top of my desk (which sits above the drawer units) as it is chocka with piles of photos I am sorting for my Library of Memories class...it really is like pulling teeth and I am extra fed-up with it but I will persevere! I have come across some corkers of me with long permed hair wearing tartan jeans and a batwing jumper so at least there have been a few giggles on the way.

Best get back to my balls,

Laters taters

Charlotte x

Snow and chocolate

2008-03-25T08:56:00.004Z

A perfect combo! We had a busy but lovely weekend visiting my parents in Shropshire and came back Sunday night so that we could get some stuff done yesterday. I had every intention of fixing up the curtain rail in our bedroom and sorting out clothes for the charity bag but instead I scrapped two layouts, what can you do?

Most exciting of all was this:

We get snow here about once a year so it was very very exciting, even if it did last only 5 minutes.

Anyhoo we have lots of choc left so I know what I'm having for lunch today :)

Laters taters,

Charlotte x

Have to share these.....

2008-03-19T13:50:00.005Z

Yesterday afternoon George and I went for a walk up to the shops to get some stamps and I picked him a copy of his little "Friends" comic which he tightly clutched in his little paws all the way home. The second we got through the door he grabbed the free gifts (star shaped specs and a microphone - I know, how random?) from the front cover like they were pirate's gold! I barely had time to get his woolly hat off.

I grabbed my camera and followed him into the lounge and there he was with his coat and (muddy) shoes still on, new glasses on, reading Peppa Pig with his microphone clutched tightly. Honestly, I could have died laughing there and then but I held it in. So funny! It amazes me how these people know just what kids want.

The Wild Man of Borneo hair-do is partly the result of having just taken his beanie off, and partly the result of dodgy genes.

Must off,
Laters taters,
Charlotte x

Gratuitous proud parent post!

2008-03-18T14:29:00.009Z

So out came the Easter card making stuff....I put his little table and chair by the window so he could work in natural light (I wanted to make sure he could colour match correctly hee hee!) and sat him down.

The biggest hit of the session was the Pritt Stick, no surprises there. I had to give him his noonoo to stop any illicit 'tasting' sessions involving said Pritt Stick. It was pretty chaotic - a lot of getting up and down from the chair, a lot of putting the lid on and off the Pritt Stick etc. interspersed with some - wait for it - genuine moments of concentration! Woo hoo!!

I am so excited, I will make a crafter out of him yet *insert evil cackle here!*

Bless him, he looked so cute concentrating. He is very sticker proficient. I found some old K&Co stickers during my unearthing session over the weekend and he loved them especially as he knows "bird" "butterfly" and "flower" which, as you will see, are heavily featured. He did all the stickering, and a lot of the grass sticking, all by himself!

Off for a lie down in a darkened room,

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

Warning

2008-03-16T14:07:00.003Z

If sorting out your stash storage be very careful when showing your other half your newly arranged and fully visible stash. I was so proud of my efforts I did exactly this. A little while later Simon casually and calmly uttered, without making eye contact "I didn't realise you had so much stuff". Ooops.

Anyhoo, this evening (yes, when I should have been getting on with The Clear Out) I decided to put together this little kit so that George and I can have a go at making Easter cards tomorrow. See, I knew I would find a use for those sheets of felt and pom poms one day. Now to think of a use for the remaining truck load of stuff that I feel the same way about....

Wish us (me) luck!

Laters taters

Charlotte x

Are we there yet?

2008-03-16T13:35:00.009Z

I knew this was going to be a nightmare....! (and this is halfway through!)

Believe it or not some progress is being made and my wonderful husband needs crediting for bring me cups of tea AND braving the trip to Ikea yesterday. The A40 was gridlocked right up to Gypsy Corner thanks to some nonsense road works so I took one of my 'special' short cuts (and I use the word 'short' very very lightly hahaha!!!) through Greenford/Harrow/Wembley etc.etc., ending up in an unscheduled tour of Wembley Stadium and it's surroundings - I tried to make out it was a fully intentional and educational part of our outing, not sure even George bought that one.

I made up for it by using the special IKEA shortcuts which actually work and took us from the entrance straight to the warehouse bit, no nosing through the little show home (!!?) section or the marketplace (hence a trip to Ikea that did NOT result in the purchase of a picture frame *gasp*).

Yesterday afternoon and evening I screwed/tightened/locked/hammered/swore and ended up in a very bad mood with very sore fingers. I do love the end result though. Oooh extra credit here to Simon who screwed the wheels on the first unit only for me to decide 5 minutes later that, actually, I don't want them on it thank you very much, and then undid them without throwing the screwdriver at me.

Anyhoo, best stop wasting time and get back to sorting....will try to update with finished pics sometime next century when I am, erm, finished (no breath holding please).

Laters taters

Charlotte x

Busy lizzie

2008-03-14T10:43:00.004Z

This week I decided I was going to re-organise my scrap space once and for all! I am so fed up of seeing piles of stuff all over my desk and having to spend 30 minutes re-arranging the piles somewhere else so I can sit and work...anyhoo, my desk is now pretty much clear (save for my clear stacking paper trays, my cricut, my selphy and 3 kilner jars...oh and my lamp, and my daylight lamp and my tray of pens and tools lol!!!) but the dining room table is NOT clear, oh no.

I should have taken a photo pre-clear off but it wouldn't have been pretty...

So....we are off to Ikea on Saturday morning - Simon simply cannot wait, not. Tough, I need his muscles! I am planning on lugging everything under my desk out and replacing it with two of these babies:
At the moment it is a hotch-potch of plastic drawers and artbins, nothing is working and it looks blummin awful. Seeing as everyone that comes into our house sees it I would like it to at least look a bit more tidy!

It's going to be painful.....

I posted on IACW yesterday, there may be some news announced soon, so watch out!

In the meantime I am still busy sorting out my photos for my Library of Memories class, blimey. I realised that I took over 10,000 photos last year alone. Gulp. I am trying deperately to pare them down now, the hard-drive on my laptop has requested it.

Anyhoo, Peppa Pig is finishing so my time is up,

Laters taters
Charlotte x

Friday night telly!

2008-03-07T21:01:00.003Z

Okay, so I have about a gazillion things I want to get done this weekend, and it's already 9pm on Friday night and not one thing is ticked off.....but I had to watch the season finale of Ice Road Truckers, so good.

Anyhoo, in order to free up some of my time I've been allocating out some of the household chores....

Tee hee!!

Off to clean the fish tank,

Laters taters
Charlotte x

Scrumptious!

2008-03-06T13:58:00.007Z

You know what I said the other day about wanting to scrap but having a load of other stuff which I should have been doing instead? Well, guess what....

For me this was just a quickie (still took hours!) but I thought I would share because I think these are the cutest photos ever said without any bias whatsover hee hee! There was a challenge on the KI Memories blog donkeys ago about using a black background so I thought I would give that a whirl and these Sassafrass Lass papers are from their 'Scrumptious' range so there you go - ready made title! I think the papers might be a bit too girlie for a boy's layout, but never mind, I blummin' love them!

One of these days I will manage to take a decent photo of a layout. Today however is not that day.

Laters taters,

Charlotte x

Bits to share

2008-03-04T14:40:00.008Z

I was very lucky to have been asked to do a guest Design Team slot by the very lovely Jackie from Make the Moment Last for March. I was really good and stuck to the contents of the kit (save for a few scraps of red and yellow card). It was especially hard to use the Yorkie which Jackie sneaked in the kit mwah ha ha! (I haven't had a Yorkie for donkeys, I think I went a bit militant over the just-for-boys slogan!!)

Anyhoo, here are my layouts, I wanted them to be a bit of a trilogy as the photos are all taken quite close together timewise.

Meanwhile back at the ranch I really want to do lots of scrapping this week but a half-painted bedroom is driving me bananas so I should work on that instead really.....as we were away this weekend just gone the progress has been zilcho, and I don't want it to turn into a serious contender for the next series of 'How Clean is Your House?' (I LOVE that programme!)

Maybe I should be up there masking things off now instead of fanning around....ho hum!

Laters taters xxx

Just a quickie!

2008-02-28T19:09:00.005Z

Still busy scrapping this week, but here is another one of my keep-it-simple layouts to share - had to share because LOOK AT GEORGE'S HAIR!! It's all smooth and straight and neat!!!

I am looking forwards to getting my Studio Calico kit this month too, the contents were released last night.....yumm (what's with the big bird though?!)

Have some more scrapping to do tonight (I have a project to do way out of my comfort zone!) and a load of domestics as we are off to my brother's for the weekend so need to make sure everything is sorted for that. Simon and I are looking forwards to lounging on their sofa watching a DVD whilst Tom and Amy play with George, yay!

Laters taters,
Charlotte x

Scanning....

2008-02-26T21:12:00.005Z

I have been busy scanning some bits and bobs in but my scanner is so slooooooow it would take the patience of a Saint to do everything I want (not to mention all the stitching and chopped off edges!)

Some of the layouts I scanned were (thankfully) 11x8.5, they are very simple, I just wanted to scrap some of George's stats for an album of his first year. I made these on a cropping weekend a few weeks ago, I think I scrapped 15 layouts that weekend!! Like I said, I kept them simple, and did a fair bit of inspiration lifting! (btw I can't believe how small this size is!!)

The first of these two is a scraplift from an advert in a magazine, I can't remember who the original artist was so will see if I can dig it out.

Need to re-scan some of them now, choppage is too much to bear!

Laters taters,

Charlotte x

100th post!

2008-02-24T15:05:00.007Z

Woo hoo, this is my 100th post and as with most things in life, I took my time but I got there in the end!!

It was my turn to post on It's a Creative World today, I made some little bits and bobs to help me get organised (ha ha!) but they were a lot of fun to make and, you never know, they might work. We shall remain hopeful. Here is my attempt at some peeks!

Elsewhere George's hair is getting even more massive and adorable than ever. How on earth would I go about cutting this little lot? I think its a case of all or nothing, and there is no way I am giving him a buzz cut!

This weekend I am painting our bedroom, well, so far two walls of it. At the mo it is grubby magnolia, but I am going for browns and greens and maybe a lil' accent of red. Will let you know my progress. Apart from painting two walls I have also bought three cushions which surely counts for some sort of additional effort?

Anyhoo, must stop thinking of alternative things to do and go and stick some masking somewhere, booooooooooooring!

Laters taters,

Charlotte xx

Lookie what I got :)

2008-02-16T22:39:00.008Z

...for being a good wife and domestic goddess I presume (!!) photo taken in back garden, no natural light allowed in the Bat Cave dontcha know.

...and also a big box of chocs (already scoffed), lucky girlie.

We trotted off to Kew today (yes, again, I know!) to make the most of the sun whilst it sticks around. It's been a bit busier than usual these last few months (tsk) which I think is down to the Henry Moore Exhibition. I must say it hasn't really been *doing it* for me but some of the bigger curvier sculptures are really beautiful. Anyhoo, I caught this one on camera today, what do you reckon, man or woman? (apologises for childishness)

Unsurprisingly George was keen on getting out of his buggy, surprisingly Simon obliged but then found himself chasing a small dynamo all over the shop, including up and down flights of steps which turned into a new game whilst I stood at the top and watched, heh heh!!

I took the opportunity to try and get some camera practice in so George and Simon had to keep themselves amused whilst I fannied around with settings. Anyhoo, on one particular occasion I turned round and caught this.......

make of it what you will, but George was splitting his sides!!

Laters taters x

It's like Miami Vice here!

2008-02-13T18:42:00.005Z

...well, nearly...I was rudely awoken at 5 something a.m. by what sounded like a helipcopter trying to land on our roof. The racket went on for ages but as I didn't have the telly on this morning I didn't find out the reason until Simon phoned me from work and told me to look on the BBC website. A house round the corner from here had been targeted as part of the cocaine raids last night, a big bulldozer had knocked the wall down so the police could raid it!

I must say we have often admired the many shiny new cars lined up in the front courtyard of that house but had (possibly very naively) never really thought anything dodgy was up.....mind you, with hindsight there really aren't THAT many Hummers per capita round here.

We went to the park this morning as the sunny weather is still holding up and George pulled the girl behind the counter of the "snack shop".....she was selling sticks oh, er, I mean glasses of Orange Juice (apparently!).

..not long before he decided enough was enough and returned to his fave occupation of kicking up the leaves!

Off out now (2 nights in a row!!!)
Laters taters x

Sunshine

2008-02-12T16:29:00.000Z

Such a nice day today so we all trundled off to Kew to enjoy a bit of the sunshine - us and 53 million other people that is - but there you go. As long as I get my giant piece of cake I'm happy. All the daffs and crocus (crocii?) were out so it looked a treat.

Anyhoo, just a quickie seeing as Mum is here I am going to be horrifically decadent and have a bath in the afternoon!

Laters taters x

George is at CHA!

2008-02-11T18:39:00.000Z

Mel and Jill at ATDML are blogging every day from CHA, Jill took a photo of the Banana Frog stand and you can just see the layout I put together for Bev! If you follow the ATDML link its in the first photo, on the left hand side on the yellow drape, at the top just underneath the "n" flag! You cannot tell it's George for love nor money but I know it is and that's what matters, hee hee!! I am totally over-excited about it, little things eh ;) ?

I have also been reading Ness at Papermaze's blog for more updates, I am loving seeing all the pics and bits, wish I was there!

So far I'm loving some of the new Chatterbox papers, ALL of the Doodlebug stuff (of course) and the new KI Memories (double of course).

Off to drool some more,
Laters taters x

Weekend fun

2008-02-10T20:42:00.000Z

....before I forget it was my turn on IACW yesterday and I had lots of fun fiddling about with chalks, seriously, if you have some lying forgotten you should unearth them!

Not sure what happened last week or so (!) but this weekend Nannie and Grandad Poole came to visit and George spent a lot of time very quietly and carefully covering Grandad's face with stickers......an early sign of artistic leanings I wonder?

I am really looking forwards to this week as Mum is coming down, so apart from a bit of TLC I am hoping to get a lot done as she is baby minder extra-ordinaire, Simon and I might even push the boat out and go out for dinner :)

Laters taters x

What goes around comes around.....

2008-01-25T12:52:00.000Z

(especially if your husband doesn't cover his mouth when he coughs...)

Well, you know what I was saying about Simon having man flu.....boy did that come back and bite me on the ass!!! I KNEW it would as well. By Monday night all seemed well in the Poole household as we settled down to watch my absolute favo film Napolean Dynamite - and we never ever watch movies except high days and holidays - and little George wakes up and pukes all over his Daddy, later on to be repeated all over his Mummy...anyhoo, to cut a long story short I slept in George's room that night and between us we got about 3 minutes sleep and pretty much since then I was struck with the lurgy too.

So, to cut a long and not very nice story short we were all sick and now we are all better, to add a bit more cheer here is a layout a did for IACW in the week, mission: to use up some of my ribbons!

So last week was a blur really but Mum and Dad came to see us at the weekend which was great and Dad fitted a new light in the living room so now we can see which is a revelation indeed.....downside is that I could see the paint work needed re-doing before so you can imagine what it looks like now.

We bought a little CD/radio for the dining room which is cool, George and I have been dancing to the Milkshake CD this morning and now I am listening (very quietly) to some girly tunes whilst he has his nap.

I have also signed up for Stacy Julian's Library of Memories Class over at Big Picture Scrapbooking, I love her book and can't wait to started - I got my welcome package this morning and now I am even more excited.

Anyhoo, need to catch up with a million things,

Laters taters xxx

Blimey!

2008-01-20T23:20:00.000Z

What a weekend! Simon has been ill all weekend and I definately can't complain because he is NEVER ill, really, never, which made it all the harder to cope with! Normally I am a right Lady Muck of a Saturday. Simon gets George up and breakfasted, brings me breakfast in bed, sorts George out, gets his lunch and maybe walks him into Uxbridge or something whilst I swan around tatting about and generally doing nothing, unless lounging on the sofa counts as something. Not this Saturday and me no likey (can you sense the sympathy he's been getting !!!??, hee hee!).

Anyhoo, I took George to a Birthday Party (Milly and Ella's) this afternoon at the Playzone in Windsor Leisure Centre. They played in the ball-pit-climbing-frame type area first (I was done in and beetroot red just from that) and then sat down for snacks and cake. George did not want to sit down for snacks and cake. George wanted to maul the Thomas the Tank Engine cake with his sticky paws and George wanted to switch the CD player on and off 53 times. George wanted to eat his plate of chips IMMEDIATELY even though it was apparent they had been delivered to him directly out of a blast furnace. George wanted to put his spoon in the strawberry ice-cream and then hold the wrong end of the spoon and flail it about. George wanted to lie on the floor kicking and screaming. How I didn't burst into tears several times I have no idea but I suppose I am just getting used to it. Give him his due, he was the youngest there by a good year or two AND he was definately the best dancer, showing a strong preference for Amy Winehouse.

I tried to get some good photos but it's not easy on your hands and knees trying to follow a little dynamo through tunnels designed for those under 4ft (wide).

I need a drink!

Laters taters xxxx

Hello!

2008-01-18T22:03:00.000Z

I am back, I have been too ashamed to post since last weekend as I am absolutely no further on with my to-do list than I was then! Oh well.

I have been doing a bit of scrapping this week, some for my IACW post, some for the IACW Journal post tomorrow and other bits and pieces in various stages of completion, including two circle journals that I have been clutching for an embarrassingly long time.

I thought I would share another BOB layout, I had a go at painting with watercolours on this one and unearthed a donkey's old set of paints to make it, it was much easier than I thought, I must have another go soon. I KNEW I kept them for a good reason (them and the other 3 tonnes of crap I've been lugging around with me for the last 10 years - yes, I am having one of those 'sod it, I'm just going to hire a skip and chuck everything in it' days).

This is my gorgeous niece Angie, only a few weeks old at the time.

Back with more tomorrow!

Laters taters x

Progress report:

2008-01-12T18:04:00.000Z

Could be worse.....

* Move pile of boxed up Christmas decs off the kitchen table and into the loft DONE!

* Make friends with my new printer (least likely to happen) DONE!

* Do some more of my Christmas Journal DONE!

* Do pages A and B of my a-z journal DONE! (page A)

* Order carpets for the landing/stairs and living room

* Remove 4563 snails from the fishtank

Simon's mum was here today so all of this was actually done last night *polishes halo*.

Here is my entry for letter 'A' of the A-Z journal - I am journalling my everyday bits and pieces; things we do a lot, places we go a lot, bits and bobs around the house etc. I want it to be a little bit like a catalogue that I can look back at in 30 years time and have a laugh at how old fashioned the telly was or what bad taste in curtains we had! For 'A' I chose Art, Affection and Afternoon Naps, the photos are mainly of the art we have on the walls, then a little sneaky one of George taking a snooze and then a few 'I love you' 's for the affection bit :)

Anyhoo, the to-do list keeps getting longer as I remember more things that urgently need sorting so best get to it,

Laters taters x

Bits and Bobs

2008-01-11T14:42:00.000Z

Today it was my turn to post on IACW - I thought I would have a go at using some paper clay on a layout, that stuff is brilliant! So easy to use, am going to think up lots more projects for it.I have been waiting for a bit of sunlight to take a photo of the layout I created, we had a bit more light today so have tried again. Honestly, it's like living in the Bat Cave here, I had to perch on the edge of the decking to get this much light.

This is really a very un-me layout but you have to try new things don't you!?

Anyhoo, here is a list of things I am DEFINATELY going to achieve this weekend:

* Move pile of boxed up Christmas decs off the kitchen table and into the loft
* Make friends with my new printer (least likely to happen)
* Do some more of my Christmas Journal
* Do pages A and B of my a-z journal
* Order carpets for the landing/stairs and living room
* Remove 4563 snails from the fishtank

I'll let you know how I get on!!

Laters taters, Master George has awoken from his afternoon nap x

Delivery Calm!

2008-01-09T20:33:00.000Z

A bit like buses, all my parcels have come at once, hoorah! The printer finally found it's destination, as did the two prints, the interfacing for my bag and George's lil' bookshelf! Good job the recycling lorry comes round tomorrow morning as it is cardboard city round here.

With a little bit of *help* from George I put the shelves up as soon as they arrived and they are very cute, George immediately filled them with books he had to hand, he seems pretty impressed! I had a go at setting my new printer up and trying it out. I'm afraid I can't say any more as I am trying to have a calm day today, trust me! Suffice to say I shall be giving it a second chance when my blood pressure has returned to normal.

George had a nap this afternoon so I got the chance to do a bit of playing for my next IACW post, hope that it all works out as I am cutting it a bit close to the mark.....still, at least I have used a bit of crafty stuff which would otherwise have stayed in it's packet forever I'm sure!Anyhoo, off to take a squizz at the new series of Project Catwalk, I don't follow telly series much but I did take a shine to this one last year, too funny!

Laters taters xxx

...and breathe....

2008-01-07T15:23:00.000Z

Today I have delivery rage!

Reason No.1 # Where is my sodding printer? Not here that's for sure.

Reason No.2 # This morning I gave the GLTC a call (I ordered the bookshelf and storage tubs from them) to see if I could find where that order was. First of all the guy told me they would be with me today, he then checked on their system and found my order had been suspended. Nice of them to let me know. Then he tells me that they haven't any of the tubs in anyway. Grrrrrrrrr. THEN he tells me I have to email his colleague to get my order unsuspended! I don't think so. He is supposed to be calling me back with what's happening, but as per usual, I shan't be holding my breath.

I really do know this is no major deal in the big scheme of things so I have been doing a lot of taking of deep breaths and thinking nice thoughts! Trouble is, I just know the minute we step out of the front door everything will arrive then get taken away to the depot again.

I had a really good crop yesterday and got 2.5 layouts finished then completed the .5 when I got home, and then started on another one to make a total of 4 for yesterday (could be a personal best) I am really pleased, they are no great masterpieces but I love them anyway!

Here is another one of my BOB 2007 layouts - it doesn't show very well but I used alcohol inks on acetate (making a grand total of twice that the tops have been off the bottles!!)

laters taters xxx

Shock News!

2008-01-05T23:01:00.001Z

Sooo, after it became obvious that the printer was going to be another no-show I thought that I should put my money where my mouth was and dig out some material. To give myself a fighting chance I decided to use a Rosie Quinlan pattern that I bought from Buttonberry donkeys ago. I planned to skip the pockets and the button closing to make it even more simple and, in theory, at least vaguely achievable.

However, when I started to look at the pattern I realised the bag was titchsville and that even if I did manage to finish it, I would never use it so, in my infinite wisdom, I decided to make my own pattern! What a loon. I used some of George's A3 drawing paper and, basing it on Rosie's design, came up with what should be a big roomy lined shoulder-baggy-type thing. How I kept a straight face through all this I'll never know.

All was going well-ish until I realised I had totally unsuitable interfacing so had to order some, so mission halted, possibly never to be seen again! Here are some pics to show you that (a) I did actually start to do something and (b) to give you a giggle and wonder what on earth I am up to.

Anyhoo, the plan is definately to go cropping tomorrow, I have even made up some page kits so that I don't have to lug a load of stuff there just to lug it all back again.

Laters taters xxx

Still photo-less (apart from the hundreds in the drawer)

2008-01-05T12:53:00.001Z

Still no printer :( According to the Parcelforce tracking it is "in transit" whatever that means. Well, actually I do know, it means that my projects (finishing my Christmas Journal) I had planned for the crop tomorrow are up the swanny, and I really can't justify sitting on my bum for a day just chatting and scoffing, tempting though it sounds!

I wanted to start on my IACW A-Z Everyday journal too, I really should have got an order in to Photobox but that would have required some degree of organisation. For 'A' I am going to journal about Art, Afternoon Naps (George's that is, they are my 45 minutes of quiet!) and Affection. All part of my everyday! I will catch up and post the pages here.

Anyhoo, I have become sidetracked by fabric again. In my head I am a master seamstress, even though in the last, oh, errr, 20 years (!) the most I have sewn is a straight line on a piece of 12x12 cardstock. I nearly bought some more goodies last night but stopped myself, thinking its best I have a go with the stuff I have already got! THEN I had an even better idea when I came across this lady's website and etsy store (and in Amy Butler fabrics too, heaven) that someone else could have a go for me!

If my printer doesn't make a miraculous appearance today, maybe I will stop at home tomorrow and do some sewing, but I wouldn't count on it....but if I do, then these fabrics are going to be my next stop!

Have a nice Saturday!

Laters taters xxxx

Technically....

2008-01-03T18:51:00.000Z

....I think it snowed today! Well, I saw at least one flake anyhoo. As soon as I spotted it I raced to get George togged up and chucked him out of the back door, by which time it was really more raining than snowing but it's the thought that counts.

I managed to grab some quick photos (dodging raindrops) and as you will see, it wasn't exactly snowman weather...still, George re-discovered his football from under the hedge and kept busy with that for a while.

Tonight I think I am going to do a bit more of my Christmas Journal but it will have to be photo-less until my new printer arrives. The A-Z journal starts on IACW tomorrow, I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with :)

Laters taters xxx

Nearly back to normal....

2008-01-02T23:20:00.000Z

I didn't get any scrapping done today BUT I did manage to finish sorting out George's room (huge achievement when he is actually in it), put on a load of washing and sort out a photobox order. Baby steps and I'll get there in the end!

I scrapped this layout a while back, almost an exact scraplift of a layout by Scarlet Namvong using my Studio Calico kit. Makes me smile as this photo was taken when we went Sweet Chestnut scrumping at Kew to feed Simon's addiction. After suffering serious prickled fingers collecting sweets for my sweet (geddit?) I tried my very first ever Sweet Chestnut and there was only a blummin' maggot thing in it. Not good. To say 'thank goodness I checked before I ate' is the understatement of the century. Simon reckons he has never experienced that, but then he scoffs them whole so how the hell would he know? Yucksville, never again!

Anyhoo, it's supposed to snow tomorrow so I'm all excited! Bedtime, laters taters xxx

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T18:58:00.000Z

Last night we watched Harry Potter in HD (get us) and I got tiddly on half a bottle of champagne. We welcomed in the New Year watching next door's fireworks (some of which were too low for us to see, how very rude and un-neighbourly) until some of the debris landed in Simon's champers so we abandoned ship and came back indoors. I don't really do resolutions but this year I am going to try to make our house a bit more, erm, grown-up - put some nice pictures up, have carpets that a student wouldn't be ahamed of etc...

Anyhoo, I have ordered two really nice prints and measured up for a radiator cover, so that's a start at least, then I can get some carpets ordered for the living room and the stairs.

These are the prints, both by Klimt. The first one is called Beech Forest except on the website I ordered it from it was called Beach Forest which did make me giggle ;)

Today we braved a trip to Ikea, along with everyone else in the Greater London area or so it seemed, and bought some more Trofast storage for George's room. Simon constructed it when we got home and it is already full nevermind the stuff that is still in the lounge AND I put a load of stuff up in the loft. From now on he will be requesting Artbase vouchers for birthdays and Christmas (Simon and George that is).

I also want to try some new crafty projects this year, there is loads of stuff planned at IACW and I am all ready to get started on the a-z journal. I really want to start on some fabric projects too, I picked up some gorgeous material last year from round and about and now would like to actually *cough* do something with it!

Anyhoo, must get back to the Christmas biscuits,

Laters taters xxx

Panic stations

2007-12-30T21:56:00.000Z

The amount of additional possessions we (well, George) have accumulated over the festive season is slowly starting to sink in......as is the fact we have NOWHERE to put it. Today I did a bit of online shopping for some storage solutions to keep in the lounge - a little bookshelf with fabric slings and some big round fabric tubs, I'm sure once they have arrived the house will be show-home tidy, ha ha!! Cute though.

Whilst searching I came across this site, wow, I would have loved some of that furniture when I was little. Wouldn't mind it now really.

Some of George's Christmas presents were boxes of wooden bricks, or duplo sets. In order to play with these it has become apparent (at least from the viewpoint of an 17 month old) that they all need to be emptied onto the carpet and spread about so that there is not one square inch of floor visible. All three of us have now sustained foot injuries of varying severity. I thought I was going to need stitches! The new favourite present is the Dinner Set, he is excellent at pouring a cup of tea bless. Every drink is now referred to as "teeeeeeeeee".

Anyhoo, lots to do before crashing out in front of the telly tonight for our wild New Year's Eve party!!

Laters taters xxx

Reporting back!

2007-12-29T13:38:00.000Z

George is now a fully fledged present open-er extraordinaire, he is especially adept at opening presents then running off to retrieve another one from under the tree before he has even stopped to look at the contents of the first package....

Anyhoo, of the pressies we opened today the most popular by far was the musical Postman Pat book - altogether now: Postman Pat, Postman Pat, Postman Pat and his black & white cat........

Laters taters xxx

Christmas Eve #2

2007-12-27T21:43:00.001Z

Not that the first one wasn't wonderful, we just decided to have two! We were at my Mum and Dad's for Christmas, and with Simon's parents before that, finally returning home yesterday. As George has been showered with wonderful presents Santa is holding off his delivery until tonight, so tomorrow we are having our very own Christmas Day right here!

So shhhh.....here's a sneak peek of tommorow's offerings!

Happy Christmas mark 2 :) xxx

Happy Christmas!

2007-12-20T11:26:00.000Z

I finally scanned in some layouts today BUT I really think my scanner is hinting at early retirement. Maybe I should invest in a new all-in-one printer scanner thingy but somehow I just know that is asking for trouble.

I forgot to let you (Mum that is!) know that it was my turn to post on It's a Creative World last week, here is the link, better late than never! I am also posting this coming Sunday and it's all ready to go. For once I am being organised as Sunday is our changeover day and it's going to be MAD!

Here is a lil' quickie Christmas layout to leave you with :)

Laters taters, have 3 tonnes of washing to get through before tomorrow morning as we are off on our Christmas travels,

Charlotte xxx

Ho hum

2007-12-17T19:01:00.001Z

Well, I haven't posted for ages so thought I would waste time faffing around with a new template rather than think of something interesting to say!!

I have lots of creations to share, but haven't had two minutes to scan things in let alone the required 30 per item my scanner requires, bless it's little clockwork socks. Mind you, my Christmas Journal is looking a bit bare as my printer decided to throw in the towel last week, immediately after I had bought two new cartridges for it as well, grrrrrr.

Still haven't bought any stash (miracle) and just as well, as after Christmas we are going to be well and truly bursting at the seams with Santa's drop off et al. Talking of whom, it was George's playgroup Christmas Party last week, with the world's least convincing Santa making a guest appearance. Still, he made an impact indeed as 75% of the kids in the room started screaming the place down as soon as he walked in. George, in true George style, couldn't have cared less. Anyhoo, here he is tucking into his nutritionally balanced Christmas Lunch, minus the chicken nuggets and mini sausages which I "accidentally" rolled under the table as I opened the box, mean momma!

...... and even more rubbish photo, but i'm loving Santa's bling!!

anyhoo, must off to hoover up a bauble incident, laters taters xxx

MORE babies!

2007-11-23T20:44:00.000Z

Another batch (?) of baby fish has appeared in the tank so maybe the dead-pan fella in the pet shop wasn't joking afterall.....have no idea what to do. We will have to get a bigger tank but where will it end?!!

Have been busy making some Christmas Inchies for a swap I am in, they have taken ages, they are only a square inch each piece (well, obviously!) but an inch is lot smaller than you'd think (insert rude joke here) and they aren't half fiddly little so and sos. Used my Doodlebug stamps and my Sparkling H2Os. Anyhoo, can't wait to see what I get back (great photo as usual!).

We had our usual Friday jaunt to playgroup today, George just loves it, pootling about having a good old nose what everyone else is up to, so cute. Anyhoo, it's freezing here but the heating has taken on a lifeform of its own and it is currently 25 degrees chez nous so we have all the doors and windows open, and the heating has been off for over an hour. Must go and get some ice for my coke,

Laters taters xxx

43 to go....

2007-11-20T23:50:00.001Z

The stash diet is still going strong....I definately would have had at least two shopping sessions had the ban not been in place, so I am feeling a tiny bit righteous. Some more layouts have been trundling off the production line...here is one of them!

I have been tagged by the very lovely Trish ...now I just need to think of 7 vaguely interesting facts about myself (some random, some wierd), easier said than done....but here goes:

1. I always sleep with the window open, whatever the weather.

2. I still love cheese and ketchup sandwiches, not sure I've ever met anyone else who does.

3. I'm left-handed, but the only thing I actually use my left hand for is writing. I can only cut with scissors using my right hand.

4. I am addicted to 1970's sitcoms.

5. I can't bear the smell or taste of cucumber (or milk or sweetcorn).

6. If I ruled the world I would banish coathangers from my Kingdom (amongst many other things, especially bad mannered people, but don't get me started on that one!) .

7. I am double-jointed (or at least I was last time I looked, ~ 1986).

Hope that didn't put you off your lunch,
Laters taters xxx

More mouths to feed.....

2007-11-14T23:20:00.000Z

This morning I clocked more new tiny little pairs of eyes staring at me when I checked on the fish.....about 12 new babies, and they are teeny tinies! You can just about see some of them in this photo, along with one of the last batch of babies and the original oldies.

George has to go for a booster jab today, he wasn't happy about it at all :( ouch, poor little monkey.

I have had a stab at covering my advent tree, not sure how I'm going to add the numbers or any other bits, I might just leave it at this to be honest! It's a lot further on than I ever thought it would get anyhoo....

Laters taters xxx

Christmas is coming!

2007-11-12T18:32:00.000Z

The other day whilst having a nose on UKS I saw a link to this decorated advent calendar on Jen Hall's blog, and Anso gave a tip-off that she had seen similar ones in good old Tescos.

Well, my Mum is fixing up an advent calender for George, I have bought a BRILLIANT one for Simon so t'was only fair that I got one too! Not sure what papers I'm going to attack it with it but I have loads of Chrissy ones, so my stash diet will not be broken (well, not for this anyway). In the meantime I am scared to take the cover off, I just cannot be trusted around chocolate. Anyhoo, here is the before....I just hope I can show you an after too, before I have scoffed the lot!

I managed to squeeze another LO in today whilst George was having a nap, still a ludicrous amount away from my target, but we shall see.

Need to do some boring paperwork tonight that really I should have done during George's nap instead of fannying about with bits of cardstock.....oopsy.

Anyhoo, laters taters xx

Progress!

2007-11-11T20:21:00.000Z

First and foremost, after a daylight recce, 6 baby fish are definately still alive and swimming, so maybe just the one gulp then. The survivors are getting a bit gung-ho if you ask me so not sure how long the current headcount will last.

The desk is pretty much dry, I have restocked it (no mention of the state of the dining room table you will note) and....wait for it.....scrapped two layouts! So 3 down, 47 to go *sigh*.

Here is one of tday's profferings, what a little monkey he is too, *wubs*!

Anyhoo, laters taters xx

Ooops!

2007-11-10T23:41:00.000Z

Blimey, where did that week go!?

Well, we are nearly all mended here, I am better but George is still coughing at night, but not so bad now. We braved it back to playgroup again on Friday, George makes me laugh so much, he just pootles about doing his funny little walk and having a good old nose at what everyone else is up to. They have juice and biscuits half-way through, he picked a Custard Cream and clutched onto it very tightly until home time, so cute!

We now have a permanent daytime Parakeet display, very pretty but they are noisy buggers. I counted 11 out the back today. The lady on the end of the terrace I think has the equivalent of a Michelin starred bird food display so word must have got out. Rubbish photo sorry, but you get the idea!!

We only have 7 baby fish left, they didn't seem to be faring too well in the little safety net and had grown quite a lot so we released them into the wild yonder this afternoon *gulp*. To be honest, I think it was a case of lots of gulps as we can only see 4 now....ho hum. Hope they are all hiding out somewhere.

Over at It's a Creative World we are starting an A-Z journal project next year, I am soooo pleased as it will keep me motivated to actually start it AND actually finish it! Some of the girls have fabulous creations planned, they are going for the proper art journals, and they really will be works of art. I just don't have the vision for that sort of thing so am sticking to good ol' scrapping, but can't wait to ooh and aaah over what everyone else creates.

Have made my cover ready, when it is finished I will bind it, not sure what size rings I will need yet though. I am going to catalog bits and pieces from our lives so that we can look back in 30 years times and have a giggle. I love looking at photos of me when I was little and looking at the decor and furniture in the background, it's a real nostalgia trip!

Anyhoo, I have painted my desk today (why? I have no idea) so no scrapping for a bit but I have joined a stash diet with some friends of mine, we aren't allowed to buy any new stash until we have completed 50, yes 50, layouts!! I have done 1 so far! Rubbish. A sticky desk is not helping....

Anyhoo, laters taters xx

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T18:27:00.001Z

Isn't it Nov 1st you're allowed to put your Christmas tree up?

Laters taters x

A first!!

2007-10-30T12:31:00.000Z

I have been tagged by the naughty Maria, and to celebrate my first ever tagging I shall be good and answer right away (oh yes, I am indeed a popular blogger hee hee, btw Hi Mum!)

1. If you could have £100 worth of scrapbook paper or assorted embellishments, which would you choose?
Erm, well I LOVE paper, but also collect it, so maybe I will pick embellies. Not that you get much for a ton these days.

2. If you had to choose between using only stamps or rubons, which would you choose?
Rub-ons as I really like stamps but I get in a mess, and the mess stays.

3. If you knew how to do both awesome cards and layouts but could only do one for a whole year...which would you do?
Deffo layouts, no question.

4. Would you rather own a scrapbooking store or have your own scrapping room at home...(can't have both he he he)
Oh sigh....* wonders off into a daydream for 5 minutes* Erm, I think a scrapping room at home which was basically a shop, except everything is free (so it's not technically a shop) and only I'm allowed to buy it of course. For free that is.

5. And last but not least, what is your CURRENT cardmaking or scrapping style?
Suck it and see. Is that a style? I just look at the photo I wan't to scrap and wait for the ideas!!

Anyhoo, must off, having trouble seeing as George has just stabbed me in the eye with a stickle brick
Laters taters x

Hum tee tum

2007-10-29T14:05:00.000Z

George is asleep in his highchair bless his cottons so I thought I would grab the chance to do some blogging! This afternoon we are headed over to the Tesco Direct store for a nose, haven't been in one yet ( have a very sheltered life, lol) but I hope they have some nice mirrors as I need one for my newly painted landing!

Today I got some thick acetate sheets through the post so I am planning some mini books, I have seen some really nice examples of them lately so really want to get started. Have ordered some snowy photos which are somewhere in transit, so watch this space (but for goodness' sale don't hold your breath).
Here is another random lo! Simon and I went to Woburn for his birthday two years ago, he is a June baby so I took us a picnic, it was flipping freezing and we ended up eating it in the car. Anyhoo, it was a very grey day so we didn't get a lot of photos, but I do love giraffes, they really make me smile :) Love those KI chipboard letters. Once again, not going to win any prizes for scanning layouts.....

Laters taters x
p.s. Same number of fish in tank as Saturday!

Busy Bee

2007-10-27T19:00:00.001+01:00

Edited to add:
*Lawks, I forgot the most important news! We are giving away a prize a day for visitors to the It's a Creative World Blog to celebrate the success of our fundraising, so get commenting and I hope you are picked!! Today's prize has been very generously donated by the lovely Kirsty Wiseman, thank you! xxx*

I finally got round to painting the landing today, it had only been on my 'Priority To-Do' list for, ooh, about 3 1/2 years, so you can see how fast acting I am. Just a few bits to touch up now and a bit more pooey woodwork to paint.
Anyhoo, it already looks loads better and then maybe sometime this century I can get a new landing/stair carpet, woo hoo!

The fishies are all still doing fine, there are 9 babies at the last count, hopefully no more on the way. This is my totally dismal attempt at photographing them, the little pink dots (if you can even see them) are not fancy tails, they are my even more dismal attempt at trying to point out where the baby fish are in this photo! God, I just do not get Photoshop.

And this is a shot with their Momma/Poppas/Uncles/Aunties in for a bit of scale and incest!!

Am tired and achy, the photoshop efforts have finished me off and I'm just not used to manual labour ;) so off to veg

Laters taters x

Baby fish update from earlier post!

2007-10-26T12:59:00.001+01:00

Okay, so at one point I could definately count 5 little fishies outside of the safety net, and 2 in it.
I'm not sure that one of the female fish wasn't surreptitiously popping one out every so often.
I tried to get photies but it's tricky as they are tiny and lightning fast, and George bless him was helping out by trying to put the lens cap back on the camera for me.

On closer inspection one of the female fish is deffo pg. Am not sure if this is the fish that has already produced the little ones or this is a separate issue! Here is a photo taken of her last Saturday when we got them :

Here is a current photo!! Hmmmmm......She is a totally different colouring to the other two, so easier to monitor.

I think the fish shop man may not have been joking afterall.

Ho hum!

Laters taters x

More new arrivals!

2007-10-26T11:04:00.000+01:00

It's my turn to post on It's a Creative World today. It's my first shot, am very nervous about it.....one of the examples I used was one of my entries into Best of British comp. We had to submit six layouts, they then asked me to send three of those in for publication in the mag ( i think?). Anyhoo, this is one of the ones I still have here:

I cannot get a decent photo or scan of it (for a change!), the white background cardstock is actually Doodlebug sugar coated cardstock so is nice and sparkly :)

Tom and Amy left this morning and not 2 minutes after they had gone I had a big shock, I spotted a tiny fish in the tank! All in all I have seen four, they are minute!

We only got the fish last Saturday, in the pet shop they were in separate boy/girl tanks. Their gestation period is roughly 28 days so you do the maths?!! Me thinks there have been some night time shenanigans at the pet shop after lights out.

So I, of course, went in to panic mode as one of the big fish kept chasing one of the tiddlers (literally 4mms long!) so I unearthed the 'hospital' net or whatever its called that you suspend in the tank to put injured fish in. Then I had to try to net 4 titchsville fish - remember that I have an overly curious 15 month old trying to stick his oar in to every part of the proceedings. Somehow I managed to get two of them without causing undue stress (to them, not me, I was in a cold sweat by the time it was over).

Now I think I went too far and should have just let them all get on with it but at least I know that two will still be alive by the time Simon gets home! Well, not necessarily but at least they won't have been eaten......oh man, I thought fish would be the easy option.

Best go and have a lie down,

Later taters x

Moaning minnie alert

2007-10-25T18:27:00.000+01:00

Not happy campers round here, well, myself and George anyhoo! He is still poorly sick, but on the mend, and I feel rubbish. When I get ill with a cold I always get really sore skin and hot eyes. Everyone else insists they have no idea what I'm on about let alone having experienced it themselves. I must be imagining it, it does sound wierd I suppose. No worries, I shall make sure I get lots of attention anyway tee hee, my lovely OH has already made me a cuppa and peanut butter on toast, just what the doctor ordered. Bummer is that my brother and his lovely girlfriend are staying at the moment and they offered to babysit tonight so we could go out to supper but I would much rather have a soak in the bath and an early night, typical :)

Not feeling very creative at the mo, most of my energies went on a LO I did the other night which involved cutting out a ridiculous number of tiny letters and then sticking them down. Silly idea.

Anyhoo, seeing as I need cheering up I'm going to post this from back in June, makes me chuckle every time! (taken pre cupboard locks!!)

Later taters x

Such Good News!

2007-10-23T11:59:00.000+01:00

I am so thrilled that we have reached our fundraising target for Breakthrough for BreastCancer over at It's a Creative World! I can't believe that so many people have joined in and supported us by donating or partaking in our 'Scrap your Boobs' challenge, the Flikr account looks amazing.

We have been very lucky today to have been given our very own Pencil Lines sketch by Anna, it's such a fab versatile sketch, go and check it out and join in! In celebration of reaching our target there will be a lucky dip today for everyone leaving comment, the prize is just gorgeous, donated by the lovely and very clever Jaq.

This is my take on the sketch:

Anyhoo, must go and attend to my still poorly littl'un who has somehow got hold of a packet of Muesli......

Laters taters x

Poorly sick

2007-10-22T11:09:00.000+01:00

Finally got round to scrapping some Christmas photos last night, only ten months after the event! Before you know it there will be another lot piling up so thought I had better get a move on. My scanner is very 'dull' at the mo so you can't see my glittery brads. Am turning into an addict (blames Miss KT).

Anyhoo, my fave part of this LO are George's little feet, will you look at those pudgers? He still won't keep socks on now.

My little pumpkin has a cold today, proper green snot and everything bless his cottons! We have been very lucky so far, this is the first time he has been ill and he is being such a little soldier. I however slept with one eye and one ear open, he is so blocked up :( Reckon playgroup last Friday was the source.

Laters taters x

New arrivals!

2007-10-20T10:32:00.000+01:00

We made a trip off to the fish shop this morning to see if we could get the green light for some little fishy friends. Unfortunately George was not allowed his first choice, a near enough 2 foot long Gourami, oh, and a big nooooooo to the red wriggly worms in one tank which I actually think were destined for someone's supper *my worst nightmare*.

The fish shop man was very helpful but entirely humorless which of course made him hilarious!

We wanted some Neon Tetra or Cardinal Tetra. Apparently that is a BIG no no in a new tank that hasn't already had other fish in it for at least 4 months, and I quote "if you put Neons in a new tank I can guarantee you they will die". Blimey!! So he made his point there then.

So we moved on to our second choice of guppies, 3 boys and 3 girls which he very happily bagged up for us and then let us know, and I quote (and remember, said in a totally deadpan fashion) "you will have a million babies". I can only hope he was exaggerating as he certainly wasn't cracking a joke.

Anyhoo, here are (some of) our new little friends!

George has shown minor interest so far, largely focussed around his efforts to get the lid off. Must watch out for progress on that one. He very quickly cottoned on to the fact that the tank now provides an excellent distraction for myself and Simon whilst he happily and freely creates merry hell in the background (i.e. pulling my entire collection of Bazzill onto the floor).

Whilst not fish-watching, have been having a play today with some D-Bug stamps that I ordered along with the glitters (in order to *save* money you understand, by making my own cards). I am so not a stamper, I love other people's stamping and it looks so blimmin easy.....but......humph. Anyhoo, 400 bits of scrap paper later and here's what I have to show!

It is amazing what can go wrong, though many casualties fell at the last fence by me being a cluts and smudging the fake snow in various different fashions (although I foresee the casualty rate soaring when the H20s get an airing later on).

I think only a very select few will be getting one of these suckers this Christmas *hears huge sigh of relief from the South Coast* unless there is a serious and unexplicable work flow improvement around here.

Anyhoo, off to stare some more at the fishies,

Laters taters x

One very chuffed scrapper!

2007-10-19T20:17:00.000+01:00

Back in July I entered Scrapbook Inspiration's Best of British competition, and I have been busting my bum to tell everyone that I am very lucky enough to have been picked as one of the winners!!!

I am so excited, I found out when we were our on hols (technically our Honeymoon, lol!) as when we were waiting for our taxi to the airport I stuck a few dollars into an internet machine (not sure of the technical term, but it looked like a cashpoint!) and checked my hotmail, and there was the email saying I was a winner. I did a little dance of excitement in the middle of the foyer, much to Simon's embarrasment, hee hee!

Three of my layouts have gone off to SI, but I will share the other three on here soon when I have scanned them in. The photos I took of them were well dodgy!

Also in this month's SI is my Halloween LO of George, he looks such a little popsicle in this photo, there is no way on earth he would keep a hat on his head now...

Anyhoo, it's pizza time,

Laters Taters x

More scraplifting :)

2007-10-18T21:05:00.000+01:00

Today I scraplifted this layout by Shariliz on UKS

I had to twiddle it a little bit as Shariliz scraps in 8x11 but I loved how she used the circles and the different levels. It was nice to scrap like this as normally I am scared of 'white space' (!) so this was a big change for me.

I spoke to someone at a different aquatics centre today (free afternoon entertainment remember!) and they said 7 days is quite long enough to mature a fish tank for, so we are taking in a sample of the water for testing and the fishies may be home with us sooner than I thought! The tanks is not bereft of life, I saw three naughty snails in there today making themselves quite at home, *shudders*.

Scraplift challenge

2007-10-17T23:25:00.001+01:00

As part of the UKS cybercrop I did a scraplift tonight, not as easy as you'd think! I picked a gorgeous layout by Debbie Jewell, I love her gallery, she is so fab with patterned papers that I thought I'd give it a crack. I thought that I'd picked one that would be easy to copy but it took aaaaaages, I don't know why, I think it was the faffing about with pieces of string that threw me. Serves me right!

Oh I really love this pic of George *wubs*

Talking of whom, George and I went over to visit my friend Nicky and her little one Sophie this afternoon and George threw the MOTHER of all tantrums, oh my life. I thought I was going to burst into tears never mind him! If this is the sign of things to come then I may just start drinking again.

Laters taters x

Glittery days!

2007-10-16T20:21:00.000+01:00

My Doodlebug haul arrived this morning, if you have ordered the little pots then be warned, they are VERY full! Glitter everywhere. Fine by me, maybe not so fine by men wearing Elton John style sparkly suit jackets to work tomorrow, tee hee!
I had this LO in the wings waiting for the delivery, I used some MM double sided stickers that I bought a while ago and they worked very nicely with the DB glitters, so I finished it off tonight before supper. The glitters haven't scanned very well, so I took an even worse photo (!) but they are very bright IRL, love them!

I am waiting for a photobox delivery as I have 2 scraplifts planned (maybe 3 if I get a shufty on!) for the UKScrappers Scraplift Sunday challenge. Not sure when they will arrive, am very confused about when and where posties are on strike?
Anyhoo, my little brother is staying with us tonight and he has just returned with a Chinese take-out, woohoo! I don't actually like Chinese food so I have got chips, double woo-hoo!!

Laters taters x

Nice weekend :)

2007-10-14T18:31:00.000+01:00

Simon's folks spent the day yesterday, and then in the evening we scoffed huge amounts of pizza (oops) and I did some scrapping and Simon started on his Lego F1 car that he got LAST christmas!

I started this LO yonks ago but it has been in my wip pile so I made an effort to finish it, it looks nothing like how it started! For some reason I didn't do a sketch first and I always do a sketch, probs why it took so long! Anyhoo, about the photos, Simon reckons that HE is copying George, and that it was George that started it! Honestly.

Today we went to Kew my fave lil' place, but it was heaving (humph, don't peeps know that I don't like crowds!) as the new Henry Moore exhibition has opened. We headed for the backwaters and searched for sweet chestnuts instead, the only one I decided to peel open had a grub in it, ewwwww! That is the start and end of my sweet chestnut eating career.

Off now to rustle up a culinary delight for supper (i.e. left over pizza, ha ha!).

Laters taters x

Slowly slowly

2007-10-12T22:50:00.000+01:00

Some progress has been made re. the tidy-up. I emptied everything off my desk and onto the dining room table, so my desk looked very tidy indeed thank-you very much. Realising the in-laws are coming over tomorrow I then had to shove everything off the table into wherever it could be forcibly squashed. I will save sorting that out for another day me thinks.

Last night I actually did some scrapping, woo hoo! I am showing you a peek not to be a tease, but because I am so chuffed with my wedding ring and want to show it off at every opportunity!! The lo is for an entry on IACW on the 23rd Oct (how organised am I???!), where we have been very lucky to snag the talents of a certain lady for an evening, make sure you check in to see who!

...and I am very excited about this:

The old fishtank has re-surfaced from the depths of the garage and is now undergoing "maturation" for 3 weeks (3 weeks!! how am I supposed to wait that long?!) until we can go and choose some little fishy inhabitants for it. We reckon that George will be mesmerised by it (= 2 minutes peace and quiet). Top tip: If anyone with little ones is stuck for something to do on a rainy afternoon, cart them off to your local garden centre and take a look at the aquatic section, George flipping loves it. Bonus ball, we have a Craft Central in our garden centre so winners all round.

..oooh and don't forget, please donate any spare pennies or pounds to Breast Cancer Just Giving this month, this is a really really fab cause (and I don't want to have to snag all the prizes for myself ;) !).

yawn

2007-10-10T18:29:00.000+01:00

For some unknown reason, I decided to start a clear out of my scrap space last night. Once upon a time it looked like this (Feb 2006!!), now it looks like, well, an ugly mess!

Can you believe that the WHOLE of my craft supplies fitted into this photo?!

Well, I started on my scraps box, and lordy loo la what had I been thinking! I kid you not, there were (many, many) bits of pp in there that were literally 1"x1.5", if that! I think I only take the lid off the box to put stuff in, then it never sees the light of day again......and that was only the tip of the ice-berg. Surprise surprise I got bored by the time the scraps had been purged, and was sitting in a bigger mess than I had started out with.....ho hum. Maybe if I try and do a lil' bit every night, lol!!

Don't forget to keep checking IACW, the prizes are mounting up! Everyone who enters a challenge or donates (every little bit counts, just a few pounds are so important) is in for a chance of winning. Go and have a peek at the list of prizes ;)

Oooh, and today I had a surprise delivery, a gorgeous bunch of roses from my friend Nicky to congratulate us on our marriage! Last week I was given a beautiful potted Orchid from my friend Sarah too, so pretties all round :)

Sunflower sabotage! (again)

2007-10-09T14:13:00.000+01:00

Our sunflowers just never had an easy ride. After having been decimated by slugs as seedlings, then vandalised by squirrels we finally thought they were safe when they were fully grown. Two days ago we had a bed full of sunflowers sprouting massive seed heads, we couldn't wait for a fairytale scene of little woodland birds flying in for a feast or two. Or not.
I looked out of the window yesterday morning to see a row of headless stalks. Even the saucer sized heads had gone, without a trace. Bloody squirrels! I managed to fish a few stray seeds out of the undergrowth but I don't think they are properly matured. We'll see.

On a more sparkly note, check this little lot out. It was okay to buy all of it, wasn't it?

Oooh, and if anyone knows where I can get my paws on this little lot of lovelies as well, you will be my bff, and I mean it!

Twinkle Twinkle

Today happiness is...

Take two.

Hot, hot, hot.

Cardmakers!

I wish I had a ......

Rainy Day

Scrapbook Inspiration time!

More skelligtons...

How rubbish am I?

Party party!

Good cake vibes please

Planning...

Oh lordy loo laa....

Pedro

Felting!

Poorly poo

Beach Party, all welcome.

Country boys...

I am getting younger (and taller)

Bits and pieces...

Curtains, I have Curtains!

Puff...pant.....

Visitors

I did it!

Not quite there yet....

Lil' catch up...

My nan was friends with Percy Thrower you know....

Weekend capers

Oooh yum

Ally Pally

Gardeners' World chez soi

More oldies!

The Truth

*swoon*

Bribesville

Stylin'

To quote my beloved Prince...

Sun and stickies (and water)

Colo{u}r Combos!

My scrap space

Spring has sprung!

Choc Heaven

Snow and chocolate

Have to share these.....

Gratuitous proud parent post!

Warning

Are we there yet?

Busy lizzie

Friday night telly!

Scrumptious!

Bits to share

Just a quickie!

Scanning....

100th post!

Lookie what I got :)

It's like Miami Vice here!

Sunshine

George is at CHA!

Weekend fun

What goes around comes around.....

Blimey!

Hello!

Progress report:

Bits and Bobs

Delivery Calm!

...and breathe....

*Shock News!*

Still photo-less (apart from the hundreds in the drawer)

Technically....

Nearly back to normal....

Happy New Year!

Panic stations

Reporting back!

Christmas Eve #2

Happy Christmas!

Ho hum

MORE babies!

43 to go....

More mouths to feed.....

swoon

Shock News!

Baby fish update from earlier post!

yawn