Great Time at Greenwood

We went to the Greenwood Centre today with some friends from our UKS team. It's such a shame that the others are so far away, it would have been great to see them too. Anyway, we had a great time.
Greenwood is an evironmentally friendly Theme Park. The rollercoaster is carbon neutral and they have a rain water collection tank for flushing the loos etc. So a fantastic day without so much of the guilt :-) Most of the rides are suitable for little ones and H's little 3 year old had a great time on the rollercoaster- it was pretty fast too, but she's a budding thrill seeker I think! Sadly I took my old camera and the photos aren't great- must get over my fear of taking my Canon out with me.

The Mop Is Tamed

Yes, finally Bob's mop has been tamed. Mr stig says he can't see a difference but there was an awful lot of hair on the Barber's floor.

I've finally done part of Jemm's challenge to our UKS team. Just paper, alphas and ink! Very difficult. No embellies, no stickers, no nothing lol. I broke into my Rusty Pickle Pirate Princess papers for this one as they are so decorative they could cope with the lack of pretties. Very frustrating though as I have pirate stamps, stickers and heart charms that would have looked lovely :-)

Close Shave- Or Not

Well Bobs managed to escape having his hair cut - again. He hates having it done even though I am regularly finding bits of hair around the house that he has chopped off himself! The first time he went to the barber's, they were too busy. The second time I drove past and completely forgot (I wondered why he was sitting in the back of the car with a big grin on his face). This time the shop was shut. Well he's not getting away with it tomorrow. He's certain that fate will intervene again and now feels that it's his destiny not to have a hair cut. We shall see :-) I was going to show a picture of the offending hair- but I'm not that cruel. Instead, here's a picture of the sun desperately trying to shine through the clouds this morning.

Shoe Shopping.

Yes, it's that time again and I couldn't put it off any longer. The children need new shoes for school. So off we go to Llandudno, a long way but a change of scene at least. M&S was it's usual scene of chaos, with shoes strewn everywhere. We found a pair of shoes that Fifi liked but not in her size. Shop no.2, and wait for it Bobs picked up a pair of shoes and said, 'I like these' !!!!!!!! After checking for a temperature or other signs of serious illness I found his size and they actually fit him. This is not a normal shoe shopping event for our family so I was a happy Stig. Shop 3, it couldn't happen again could it- IT DID! Fifi found a pair of shoes she liked and almost immediately a shop assistant approached us and asked us if we needed help. What was going on? Had I entered an alternate universe? They had her size, she liked them, we were finished. Days like these need to be recorded.

Picture for today? Well as I feel like a domestic goddess at the moment, apple cake. Made yesterday with apples from our own tree. Enjoy :-)

Pretend It's Yesterday.

I had promised myself to blog every day and am failing miserably, so if you could just pretend that today is yesterday, I'd be extremely grateful.

So Bank Holiday Monday and we went for a bike ride. Oh dear, I'm so unfit! It seems so easy in the car, you don't notice how hilly everything is! My poor bike hadn't been used for so long that it had cobwebs on it. Anyway, as usual Bobs wanted to be first and blamed everyone else for the hills. Apparently it's my fault that he was tired because I had not told him what gear he should be in! It was Fifi's fault that he was wobbly because he had to keep turning around to check she wasn't too close to him. He hates to lose that boy.

Luckily no photos of us cycling so today's photo is of Fifi taking a photo of what is now known by us as the 'Torchwood' fountain outside the millenium Centre in Cardiff. I think Bobs is trying to find the way in ;-)

Sunny Day

Yey, at last, a sunny day! I'm not surprised so many people are emigrating. The weather has been awful and the news is so dreadful at the moment I would be surprised if people weren't leaving. Anyway today, at least, it's warm and sunny and the children have been able to play outside. The decorating's coming on and next weekend we're carpet shopping- how exciting! We may even have a completed house before Christmas.

Today's photo is the one of the Molly Malone statue I took on my mobile phone. Poor Molly is so busy having her photo taken it's a miracle I managed to get this one, but here she is in all her glory.

Fishing

Bobs took his Daddy fishing yesterday and they only caught two Mackerel, so today Bobs was determined to go again. So, off they went full of hope. Sadly a big catch to fill the freezer was not to be and they came back with one fish that another fisherman had kindly put on Bobs' line after they got a bit tangled. Not only that but a mid air rod collision had snapped Bobs' rod and Mr. Stig nearly lost an eye with Bobs' not so accurate casting! To prevent further injury Bobs has been practicing his casting in the garden, and here is the photographic evidence (taken by me, with no thought of the risk to my own life).

Cards

Just a few cards today. I did these a couple of weeks ago, but thought I'd post them today to brighten things up a bit. They were made using the Love Elsie 'Roxie' range of papers and embellishments.

Dublin

We went to Dublin today. It's a fantastic city but sooo much traffic! I know that's what's expected of a Capital City, but still a shock when you're not used to it. No photos I'm afraid as I didn't take my big camera and the small one decided to give up on us! I might just have a photo of the Molly Malone statue on my mobile if I'm lucky.

One Room Down.........

I've finished decorating the hall!!! Just four more rooms to decorate down stairs before we start on upstairs- oh joy! By the time we finish, it'll be time to do downstairs again.

I had to delete some of my layouts from my UKS gallery yesterday so I thought I'd put one of them on here. It's a layout of my Nana who died about 16years ago, but still greatly missed. The papers are from K& Company Bailey range, with some sugar coated cardstock from Doodlebug.

Cardiff

Well, we had a lovely couple of days in Cardiff. It was so nice to be able to walk to shops and have the luxury of pavements! I've decided I really must be a city girl at heart. Maybe I'd change my mind if I lived in the city all the time, but I really miss that ease of getting about. To walk to our local shop, you have to trudge up an often muddy road, no pavement to separate you from the traffic going a lot faster than the 60 MPH limit, and if two cars come in opposite directions, you have to jump into the verge and pray lol. I know to some that would be bliss, so I'll try not to moan anymore.

August.

Yes, August. Just have to remind myself that it is actually August! This photo from my front door was taken about 5 minutes ago. Thankfully we haven't got the bad wind that was forcast- yet. So with weather like this, my thoughts turn quickly to Christmas. Well, to be honest I never stop thinking about Christmas- maybe it's having a December birthday that does it. I've been trying out two new Hero Arts stamps that I got recently, and these are the results. Still a bit of fine tuning to be done, but I've got a bit of time to get them right ;-)

Peel Offs- Now you've got a debate going Jemm!

I've just read Jemm's blog and she has tackled the sticky subject of peel offs. Love them or hate them, I bet we've all used them ;-) As Jemm says they are a god send for the quickie card (if you know what I mean).

For me peel offs are great for when you start out, but once you get a good enough stash of stamps, do you really need them? Aren't they just a (not as good) substitute for an embossed stamped image?

Anyway, here's a card I've made with peel offs, just to show I don't absolutely hate them lol. The peel offs are the Love Spoons and Celtic corners which I've stuck on acetate and cut out then used silicone glue to attatch to the card slightly raised. Admittedly this was easier to do than stamping and embossing on acetate.

Here's your Tag girls

Finally got Lou too!

Tagged

So after being tagged by Jemm I have to decide who to tag myself. Well, Heather has already been tagged, so there goes one lol. I have to choose Mimsie who keeps us all entertained and has only just found her blog again! In tagging Mimsie perhaps she can persuade Lana to find her blog again ;-) Tagging Mimsie's blog is also a tag for little Issy- a Rockin' Girl Blogger in the making I think. Hazel has to be next as we set up blogs at similar times (not that long ago) and I like to peep in to see what she's up to. I'm not sure how Psychodiva will react to being tagged, but her blog is so interesting that I had to include her. Now Lou would be next, but she's another one who has lost her blog in the UKS cull- find it Lou! I'm saving a tag for you 'cos I love seeing your holiday photos :-) I really want to tag Anna who has been so brave through the last year and also a weight loss inspiration for anyone, but I don't want to steal Heather's thunder as I know they are such good friends. I'm putting a tag on reserve for you Anna. I haven't forgotten your tag Heather, just waiting for my cards to come back from the craft fair so that I can send one on.

Lazy Day

Just a lazy day today. Read a load of knitting mags and books, searched the internet for new stash; paper and wool- just fantasy shopping, didn't buy anything lol. We rounded it off tonight by watching 'Hot Fuzz' which was rib achingly hilarious! More importantly got tagged by Jemm- thanks Jemm, you've made my day. Going to leave the important business of tagging to tomorrow, though I know who's in line ;-) No photos today but a link to a Stash Pot- I think we could all do with one of these. Oh, and what about these needles. Is it only me or are these lush?

Hello again.

Well I've been a bit quiet due to us finally having nice weather, but that's over now!

My Dad is down, so yesterday we went to see 'Harry Potter' again as he hadn't seen it. I think Bobs enjoyed it even more the second time round, though he still hid his face during the 'Cho/Harry' kiss! He's 10- he''ll get over it lol. So, thinking about Harry Potter, here's a photo, from ages ago, of Fifi and Bobs dressed up as Harry and Hermione. How cute were they :-)

The Essay Has Left The Building!

I've finally sent my essay off into cyber space with the usual mix of relief that it's gone and dread that I may have completely messed it up! The children have been very busy with their ever expanding social lives today and I have been at home playing with my camera. So for a post essay cheer up, here's a Daisy :-)

Warning!

This is what happens to your stash when you have a crafty (in all senses of the word) daughter and you don't pack away after a crop :-)

Mini-book

Well I've actually done some crafting today! This is a mini-book that was in the latest Modscraps Kit Newsletter. Sorry I put the back page first- I think it's the shock of actually finishing something

Rain, Rain and More Rain.

Well yesterday was a complete washout weather wise. It was like a November day as the wind blew the rain horizontally across the fields.

So to remind myself of some nicer weather, I'm posting a picture of my Gooseberries before they were dessimated by our 'Summer'! Highly interesting I'm sure you'll agree :-)

Player of the Week.

Yey Bobs! Well Bobs' four days of football training (which he says is far more than real footballers do lol) has paid off. Today he won Player of the Week. He's absolutely made up as he hasn't won anything like this before, so it makes up for the bruised hand yesterday.

Most of today's football was inside as the weather has turned cold, wet and windy again- was that last three days Summer?

Ouch.

Poor Bobs is nursing a very bruised hand after being hit by the ball at football today. He was in goal so being hit is sort of inevitable, but I think it must have been a powerful kick! He is, at the moment, trying out his new water gun with one hand lol.

...it's the good advice, that you just didn't take

Essay writting always brings out the depressive in me! It reminds me of bad times at school (it was 23 years ago, I should've got over it by now), good times at Nursing College (wishing I'd never left) and most importantly the things I gave up to move here. It's pointless thinking 'if only' and usually I don't, but essay time is a bad time. So today is going to spent finishing said essay, counting my blessings and planning for a better future- wish me luck!

Harry Potter

Here's a layout of Fifi collecting her copy of 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'. She couldn't wait for the pre-order from Amazon so we went to Tesco to get it. When we got there at 11.30pm there was a big queue already! Fifi was so desperate to start that we had to buy a torch so that she could read it in the car on the way back home.

Despite having a lovely new camera the photo was taken with my mobile phone! One day I'll be brave enough to take my camera out with me :-)

The DCWV Once Upon a Time papers were perfect for this.