That Awful Call

Remember the little car on the left. The one we bought Matt for his 18th birthday. Well look below, here it is now.

The car is a right-off. 'Thankfully Matt walked away unharmed and no-one else was involved. So thank God all we have lost is money, and I couldn't care in the slightest about every penny of it. Getting that phone call to say he had crashed made my blood run cold. It's awful. Thankfully he was going very slow (God knows what happens at speed), he was travelling over a road full of speed bumps and he thought something had fallen off the car (he said it sounded as if the back windscreen had fallen off - the one we had replaced the month before when it was smashed due to burglars nicking his CD player!!!). He briefly turned to see what had fallen (nothing has it happens), turned back round to find himself being wrapped round a lamp post. The car was proclaimed a 'right off' due to the chassis having been pushed right back and the roof kinking, or something similar. The car seemed jinxed. Broken into twice, and now this - all since June. So, its gone - kapput. We have had it scrapped and informed DVLA so that it can never be used again.

I was talking to a fireman friend of mine (I used to be married to one). The day before he had had the terrible terrible job of releasing four young teenagers killed in a car crash near Worcester. The car had hit a tree. My heart breaks for the phone call their parent's must have received.

I told him about Matt's crash and how he thankfully walked away unhurt (bit of wiplash). He said that sometimes it is 'good', if that is the right word, for a young male to have a bump in the first year of driving as long as no-one is hurt. It brings their mortality home to them and they seriously think about their driving skills. They tend to think they are invincible, don't they, these youngsters.

Just wanted to get that post out of the way before the New Year.

Welcome to his new little car, a Hyundai, that we have bought for him. He needs a car for his job as he works about 8 miles away from where he is living with my sister. She lives out in the sticks so there isn't even public transport for him to get into Worcester. He does have the option of living with us in Swindon, but he has found a job that he absolutely loves (he is a personal trainer), and doesn't want to give it up. So, hopefully, a lesson will have been learnt and his eyes will no longer stray from that road!

New Year Resolution
Ok. So, it is only the 29th, but my New Year Resolution is going to be 'I will update my Blog on a regular basis'. Haven't been around much lately. A lot going on as usual. However, my youngest son put it all into perspective for me. 'Considering you do all this meditation stuff and are always preaching about the power of positive thinking - how come you go to pieces whenever you are stressed over us kids'. Wow, totally correct. The rest of the world with all the good and bad, I can cope with. My motto 'what doesn't kill ya, makes you stronger', for me, only seems to work as long as my kids aren't involved. So, I have had a good think over the Christmas holiday, and my son is totally right. I need to practice what I preach on a daily basis, whatever is going on in my life, good or bad. It has not been a good year, and I have found I have only been able to scrap and blog when things are going ok. So, hopefully, all that is going to change. Life is life, good bad and ugly on a daily basis. I love my scrapping and intend to try really hard to keep it all going throughout the bad times as well as the good. I will also find time to meditate regularly and continue practising my spirituality. I used to sit in a 'circle'. Haven't done that for a while. If work allows, I will try to join another circle (difficult though as it isn't something you can just 'turn up' to occasionally - it is a commitment). So, for now bloggers, I leave you with this piccie - Its an old one, but one of my favourites of my son and his girlfriend. (I hope to take more piccies and put them on my blog - cos I know when I read blogs, I love to look at the piccies). Piccie mad us Scrappers. lol.
btw. whats with the new google blog thing that they are asking us to use on Blogger?

This is cool. Im showing off me A plus. give it a whirl.

Your Vocabulary Score: A+

Congratulations on your multifarious vocabulary! You must be quite an erudite person.

How's Your Vocabulary?

Good News/Bad News.
The good news is, that after a very rocky, tempestuous year, Scott and Janine seem to have worked it all out. They are back together, and appear very happy. What a true saying 'The course of true love never runs smooth'. Think this saying was made for these two. There is no doubt about it, they completely love each other, and hopefully now they have both realised this, and got over all the silly jealousies and game playing, they may be able to settle down to 'being happy together'. Lets Hope.
The bad news, however, is that after an emergency appointment yesterday with Scott's Rheumy, it appears there is a possibility he has TB. He is being admitted within the next 24 hours for tests. This could explain why the last 2 months he has been in a flare with his 'Arthur', that we cannot get under control. I have total faith in his Consultant - even though I only found out today that the medication he has been injecting himself with for the past (almost) 3 years, leaves you susceptible to TB.

Im a Bad Blogger.
I am a fair weather blogger and a fair weather scrapper. I have discovered this over the past few weeks. When I have problems in my life (which I have, and have had), my mojo flies out of the window. I only enjoy scrapping when all is well with my life. Same seems to be with blogging too. I wish I could write down all my problems and give them a good old airing - but i just can't seem to do it. I do occasionally ceremoniously write down stuff and then burn it - that feels good.
Loads of stuff going on at present. Still, I am trying to practise what I preach, and 'live for the moment', cos after all, that is all we have. I read somewhere recently, that if animals could talk, and you asked an Eagle (or any other animal, bird etc), 'What time is it please', they would answer ' Well it is now of course'. Cos let's face it, it is true, we only have now. We should therefore learn to live and enjoy the present. I am reading Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now, at the moment (Now, lol). Hard going, but really good. So everyone, live the moment.

Gosh. It is ages since I blogged. I have been soooooo busy the past few weeks with work. This is our busiest time of the year and really cannot moan about being busy cos a few other conservatory companies that we know have gone bust this year.
However, our youngest son Matthew had his 18th Birthday on the 16th of this month. He passed his driving test on the 5th of this month, so we have bought him a little run around for his 18th. More worry !!!! When does the worry ever end!!! As I work/live in Swindon, and he and my older son live in Worcester, each night before I go to bed, I pretend in my mind that they are both safely tucked up in bed, reading. That's the only way I ever manage to sleep!!
Here he is with said car. We are quite pleased with it. Bought it from a lovely family in The Lawns, Swindon (anybody who knows Swindon will know that it's a lovely area). Only had two owners, full service history and incredibly low mileage, so we paid a bit over the top for it, but have had it checked out and seems worth it. Don't want to talk about the Insurance however, as I am still taking inhalers for the shock. Years ago, when I passed my test - admittedly in those days, think I was one of the first women drivers on the road, lol - but I just was added to my Dad's insurance. Can't do that nowadays, and the quotes were unreal. 3rd party, fire and theft only with some of them was over 2k!!!! As he is doing his pass plus (another new thing to me), we managed to get one for 1300 quid. phew!!!! Imagine having four kids and buying cars for each of them as they passed their test. Not that I have, thank goodness. Just the two and that will do nicely.

Band of the Banned
I appear to have joined the realms of the Banned people over at an altered art forum. It is all very strange. A friend of mine came to stay for a few days, and was using my computer. As I am automatically logged in to various forums, she was posting in my name, save keep logging in and out. She happened to ask, on this particular forum, why she was unable to 'pm' one of our other friends. Apparently, due to this awful indiscretion, we were both banned. Turns out that lots of people have been banned and lots of other people not even allowed on to the hallowed ground of AN Forum. All very strange if you ask me. Still, their loss. I'm certainly not going to lose any sleep over it. Can't be bothered with such small minded bigots.

Thanks to the wonder that is the INTERNET, I have found my cousins that I have not seen for getting on 40 years. Our mothers were sisters who came over from Ireland in their teens to make a new life for themselves. We were all very close when we were young, but unfortunately, my mum died when I was 13 and my aunt, uncle and cousins had moved away to London by then. Everyone then just went their ways, as we do in life, and we all lost touch. So it is absolutely fabulous to have found them again and we are all hoping to meet later this year. So here are my cousins: Angie, and Patricia. Angie is pictured with Pat's son Robin, Pat is on her own (picture wise that is) cos the lovely looking fella in the flowered shirt is her hubby, Pat's other son Pete is on his own gazing gorgeously out (to sea, I think as he is a Diving Instructor) Angies lad Christopher is the one with the gorgeous long hair. I have yet to get a piccie of my other cousin Teresa and family, but when I do, I will post on. Can ya tell I'm all excited. Can deffo see a family resemblance, and can't wait to meet them all.

Bless
I'm a bit of an overprotective mother, it has to be said. My two boys live in Worcester and I live and work in Swindon. I pop up to Worcester to see them one day each week. I was back there yesterday and whilst in Tescos replenishing their stocks, got a text from Matthew, my youngest, saying to check the laptop when I got back. Ooooeeer, thinks I, looks like Im gonna be spending the night fixing viruses. When I got back and checked, he had written me a poem and left it on the laptop for me to see:

My Old Dear
Never left wanting yea my mum’s a dream
Cook you a dinner n sew up your seams
Unquestioning love gladly received
Think I’ll come home early so you can rub my feet



You’re always up waiting when I come home
Kind of feel bad you’re left all alone
I know that you worry but mummy I’m grown
Finding a way to make this life my own



You don’t have to be there every day
I know your love won’t go away
My guardian angel, my modern day saint
My love for mum will always stay



You never seem to stop til the day is done
Never have time to feel the rays of the sun
Taught me some lessons, I ain’t forgot one
Want you to be proud that I am your son

How sweet is that!

What a Week
I got robbed - and it's definitely taken the wind out of my sails. Got a panic phone call from our accountant asking which one of us was in Bangkok!!! We were both in our dressing gowns at the time - in sunny Swindon - deffo not Bangkok. turns out one of our cards had made 5 separate transactions in 5 separate banks in Bangkok amounting to the princely sum of fifteen hundred smakaroonis. Some robbing sod had 'cloned' our debit card. After scraping DH off the ceiling, he proclaimed that it had to be me cos of all the internet shopping I do, and as he is a total technophobe, he couldn't possibly have done anything wrong. I was absolutely dying for it to have been his card. alas, however, it did turn out to be my card - but absolutely nothing to do with the internet. Although I live in Swindon, my 'home' town (City actually), is Worcester, where I have a house and my children live in it. I travel up weekly to check they haven't totally wrecked the joint (partially, I can and have had to handle,lol). On my way back, I call in at the local petrol station before hitting the M5, which I found out today is under investigation for major fraud. So after lengthy police calls, bank calls etc., it turns out some little weasel at that petrol station has cloned mine and dozens of other cards, passed the information on to an accomplice in Bangkok, where they draw out literally hundreds and thousands of pounds at different banks over a period of 2/3 days at a time. C.I.D Police and Fraud people from the Bank are investigating as we speak, and I am hoping and praying we get our money back. Not a brilliant week. I blame my Buddha, or actually my husband. I have a lovely Buddha water fountain with a revolving crystal over which the water cascades. About 3 weeks ago, my husband decided to clean it out. It stopped working. The past 3 weeks have been rubbish although it wasn't until this morning that DH said, 'things have really gone wrong since that Buddha stopped working, Im gonna try to fix it'. So he takes it apart to find, dah, dah, an on/off switch that he had obviously accidentally switched off whilst cleaning. So Buddha switched back on. Within minutes, had a phone call from a potential customer. A phone call from the Bank saying we should get our money back, and a phone call about a planning application (we erect conservatories), that we have had a problem with due to a sewer pipe, giving us the go ahead. My hubby is now definitely a convert.

Life Before Mobile Phones
My hubby is constantly moaning at me cos my mobile phone is usually somewhere at the bottom of my handbag and by the time I answer the blooming thing, he has cut off. Anyway, we were mooching around a market last weekend when I saw this lush mobile phone holder that hangs round ya neck. Wear it or I strangle you with it, was my darlings husbands retort. So, so far he has managed to get me in the loo at work. At the checkout down Asda, talking to a customer, and a phone call at 1am in the morning (Im in bed and he is downstairs), to come down and photograph the cat cos she looks so cute and I don't want to disturb her. aaaaaaarrrgggggghhhhhh (no I dont wear it to bed - i hang it off a chair).
I actually quite enjoyed going for a blood test this week, cos I could turn the blooming thing off.
I know they can be a godsend in our hour of need, eg. when you get stuck on the pub car park and you get locked out of the car and need the AA (& no, I hadnt been drinking - just coffee and lunch with me ol mucker Jaks), but omg, they can be an absolute pain in the but at times.
Still quite like my holder though. Great to store ya lippy and money, instead of carrying a handbag.

ooooer. she who must be obeyed has tagged me. So here goes Jak:

5 Things

(1) Five things in my fridge

Leerdammer
Muller Lite
Philadelphia
Tandoori Chicken (leftover)
Salad

(2) Five things in my Wardrobe
Mikes many clothes
My large clothes
My smaller clothes
Mikes Panama hat (lol)
shoes

(3) Five things in my bag
LIPPY (I dont leave the house without me lippy)
Mobile phone
Credit/Debit/Loyalty Cards
Keys
Junk

(4) Five things in my car
Scrapbooking mags (to read whilst waiting for OH when in Hydrotherapy/acupuncture
Coat
CD's
Change (money that is, not clothes)
Business stuff

(5) Five programmes i would save on Tivo (If I knew wot it woz, that is)
Medium
Supernatural
Crossing over (bit of a theme going on here, lol)
Friends (cos I dont care how many re-runs, i still love it and laugh as if it were first time Ive seen it)
Will and Grace

Worked most of Easter Weekend. Booked for Scrappersunlimited Retreat at Gloucester in November. Hoooooray. Really excited about that. My sis has come down to stay as its her birthday. We have been 'doing' all the local craft stores, as she has decided to become a 'card maker'. I made her a canvas for her birthday, which she loved. Its is based on Kirstys layout 'Baby Blue' . It is the last piccie she had taken with Dad before he passed to the other side. Did it it Lilac as this is her fave colour and will go nicely in her bedroom.

Its Been A Sad Week
Cos Scott and Janine have split up. They have split up a couple of times, but this time I think it is the real thing. It's a shame as I do believe they had a genuine love for each other, however, their rows over the past 12 months have become difficult for everyone else to live with, so goodness knows what its been like for them. Always sad when a relationship comes to an end. I hope they can stay mates though, as they shared an important part of each others lives.

Ally Pally

Looking forward to Saturday. Going to the Ally Pally Show (by Limo, just in case i forgot to mention). Looking for loadsa stash, cos just joined two luverly CJ's. One is doodling and flowers and my theme is 'Favourite Musicals' and the other one is for ATC Newbies, which is me, as i have never made an ATC before - my theme is Angels and Fairies. Looking forward to both of those, so need loadsa new stuff for them. Will have lots more piccies to post too, whilst doing them. Apart from that, started a canvas for my sisters birthday, which I know will make her cry. Will post a piccie when its finished. made a few cards. worked. Thats about it.

Had a great day today. Swindon crop. I love it. We have a great bunch of girls and have a good laugh. Making a canvas for my sister for her birthday, so worked a bit on that. Did the weekly challenge on UKS this week. Had to include water, something shiny, something from the house, and a hidden tag. here is my little effort. Did it a bit quick to get it in in time, but at least its a page for the album.

Blonde Moments

This is the layout i did yesterday of my son's lovely girlfriend Janine having her highlights done. Seemed very appropriate to use the gorgeous Blonde Moments paper for her Blonde Moment.
Apart from that, worked most of the weekend. boo. Hoping to go up to Worcester to see kids tomorrow, then back to it. Swindon crop next Sunday though, so have that to look forward to, and then Ally Pally the week after (in a limo), wooooohhhooooo.

Gosh, can't believe it has been a full week since i have blogged. Sorry. seems my life is one round of work work and more work at the moment. Hoping to be part of a new cj, doodling and flowers. Due to the fact we have all had so much fun with Kirsty's challenge, that we all want a whole book of doodles and primas and all things flowery. Looking forward to that. Took some piccies of Janine with her 'foils' in the other week, so hoping to do a 'Blonde moments' layout on my blonde moments paper. lol. Might have a go at the tomorrow. will post it when its finished. Also bought some gorgeous antiquey buckles and bits and bobs from a lady selling antiquey bits and bobs. lol. so want to do a heritage page as well. (50pence each I may add, fabby).

It's been a bit of a sad week. It was the anniversary of my Dad's death. 3 years. His dog, Elsa, who he adored, died this week, 3 years to the day of my dad dying. Bit weird, really.
On a lighter note. I have spent the afternoon doing what we scrappers love best. Up to my eyes in paper, glue, etc. Have done the lovely Kirstygorgeouspants (mine and Jak's nickname for her), challenge. A page with a piccie of myself on. I hate having my piccie taken. Would happily scrap piccies of me before the dreaded weight went on, but now its not so easy. Chose the last piccie I ever had taken with my dad in memory of him (had to crop him out unfortunately - gotta keep ya sense of humour, lol), don't worry, still got the original. Luckily Kirsty said we could go back 5 years, so well within the limit (3 years). so this is my little effort.

Now that we cant add our layout point on our signatures, Im gonna have to be really boring and keep count on my blog, cos I'll never remember otherwise. So this month have done, so far, 3 x 12x12 los for Homegrown plus one tag. One 12 x 12 layout challenge Italy for UKS. A jiggy piece for a jigsaw swap. so all up to date now and can concentrate on doing Kirsty's Woman Challenge.
This is my entry for this month's Italy challenge. Had to be done. How can i not when my favourite for ever in the world paintings are by Italian Artists.

This is another layout I did for the Homegrown Challenge. We had to incorporate the No. 3, with 3 frames, 3 buttons, 3 layouts and 3 patterned papers. Quite weird cos I think it is really naff, but hubby really liked it (think its probably cos he is on it). Got loads to do this week and really busy with work. Wanted to do this months layout for uks as well, cos I've got a good idea lurking around my one creative little grey cell. Supposed to be working all weekend, but gonna skive on Saturday to go to Jak's crop in Droitwich. She betta bake a nice cake, seeing as Im driving 70 miles to it.

Swindon Croppers
Wene to Swindon crop yesterday. It is really good as we are all getting to know each other quite well now and having a right laugh. In fact, we are all going together to the Ally Pally in April, and boy, are we doing it in style. We have booked a limo to take us and pick us up afterwards. Champers on board. There has even been talk of pole dancing in the limo on the way home. note to self : must remember to ask my ol mate Jak if she is using her broomstick that weekend, sure she can find another mode of transport for the day, she won't mind us using it as a pole. bless. (lubs ya Jaks). We are opponents in a competition at the moment for Homegrown, so Im not allowed to be too nice to her - got to scare her into submission. lol
Anyway, here's one of the layouts I have done for the challenge. We had to use ribbons as a main part of the layout.

Strange thinks happening.

I blogged yesterday, but it has disappeared and the blog I did the day before is dated today.
So, here's what I blogged yesterday, today:

This is the box and album I have made for my father-in-law who lives in the Phillipines. i have based the box lid on a class I did last year at the Scrappers Unlimited Retreat (which was fabbo by the way). Hope he likes it. Not quite sure if he will 'get it', but hey ho, can only try.

HELP

I think I have a slight idea now of the kind of pressure the Designers are under to complete layouts to deadlines. Not that Ive suddenly become a designer - no chance of that. However, I have joined a challenge on one of the American Sites. I have enjoyed the challenges I have been doing lately on UKS for my House Team and the weekly challenges, so decided to give it a go. It will Inspire me I thought. Aaaarrggghhhh. Today we were given our 'challenges' and we have TEN, yes 10 different challenges to do and be uploaded by March 8th. That is 7 days away as it is half an hour to 2nd March. I am panicking now, as we are in teams and I dont want to let my team down. Have never had to work to that kind of deadline before, and have work plus nipping (60miles), back home to Worcester at some stage in between now and next Wednesday. oh well, ho hum, better get scrapping......

Wierd Day today

It is my mother in law's birthday today. She was diagnosed with Lewy Bodies Dementia last year - her hubby died a couple of months later, so she is now cared for in a Care Home. We went to see her to take her for lunch and I made her a card. She was, without a doubt, probably one of the most intelligent women I have met in my lifetime. She is widely travelled. Could complete the Times crossword over a cup of coffee. Having said all that, she would have described herself as a 'Homemaker'. She loved her home. She is now but the a shadow of her former self, and would be mortified if she knew I had to go into 'Ladies' with her, to help her with her knickers and tucking in her blouse and zipping up her zips. Life can be very cruel. I pray she doesn't drag on in this scary (for her) zone, that she doesn't understand, and has no return.

Heres my ickie Taggette.
What scrapbooking lines/products/etc. do you dislike.
I can honestly say. nothing. I try to see the good in most things and that includes stash. Not much out there that can't be used for something.

What is the hardest thing you have ever had to scrap?
It is still to be done. After losing my dad a couple of years ago, I really want to make books for my boys. Just can't do it still at the moment.

What technique do you use more than any other?
If you were to ask the girls at my local crop (Swindon), they would say Crackle Glaze. lol. This is cos it can be quite time consuming, and as I like to goss with the girls, it is something i can do all day and not have to concentrate too hard whilst chatting.

Ever been published?
I wish.

What's the smallest scrap of paper you save?
Got boxloads. If you can fit a pixie stamp on it, its saved. Having said that i rarely use half of it.

Ever had any scrapbooking-related injuries?
Not personally, although my friend jak fell down my front step whilst having armfuls of stash and pulling her trolley. Still swears I pushed her to this day. lol.

Finish the sentence "If I wasn't a scrapbooker, i would spend my money on....."
Spiritual books, crystals, reiki, classes and techniques.

Give us your best storage or organisational ideal.
I love my ickie craft mate thingy that carries all the boxes of small embellies. Took hours to fill, but now I feel quite saintly getting them out and looking through the little lids to see what Ive got.

You just won a week-long scrapbooking cruise for 5. Who's going with you?
the girls from my crop. Might have to stow a couple of 'em away tho.

After you've answered the questions, tag six of your scrapbook buddies!!
hahahahahaha. watch out, theres a tagger about.

This is my 'take' based on this weeks challenge on UKS. It was based on Pancake Day (even tho' I did Red Nose Day) - well, I did say it was 'based' on this weeks challenge. Having downloaded The Gorgeous Elsie Flannigan's flower garden font from 2peas, and bought some flower stamps, I will admit I have gone a little bit Flower Power mad. Think Ive got it out of my system now though and will calm down a bit. However, I lurve those ickie flowers, so they will deffo be popping themselves into my layouts in the future, maybe just not quite as many. lol.
By the way, Ive been tagged by the lovely Chrissie. I'm a virgin tagger, so will have a think about it tonight and blog it tomorrow. (Thanks Chrissie, you're my first).

Typing this with the gorgeous smell of braised lamb shanks wafting through the house. Have bought a new slow cooker, and it is wonderful. Chucked it all in this morning and we came home to the lovely aroma of our dinner already cooked. Yum. Popping a piccie of my Art Journal Cover on to remind me to actually fill the rest of it in.lol. Ordered a new Basic Grey pack and Daisy D pack with a few other bits from me ol mate Jaks last night, so really looking forward to getting me mitts on those little lurvelies. Spending the evening clearing out my scraproom, as I ended up stamping onto a piece of card last night with a space about 2" square, which was the only bit of space not covered in stash. So determined not to do anymore, until I clear up. urgh.

Well, continuing with my trying to participate and show my work more. I have done this weeks challenge on UKS. The theme was Love and we had to incorporate Red, Black,Gold and something oriental, so I have grabbed full points with this layout I have done of Scott and Janine. Really, really enjoyed doing this layout as I have used newly downloaded font made by elsiecake of 2peas, and I absolutely love em. Quite pleased with it.

Still feeling rough with this lousy cold. ggrrrr. However, I feel I am starting to get more involved lately with sharing my work and bits. Always felt a bit self conscious before (plus, my scanning and stitching leaves a lot to behold). Hopefully, the more I do, the better I will get. Have entered the House Challenge this month. The subject was France, so Janine sent me a couple of piccies of herself with Scott and her parents when they went to 'Gas' in the South of France, and this is the result. This week, I will also be putting my Art Journal on which will give me a kick up the pants to get January finished even though it is February. lol.

Feel really rough today. Caught this blooming virus that's going around. Throat and chest feel like sandpaper. So apart from work, not done too much today. Hoping to finish the page I am doing in me 'ol mate Jak's cj. It is her 70's cj and she has a spare page, so I am doing an entry. As we are Kirsty's groupies (she doesn't know it tho' so sshhhhhhh! ), I am copying the style of Kirsty and Elsiecake and doing loads of doodles and hand journalling. Told Jak she will need to call me Sallybun now. We both love their work. Will put a piccie on tomorrow when it is finished.

This is my new blog. I have tried before, and failed miserably. If at first, and all that malarkey, here I go again. I have called her (I think she is a she) Serendipity, as I hope to fill her with lots of interesting unexpected finds as well, no doubt, as moans, laughs and any other little ditties that come my way. Just keeping fingers crossed that I get the hang of it this time. Piccies are of my son Scott and his girlfriend Janine, and the other one is Matt, my youngest. They are very special to me and will probably feature a lot in my blog, so thought I'd show a piccie of them.