Merry Christmas Everyone

Ho Ho Ho Ba Humbug. I bloody hate Christmas. I think it's because the world wants to stop for a day, but thats impossible. I am one of those people for whom it's impossible to stop for. I worked Christmas Day, Boxing Day and the Sunday. 3 lovely nightshifts. Its Christmas though, the Season of good will. I wish. Its the season of drink as much as you possibley can and bash whoever as hard as you possibley can. Needless to say, I've been busy!

On a more positive note H had his first Christmas, and was so lucky will all his toys. Everyone has been very generous and he hasn't even received everything yet! We did not have a traditional dinner. We went out for a curry. It was really busy at the restaurant and it was really good value.


For New Year I am going to make some resolutions. I make the same resolution every year, to loose 3 stone! I have accepted that this is never going to happen. I lost 2 stone last year, which is something I have not done before. Granted it was baby weight and needed to come off, though now I know I can do that I am going to try and get my BMI down to under 25, making me not over weight. I have never not been over weight my whole adult life, so I am going to see if I can achieve this. I need to loose 1.5 stones to do that. I got a lovely set of weighing scales for Christmas so I will be able to put them to good use!

Here's to a lighter me for 2010. The other things I want to achieve in 2010 is to move house. I can't live in this house anymore. I need my own home. I hate renting!!

Where have I been?

I have not blogged for ages. Being back at work has really taken it out of me. The night shifts are a killer, and are really boring. I am struggling with knowing what to do, I feel like such a failure. I am hoping that it will come back to me, but its been 2 months now and its not getting any easier!

H is being a bit of a nightmare on the shifts that I am at work. Its taking it out of Ian, I keep thinking its Ian, but one set it was a tooth coming through and now its a cold. He doesn't cope with pain very well at all, just like his mum!! He is getting really big now. I have decided to skip 9-12 month clothes and he's in 12-18months. He's been in a while now. He's so long and so chunky!

Have have been trying to make some Christmas cards. My mum bought me lots of christmas things in August, and I finally got some promarkers this week so I have been practising, but I am just not sure I have the imagination! I have also subscribed to 2 cardmaking magazines to get some techniques right.

I also haven't been taking that many pictures and haven't up loaded many on to the computer! I'm so slack. Maybe one day I will start getting motived and organised with my life. To be honest I feel like sleeping for a few days, and then buying some energy and zest for life! Now where can I buy that from???

Time Flies

I haven't updated my blog for ages. I have kept meaning to, but haven't! I have been making cards, but not very often, but I keep leaving it to late to enter them on blog competitions. Silly me.

I have gone back to work, I have been there for 2 weeks now, I am having a few days off at the moment, which is great. I am applying to drop 2 days, which will make a huge difference for my shift pattern. Getting back into nights has been a killer! So life is very busy at the moment with the 3 of us getting used to the change. H isn't that bothered though. He has never noticed that I have gone!

My dad has lent me his camera, I am always taking pictures, and his is a SLR so I am hoping that I will be able to get some better quality shots, though he can't find the manual so I am not sure how to use it! I have used a set of batteries already on some shots taken yesterday afternoon.




I am going to make a new baby card, my friend text me so say she had a boy yesterday! Thomas. She was due at the same time when I had H, but she sadly miscarried so I am so pleased for her. Also, I don't know if you remember me mentioning a while back that my friend had an operation has she had been having fertility problems, well she got pregnant 2 weeks after the operation! I am made up for her!

Engaged!

On Saturday I got engaged, finally!

It is something that I have been waiting for and my OH knows that! We went away to Leeds for our first weekend away before I was pregnant, stayed at the lovely malmasion hotel, got far too drunk then he popped the question. It wasn't exactly romantic. He had choosen a ring, was waiting all night to do it, but wasn't sure when. So he asked when we got back to the hotel. By this time though I was worse for wear, the ring was a little tight, we passed out on the bed and when I woke at 3.30am my finger was very swollen! Luckily we were able to swap the ring when we got up on sunday.

I am wanting to get married next autumn. I love autumn. The wedding will have to be a budget wedding. I am going to reduce my hours further at work. We can manage on less money, and it is important that we still have plenty of family time together. I go back next monday, I don't feel as bad about it as I thought. It will be nice to regain a little part of me back, but I will still get full weeks off with H. I am only going to be working 16 days out of 35, hopefully reducing it to 14 days out of 35. Shifts, its too complicated to explain!

Get Well

I have decided to enter the Crafty Card Makers challenge again. I spent ages making the card last night, but I am disappointed in it! It is the glue. I have ran out of my normal glue which I bought off the net with some supplies, so I used to glue from the pound shop, and it's hopeless. The paper and card didn't set properly, and you can really see that on the card! I am however pleased with my flowers. I made them using some cuts that I had in a pack from tesco, I just traced round them and cut them out on my paper. The paper is from my stash from The Works. I have lots of cut outs now, so can make lots of flowers!

The card is for my sister, she went into hospital today, as she needs an operation. I took H with me to visit her as she was so bored. She is having her operation tomorrow, so today was her op prep, which involved Nil by Mouth and lots of laxatives. She wasn't very happy as she had no bed, and was starving, so we sat in the cafe, which probably wasn't the best idea for a hungry paitent.

She enjoyed the company anyway, and H was good. He loves his Aunty F. She text me after I left to say how much she liked the card. Tomorrow I am looking after her poor dog. He has been in all day today as her partner was at work, so I will take him a good walk tomorrow. I also need a trip to the bank tomorrow. Statutory Maternity pay doesn't go far, so looks like I'll need the last of my savings. I'm back at work in 2 weeks on Monday. Where the hell has the time gone!!!

Home Sweet Home

I have been away for the weekend, my first weekend away without my baby. I was supposed to be going on a family camping trip with some girls I know and there families, as we all have babies born in the same month, but it was rained off. I had been asked if I wanted to fill a place on a trip to London a while ago, but had arranged to go camping, so I went to London. I was in two minds whether to go, the baby, I have not been away from him much!! Then there was money, and the fact the girls had planned what they wanted to do so I would have to fit in with the plans.

I went though, it was free travel and accomodation, and my mum helped out with H whilst I was away. I did enjoy myself, but not as much as I would of liked to! I am annoyed we went all the way to london and spent all day saturday looking in shops on Oxford street for a pair of shoes for 1 person!! AHHH. There is so much to see, I didn't see the point of spending hours visiting busy multinational shops which we do actually have up North. I love shoes, but it was hell.

The good points of the weekend though was going to see Grease- it was fab, having a walk through Hyde Park and visiting the icebar, and coming home!!! God I never knew it was physically possible to miss someone so god damn much. I thought my heart was going to break. I am not in a hurry to leave him again! Though me and my other half have a night away planned next weekend!! Its been booked for ages, our first weekend away since the baby, just a shame I'm leaving him again!! I feel like crying, in fact I have felt like it all weekend. On that note I'm going to go and have a moment to myself, sob....sob!

New Arrivals & Death of the Town.

I made this card last night as my friend has finaly had her baby. She had her yesterday morning, Ella, born 15 mins after arriving at the hospital. Lucky thing! I was convinced the baby was going to be a girl so I had made the card a few weeks ago, and finished it off last night. I am always right, sometimes!

So, I am taking this oportunity to enter it into some challenges as well! I am entering it in to The Allsorts Challenge and the Cute Card Thursday Challenge. I seem to have got into this competition entering. Some of the enteries are a professional standard, some people have such a talent.

Today I have been to a local town to the shops. I never go to Spenny shopping as it is the most depressing place in the world, a lot of towns around here are, and I shouldn't have wasted my time today! I looked on the net and saw that there are supposedly 2 craft shops in the town, but there was hardly anything. Most shops are shut down. Its so sad really. Its all our own fault as well because we favour large shopping centres, which have killed our towns. I felt really sad when I came back. I am hoping it is a result of the recession and one day the towns will regenerate but I don't hold much hope. I know myself, everything is cheaper on the net or in shopping centres filled with multinational companies. I don't think there is an easy answer.

Family Holiday Weekends

We have had visitors this weekend, my Mum and Dad and their two dogs, Tia and Tallulah.



The dogs are 11 month old Jack Russell puppies and they attract so much attention wherever we go. We all went for a walk on the beach today, and they ran riot. My mum has had them since they were 11 weeks. When they were tiny they were the cutest thing you have ever seen, they are just so mischievous now.

I have not made any cards this weekend, though I have taken a few pictures. My dad forgot his camera, and said he needs a new battery for it. Though he did say I could borrow it for a bit to try it out. I wont have a clue how to use it! I took some pictures at the beach. I love the beach! Sunderland beach where we went today is not the most picturesque of places, but it is surprisingly nice for sunderland.

This evening I am going to have a glass of wine or two and sort out some craft supplies that my mum bought for me. She buys things where ever she goes for me!

Reunions

I decided to make a card for one of the competitions last night. The theme was Contrasting Colours. I was a bit limited on this one as I seem to have the same colours in my supplies, mainly pink, blue and red. I decided to go for purple and yellow as I had bought some new paper in those colours. The card again has a lot of hearts on it! I seem to do the same theme all the time. The papers are just from The Works, the hearts are from a scrap book set, the rub on from a local craft shop and the ribbon is from an old birthday card. I was pleased with it, but then you look at other peoples cards and feel that yours will never be as good!

I think I just need a wider range of supplies, and this will take a bit of time and money. When I go back to work I can treat myself to a few more supplies! I really want some flower punches, a circle punch, some more stamps- really need a congratulations, and some more proparkers. Though maybe some different pens as the ones I have I don't get on with! I have never had a hobby before but I would say this is it.

I would also love a new camera. My last good one isn't working properly. I would love to splash out on a good one. Saying that, my dad has a really good camera which he doesn't use often. I might ask if I can borrow it for pictures around the house. I daren't take valuable items out of the house as I am very clumsy and can loose things easily.

Today my best friend from Uni has been to visit. She came with her Mum and Dad, as they haven't met H. Her mum was great with him. A surrogate grandma, actually better than his paternal grandma! He had a great day. My friend has been off work for a month now as she has had an operation. She has been trying for a baby for 18 months now, and has come across complications. I hope this operation can be a sucess and her and her husband can have some good luck. This is especially because lots of our good friends are pregnant at the moment. I have a friend due a baby every month now until march! Good job I love making baby cards!

I'll leave you with a picture of my friends wedding from May 07. I was her bridesmaid, (I'm the large one!) and so desperate to catch the bouquet, which I did! It was a lovely day, and it was an honour being her bridesmaid. I hope I can return the honour to her one day soon!

Rain, Rain, Go Away!!!

I can't believe the weather today. I know I keep going on about the weather, but its so depressing. My time off work is fading away, and I'm not able to enjoy the summer! rubbish. I took H swimming this afternoon, and it was packed. We haven't been for a while because it was the holidays but I gave in today and braved all the screaming kids. He has been sleeping soundly this evening as a result though, peace at last.

I have made a few cards in the last few days. One card is for my Mum's birthday next month. It is a A6 card which I bought. I am quite pleased with it, and it looks quite good because it is bigger. The second card is just an experiment with some of the ribbons that I bought from poppicraft, then some embelishments I have been collecting. I am going to put my card making stuff away for the weekend. Unfortuantly I don't have any space to do things so end up on the living room floor. The boxes of things are piled up next to the sofa, very untidy. I am having visitors so I need to tidy it all away! Everything usually gets popped in the garage. We should live in there really.

Anyone know if the weather will be better for tomorrow! Fingers crossed. I need to go for a walk, need some fresh air.

Hopefully they have worked. The botton two are some of my better effort cards, still hoping for some improvement with practise and the top picture is of a bee in the garden. I have a large lavender bush right by the back door and I love watching all the activity there. There is always at least 10 bees in it.

Autumn August

I feel so angry that this is August! We have been completely robbed with this weather. I was sure that we were told that it was going to be a good summer this year as well. Next summer when I am back at work with all my gear on it'll be a scorcher, I can promise you. The two summers when I should have been able to enjoy the weather its not let me enjoy it!

I have become obsessed with shopping trips to buy crafty things. I got some great bargains from the pound shop and the local craft shop which has now shut down. No more bargains to be had there then. I have been making quite a few cards this week. I have been on my own most evenings, due to the other half, playing and watching football. I can see my creations are coming along with practise. I have bought a load of bows, ribbons and buttons from poppicraft. They should be all a great finishing touch to my cards, I also bought lots of stamps, ink and a massive card making set from Dunelm. I stil think my cards are just lacking a bit of something at the moment.

I sent a card to my mum - the thank you one, and one to my grandma with some pictures of H. They both called to say how lovely the cards were. I also made a weding acceptance card, though I titled it Celebrate, as I am a bit limited in my words. I now have lots of stock!

I have been trying to post pictures of my cards for ages now, I am not very good at using blogger! I don't know what I am doing wrong! Help, as the Help doesn't Help!

Link!

I am still trying to work out blogger, and have spent most of the evening trying to work out how to get a side bar and to post links!! Ahh. I can't work it out. SO I will try again to post the link to Bevscrafts!! HELP!!!

Flat Friday

I have been recovering from another hangover today. How bad is that? I seem to have been doing a lot of socialising these last few weeks. My excuse is that whilst I was pregnant and for the first 3 months of H's life I really didn't, so I am sort of making up for it now. Though I am back at work in 6 weeks so I need to make the most of it really. Just looking after a baby with a headache and feeling tired, isn't something I would recommend.

I went into Durham last night for a meal with the girls. I say "the girls", but they are not really my girls. They are friends of friends, who I have befriended and I am glad that they seem to have accepted me in to their group. I do miss my old friends and all the other groups of "the girls" that I have been part of.

I am having an alcohol free night tonight so I am going to make a mess with my cards. I need to make a birthday card for my sister, a card for my gran to say hello, and a card for my mum. She has been really good to us since I had the baby and helped out with so much stuff, including some card making things I really need to make a special one for her. I just think I need a few more bits and bobs to make some nice ones, mine are all very similar as I am a bit limited to stock!

Anyway talking of supplies- Get yourself over to Bev's Blog. Her cards are wonderful and she is having a great competition to win some amazing Candy....
I so wish I can win!! I have never won anything before. It would solve my card making problems.

A picture of the sunset at Ullswater.

More camping!

I again have just got back from a camping break! This time we went to the lakes, to Pooley Bridge. The place looked really nice, I was just annoyed that it was so busy we couldn't get parked anywhere so we didn't really do much. We drove to Windermere which seemed the longest drive in the world for 18 miles, lovely scenery though. Again when we got to Windermere it was so busy that we couldn't get parked and got stuck in a car park. No one was moving, we finally got out the place and went back to the site. Quite annoying really.

It also rained again. After a lovely weekend it rained! Its so typical, the rain follows me. I had a good time though, I just enjoy getting away somewhere different and to spend a bit of time without the TV or internet. We were joined by some friends on the tuesday night and had a lovely BBQ. We have also mastered putting the tent up and down painfree as well! Yeah! I am now needing to book another trip before the end of the summer. I need to go somewhere with my parents as they went halves on all the eqiuptment, and haven't been able to use any of it yet.

I now have lots of suppies to make crafty things. I am trying to do a scrap book but its not coming on that well. I have though made some wedding invitations, only problem is I am not even engaged! Thats a long story, but we have a baby so I really think we should be. I don't see why I should have a different name to my boys! Plus I book things in my name and it gets confusing. I have made a few cards as well. Some are a bit naff, but some I really like. I still need more things, just a shame all supplies are so expensive! I am trying to ration myself.

Monday Monday

I don't know where today has gone? I have had a damanding baby today. I don't think he was impressed today with just me for company when he has been used to lots of attention over the weekend.

We went on our first family camping trip at the weekend. I struggled to find a campsite anywhere in the world, so ended up on one very close to my parents. The whole point of the trip was just to try out our tent. It was a bugger to put up. The instructions were rubbish. It also rained all day saturday! Luckily H was good and we did have a good time.

This evening I have been looking at all my supplies that I bought from the local craft shop that is closing down. I only spent a fiver and got some great things. I also want to do some scrapbooking for H's first year. The thing is I am not very creative and I start these things off and just leave them! Though I made a birthday card for my friend this evening, shame its her birthday tomorrow and it's going to be late!!! Oops.