Its Been A While

I feel like I haven't blogged for ages, I was waiting to put some nice pictures up but I haven't taken many pictures this week.

It's been a busy week, I spent Monday doing some nice things with Belle, we went to our Music With Mummy group in the morning and called in to school on the way back to congratulate one of my friends who has just got herself a new job. As it was lunchtime all the children made a fuss of Isabelle as did the teachers!

I did some supply teaching on Tuesday, with a reception class. I had quite a nice time but it is a long time since I was in a reception class and they seemed so small and manic LOL

I have been painting a mural on the school wall with the children but because of the weather we are going to have to finish it after half term. It is coming on quite nicely though. I have some better pictures of it but I am posting this one because then you can't see the childrens identities which sadly you have to be so careful of these days :( As you can see the weather was a bit dull. All the sunny days have been the days when I am not in painting - all my painting days have been either dull or VERY wet!

Yesterday I felt a bit grotty and when I got home I was really sick :( NO - not pregnant as Mum and DH both suggested! However there was something to cheer me up as the new Basic Grey Ribbons are now here and in stock and I just LOVE them. To my mind they are definitely not cheap but both Mum and I are coveting sets of these ribbons because they are divine. Very strokable, very well made and beautifully designed. On reflection I honestly think that I would rather spend the money on these than spend the same amount and get more cheap ribbons. There are 5 designs, Urban Couture, Color Me Silly, Hang 10, Oh Baby! (goes with both the boy and girl Oh Baby collections) and Basic Black. (shown in the picture)

I don't often use the blog to shamelessly plug our products but these are yummy. You can find them here!

Lovely day out

Yesterday I went out to Dedham with some friends and their children to feed the ducks. We had a great time despite my friends little boy who is only two deciding to fling himself into the (very shallow) river to try and stroke a duckling! I took some photos of course. I got a couple of Izzy in her buggy looking at the ducks and a lot of Johnny and Em splashing about in their red wellies! I love this picture of Isabelle and Emily - whenever you ask Emily to smile she pulls the most hilarious, crazy and very adorable face! Isabelle was determined to ignore the camera though.

I also love this photo of Johnny with the river as a back drop - he is looking kind of serious because he is soaking wet after his close encounter with the water.

So we had a fun morning and then in the afternoon we went to our friend Maddies first birthday party. Life at the moment is one long round of birthday parties as obviously everyone in my baby group has childrens birthdays within a few weeks of each other because we met at antenatal classes. Belle is the youngest so her birthday will be almost the last of the parties. We have actually got a joint party a week after Isabelles so that all the Dads who miss out in the week can be there. It will be fun and a good chance to get the next installment of group babvy photos taken!

Had A Great Time

Well now I am home I can admit that although I was looking forward to our trip to Bonanza I was more than a little bit apprehensive about it after some of the horror stories from last year but I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I have to say that we didn't experience any major problems - well I don;t suppose you can blame the organisers for a huge power cut due to a lightening strike!

I enjoyed my classes and met up with lots of people. I loved meeting up with Karen, Kirsty and Dawn from our Design Team - I'd met Kirsty before and but not Karen and Dawn so it was great to meet in real life and of course get our photos taken together!

I chatted for a while with Katy AKA Kdarli who was very sweet. The lovely Bubz was on the door of the shopping hall and I lost count how many times I abandonned my stuff by her table. She also did a great job helping me persuade Mum we needed a stamp making machine! Jo AKA Rudishoes was helping out on the Art from the Heart stand although I am SURE it was an imposter as her hair was not the same as on her avatar - she also managed to help secure the purchase of said stamp machine by ooohhhing and aahhing in all the right places as I rambled on to mum about business branding with an ATDML rubber stamp! The girls on the card fairy stand were unmissable - they were decked out in pink wigs and wings, I chatted to Jaffne for a while but I missed out on chatting to Mad Ginger Clare as she was helping out in a class at the time :(

I was so glad to meet Anna AKA Bumblebee and I had the most lovely time chatting to Annie over a Subway lunch - so nice to just sit, eat and chat for ages and thank you to the ladies at the next table who took this picture of Me, Annie, Kirsty and Anna.

All in all - I have come home tired but having had a great time playing with inks and altery stuff, making mini books and layouts and of course shopping in between meeting up with some fab girls.

Bonanza

Morning All - I am here at the NEC Hilton waiting to go to Bonanza. Really looking forward to it - first class is Ranger Inks - will hopefully update later! Looking forward to meeting loads of people. byeeeeeeeeeeeee

It's A Tough Job To Solve The Worlds Great Mysteries When You're Just A Baby!

I love this picture of Belle looking like she is trying to figure out a really complicated problem! She stayed at Mums last night so that this morning I could spend a bit of time working on the website and also because Darren and I are both fluey and icky! As I was about to go the evening sun was really lovely and I couldn't resist snapping a few pictures of Isabelle and Mum.

Congratulations Hannah\Noodle & Kirsty!

Have you seen Hannahs winning layout for the Scrap Yourself challenge? It is one of those rare layouts where it is heartfelt, full of emotion and drop dead gorgeous all at the same time! You can see it here on UKS or here on Kirstys blog. Hannah is my foster daughter on UKS although I have to say I have been woefully inadequate cos I didn't want to come across as too pushy! I was lucky enough to meet her at Nickis crop and see this glorious piece of artwork in real life and I loved it. A very deserving winner.

Kirsty did a fabulous job inspiring scrappers to go to their craft rooms and scrap themselves. I have to confess to not having had time to look at EVERY entry in detail but I have seen a lot. Kirsty should be EXTREMELY proud of herself for getting something so huge off the ground. I guess thats the power of Jaffa Cakes as a fuel!

Our design team gallery for the month goes live tomorrow - more gorgeous work this month. Every month I am amazed that these girls can produce so many layouts which are all lovely and yet all so different even with the same supplies. I find it very inspirational - especially when I get scrappers block, to go and look through our Design Team gallerries.

Isabelle is still feeling quite sorry for herself - she has a cold and more teeth coming through, so she is off her food and has been feeling pretty rough. I took this photo of her yesterday in the garden. The look on her face says it all really!

ARGHHHHHHH

OK so this picture says it all. Grizzly teething baby, husband who is poorly as well and a mountain of things I need\want\have to do. If someone could arrange for a temporary halt to the progression of time and if it isn't to much to ask to also get everyone else in the world into suspended animation I may, just may, get everything done that I need to get done. I have 6 days before we head off to Birmingham for Bonanza and it would be lovely if I could go knowing all the jobs I need to get done before then are done and out the way. Ho hum, off to try and make a small dent in the job list while Belle (hopefully) has a little nap!