What a time

Dom and i had a really great day. It was so relaxing and we didn't have to please anyone but ourselves.
We were awake and downstairs before 7am and opened our stockings and presents. Then we had a a cooked breakfast and Dom played on his new Gameboy all day.
It was nice just not to do anything except what we wanted to. We ate what i planned and enjoyed it.
I asked him if he wanted to do it again like this and he said yes, so i will really think about us doing it again.
Christmas is done for another year

the night before christmas

The Night Before Christmas
by Clement Clarke Moore

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Rudolph

Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer

There was Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen. Comet and Cupid and Donder and Blitzen. But, do you recall the most famous reindeer of all...

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph
Had a very shiny nose,
And if you ever saw him,
You would even say it glows.
All of the other reindeer
Used to laugh and call him names,
They never let poor Rudolph
Join in any reindeer games.
Then one foggy Christmas eve
Santa came to say:
"Rudolph with your nose so bright,
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"
Then all the reindeer loved him
As they shouted out with glee,
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer,
You'll go down in history!

Christmas tradition #2

Holy and Garland

When Christmas was officially celebrated on December 25th in the 4th century, the church didn't want to use misteltoe as a decorative green. It had been used in ancient cultures and was associated with many pagan rituals. The church decided to forbid the use of mistletoe in any form. As a substitute, it suggested holly for garland. The sharply pointed leaves were supposed to symbolize the thorns in Christ's crown and the red berries drops of his blood.

Holly soon became a nativity tradition. The Christian ban on mistletoe was in effect throughout the Middle Ages. Even as late as the 20th century, there were churches in England that wouldn't let people wear mistletoe sprigs during services.

Today, most people use holly and evergreen boughs to decorate the house and hang mistletoe over the doorway.

story time

How The Grinch Stole Christmas
by Dr Seuss

Every Who Down In Who-Ville Like Christmas a lot... But The Grinch, Who lived just North of Who-ville, Did NOT! The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season! Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason. It could be that his head wasn't screwed on quite right. It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight. But I think that the most likely reason of all May have been that his heart was two sizes too small. But, Whatever the reason, His heart or his shoes, He stood there on Christmas Eve, hating the Whos, Staring down from his cave with a sour, Grinchy frown At the warm lighted windows below in their town. For he knew every Who down in Who-ville beneath Was busy now, hanging a mistleoe wreath. "And they're hanging their stockings!" he snarled with a sneer. "Tomorrow is Christmas! It's practically here!" Then he growled, with his grinch fingers nervously drumming, "I MUST find a way to keep Christmas from coming!" For, tomorrow, he knew... ...All the Who girls and boys Would wake up bright and early. They'd rush for their toys! And then! Oh, the noise! Oh, the noise! Noise! Noise! Noise! That's one thing he hated! The NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! Then the Whos, young and old, would sit down to a feast. And they'd feast! And they'd feast! And they'd FEAST! FEAST! FEAST! FEAST! They would start on Who-pudding, and rare Who-roast-beast Which was something the Grinch couldn't stand in the least! And THEN They'd do something he liked least of all! Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small, Would stand close together, with Christmas bells ringing. They'd stand hand-in-hand. And the Whos would start singing! They'd sing! And they'd sing! AND they'd SING! SING! SING! SING! And the more the Grinch thought of the Who-Christmas-Sing The more the Grinch thought, "I must stop this whole thing! "Why for fifty-three years I've put up with it now! I MUST stop Christmas from coming! ...But HOW?" Then he got an idea! An awful idea! THE GRINCH GOT A WONDERFUL, AWFUL IDEA! "I know just what to do!" The Grinch Laughed in his throat. And he made a quick Santy Claus hat and a coat. And he chuckled, and clucked, "What a great Grinchy trick! "With this coat and this hat, I'll look just like Saint Nick!" "All I need is a reindeer..." The Grinch looked around. But since reindeer are scarce, there was none to be found. Did that stop the old Grinch...? No! The Grinch simply said, "If I can't find a reindeer, I'll make one instead!" So he called his dog Max. Then he took some red thread And he tied a big horn on top of his head. THEN He loaded some bags And some old empty sacks On a ramshakle sleigh And he hitched up old Max. Then the Grinch said, "Giddyap!" And the sleigh started down Toward the homes where the Whos Lay a-snooze in their town. All their windows were dark. Quiet snow filled the air. All the Whos were all dreaming sweet dreams without care When he came to the first house in the square. "This is stop number one," The old Grinchy Claus hissed And he climbed to the roof, empty bags in his fist. Then he slid down the chimney. A rather tight pinch. But if Santa could do it, then so could the Grinch. He got stuck only once, for a moment or two. Then he stuck his head out of the fireplace flue Where the little Who stockings all hung in a row. "These stockings," he grinned, "are the first things to go!" Then he slithered and slunk, with a smile most unpleasant, Around the whole room, and he took every present! Pop guns! And bicycles! Roller skates! Drums! Checkerboards! Tricycles! Popcorn! And plums! And he stuffed them in bags. Then the Grinch, very nimbly, Stuffed all the bags, one by one, up the chimney! Then he slunk to the icebox. He took the Whos' feast! He took the Who-pudding! He took the roast beast! He cleaned out that icebox as quick as a flash. Why, that Grinch even took their last can of Who-hash! Then he stuffed all the food up the chimney with glee. "And NOW!" grinned the Grinch, "I will stuff up the tree!" And the Grinch grabbed the tree, and he started to shove When he heard a small sound like the coo of a dove. He turned around fast, and he saw a small Who! Little Cindy-Lou Who, who was not more than two. The Grinch had been caught by this little Who daughter Who'd got out of bed for a cup of cold water. She stared at the Grinch and said, "Santy Claus, why, "Why are you taking our Christmas tree? WHY?" But, you know, that old Grinch was so smart and so slick He thought up a lie, and he thought it up quick! "Why, my sweet little tot," the fake Santy Claus lied, "There's a light on this tree that won't light on one side. "So I'm taking it home to my workshop, my dear. "I'll fix it up there. Then I'll bring it back here." And his fib fooled the child. Then he patted her head And he got her a drink and he sent he to bed. And when Cindy-Lou Who went to bed with her cup, HE went to the chimney and stuffed the tree up! Then the last thing he took Was the log for their fire. Then he went up the chimney himself, the old liar. On their walls he left nothing but hooks, and some wire. And the one speck of food The he left in the house Was a crumb that was even too small for a mouse. Then He did the same thing To the other Whos' houses Leaving crumbs Much too small For the other Whos' mouses! It was quarter past dawn... All the Whos, still a-bed All the Whos, still a-snooze When he packed up his sled, Packed it up with their presents! The ribbons! The wrappings! The tags! And the tinsel! The trimmings! The trappings! Three thousand feet up! Up the side of Mount Crumpit, He rode to the tiptop to dump it! "Pooh-pooh to the Whos!" he was grinch-ish-ly humming. "They're finding out now that no Christmas is coming! "They're just waking up! I know just what they'll do! "Their mouths will hang open a minute or two "The all the Whos down in Who-ville will all cry BOO-HOO!" "That's a noise," grinned the Grinch, "That I simply must hear!" So he paused. And the Grinch put a hand to his ear. And he did hear a sound rising over the snow. It started in low. Then it started to grow... But the sound wasn't sad! Why, this sound sounded merry! It couldn't be so! But it WAS merry! VERY! He stared down at Who-ville! The Grinch popped his eyes! Then he shook! What he saw was a shocking surprise! Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small, Was singing! Without any presents at all! He HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming! IT CAME! Somehow or other, it came just the same! And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow, Stood puzzling and puzzling: "How could it be so? It came without ribbons! It came without tags! "It came without packages, boxes or bags!" And he puzzled three hours, `till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! "Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store. "Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!" And what happened then...? Well...in Who-ville they say That the Grinch's small heart Grew three sizes that day! And the minute his heart didn't feel quite so tight, He whizzed with his load through the bright morning light And he brought back the toys! And the food for the feast! And he... ...HE HIMSELF...! The Grinch carved the roast beast!

Christmas Traditions

I will be putting up one a day till christmas day

The Yule Log

Burning a Yule log is the oldest Christmas tradition there is. It started even before the first Christmas as a celebration of the winter solstice. Brought to England from Scandinavia, the Yule log tradition continued with the fire representing the light of the Savior instead of the light of the Sun. On Christmas eve, a big log was brought the to house. Songs were sung and stories were told. Personal faults, mistakes and bad choices were burned in the flame so everyone could start the new year with a clean slate.

The log was supposed to burn for the 12 days of Christmas. But, there were some rules. No squinting person or any flatfooted or barefooted woman could enter the room where the log burned. There also couldn't be any unnecessary work done until the fire went out.

Once the log was burned, a piece was saved to start the Yule log the next year. And ashes were kept under the bed as a good luck charm to protect the house from lightning and fire.




I got this from the Home 4 christmas site.

Nearly time

Can you believe that its only 10 days till the big day. Christmas day that is. I'm not all ready but i will be.I'm still thinking of a plan for the day but I'm getting there.
It's going to be strange but good. The plan so far is as follows

Make sure that Dom doesn't go downstairs before 8am
See if Santa's been
Open stockings
Have a cooked breakfast
Open presents
Watch the Grinch
Have Christmas Dinner

after that I'm not sure.

I am going to cook a roast with all the trimmings. It will be:
Stuffed Roast chicken breast
Roast potatoes
Roast parsnips & carrots
Two potato mash
Swede
Sweetcorn
Sausages wrapped in ham
Bread sauce
Cranberry Sauce

I will also do a nice pudding like ice cream (a nice fancy one) or some sort of cake. I'll see what Dom fancies.
Do you think its too much for the two of us?
If i do it right it will be great and I'll take lots of photos to scrap. I am really looking forward to it.

I've still got to find a couple of treats to hang on the tree as a surprise for Dom to find during the day. I can't think of anything at the moment but i will.

If i was an Elf

Your Elf Name Is...

Spicy Mc Flurry

What's Your Elf Name?

as its been a while

You Are Winter!

Intelligent Serious Cozy Calm Shy

What Season Are You?

You Are a Winter

You look ravishing in: Black, burgundy, emerald green, hot pink, icy colors, navy blue, red, royal purple, and white

What Season Color Are You?

You Are Rudolph Sweet and shy, you tend to be happiest when you're making someone else happy. Why You're Naughty: You sometimes stick that nose where it doesn't belong Why You're Nice: Christmas would be a sad affair without you! Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?

Thank you Anam

I am so grateful to Anam for helping with "No place Like Home" it now has its own domain of http://www.nplh.co.uk
It will be so much easier to tell people now as i could never remember it before as it was way too long. She has also mentioned it on her blog. So thank you again.

This is a test

I know a couple of people are having problems with blogger today so i'm just testing this.

new book

As i was cyber cropping this weekend and enjoying making exploding boxes i started playing with card stock. I have come with a new book called the "Bella book" (thanks to my mum for the name). As far as i know there is nothing like it out there. I will reveal all soon on the forum so keep you eyes peeled.

What i've been upto

Well this is what I've been doing this weekend (apart from the ATCs they are for a swap). I've been doing a cyber crop and I've really enjoyed it. There are still some i want to do so i best get to it. Just thought I'd let you into what I've been up to.This is an Ali Edwards scraplift

This was taught by Marilyn Healey

Instructions were by Anso

Christmas

I know it's early but i know what I'm doing for on Christmas day. For the first time I'm spending it in my own home. It's going to be just the two of us. We are going to spend the day in our pj's and do what we like. I know it's selfish but it's happening and no one is going to change it. I don't want to see anyone else on the day but i will answer the phone, emails and go on a couple of forums. At the moment i plan to do a roast for us but i may change my mind nearer the time.
There are some fab deserts in Aldi at the moment i think i may get a couple of those in for christmas.
I'm really looking forward to it.

Scrapmanic

On Saturday I'm going to Scrapmanic with my mum. This is a scrapping retreat, it has classes a shop and lots of like minded people. I'm really looking forward to this as I'll get to meet lots of online friends in real life. It's going to be brill.
At the moment I'm just deciding on whether to take anything to do in between classes. I'll have two classes on the Saturday and one on Sunday. They'll be lots of chatting and getting to know people, so will i have time? I'm really really looking forward to it.

While I'm at scrapmanic Dom will beat his grandads for the weekend, going Friday and coming home Sunday. He's counting down the days till he goes so i know that he's looking forward to it.

Inspire Me

If you don't know this is my other blog and i enjoy doing it. Whats it for you ask, this sums it up
"This blog is set up so it's easy to find all those inspirational scrap blogs you want to see. From Challenges to just plain wow"

It has needed a banner for ages and tonight i got inspired to make one. To see it go to Inspire Me

Flanders Field Poem

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

Armistice Day

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Armistice Day Celebrations in Toronto Canada - 1918

Armistice Day is the anniversary of the official end of World War I, November 11, 1918. It commemorates the armistice signed between the Allies and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning — the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month." While this official date to mark the end of the war reflects the ceasefire on the Western Front, hostilities continued in other regions, especially across the former Russian Empire and in parts of the old Ottoman Empire.

The date was a national holiday in many of the former allied nations to allow people to commemorate those members of the armed forces who were killed during war. After World War II, it was changed to Veterans Day in the United States and to Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth of Nations. In many parts of the world, people take two minutes of silence at 11:00am as a sign of respect, as suggested by Edward George Honey in a letter to a British newspaper though Wellesley Tudor Pole established two ceremonial periods of remembrance based on events in 1917

I made this

As i can't sleep i've been surfing and i came across a fun site and made this candydoll. If you want one go to this site

Newsround

Having a child in the house i do watch a bit of kids TV. Today i saw Newsround and reported about an eight year old girl called Sophie that has leukaemia. Her blog is an inspiration to us all. So go and have a look at what she says. I know that I'll be checking it out regularly.

What have i done?

Well?
Ok I'll tell you.
I've started up my own forum. It's an Altered art forum and called No Place Like Home. If you like messing around with different materials come and join us. The paint is still drying and I'm still moving the furniture in but it is up and running. I am looking forward to this and seeing how it goes.

The house

Well

What have i got to say?
I've had a problem with my computer but hopefully it's sorted now.

As Tuesday was Halloween we went out "Trick or Treating". DS had fun and got a good haul this year.
At the weekend we went up to my mum's and made a gingerbread house. On Monday we turned it spooky and haunted. Now he can't wait to eat it.


One thing I'm about to do is knitting. I know a few people that have just taken it up and I'm going to have a go as well. I'm going to start with something easy, it's going to be a scarf for myself for winter. All i have to do is go and buy the wool. I'll let you now how i get on.

Penny for the Guy

For the past week anytime i go near to a shop i get kids saying "Penny for the Guy". I won't give them anything until after Halloween. Is it just me that thinks this is to early? I am not against them doing it but not this early. Do they not know about Guy Fawkes? I'm not old but fine some of things that kids get up to these days just wrong.

Please tell me that I'm not getting old before my time.

Torchwood

This started on BBC3 last night and i thought it was fab. It really is a programme for adults. John Barrowman was and is fab as Captain Jack Harkness. The other lead characters are just right. I'm looking forward to seeing the series develop. Roll on sunday. If you don't have BBC3 it's on BBC2 on wednesday at 9pm.

No computer

I spent the day yesterday without my computer as it decided to be temperamental. I had to turn it off and then it wouldn't turn back on. Dom was upset as he is a member of an Internet club for kids that is good fun and he couldn't go on there and play. He's made up for it today as been hogging the computer since 7am. I've sent him to his room so i can be on here.

As I'm on my own most of the time i have this as a lifeline and fine it important form of contact to the outside world. Most days if it wasn't for Dom and needing to go to the shop every now and then I'd never leave the house. I'm not agoraphobic (well not all the time) but over the past couple of years i find myself in that situation every now and then. I now where it comes from as i started having panic attacks about two years ago. Even thou i haven't have one for a while i still think about it and try not to myself in any situation where it might happen. This sometimes means just not leaving the house or even seeing anyone.

I feel safe online as i know that i can control what i need to.
What would i do if i didn't have this?

Photoshow

I've a couple of these lately so i thought i'd have a go a one. This is of the book that was taught by Kirsty a couple of weeks ago. Enjoy

Been playing

I found that i have an animation programme on my computer so I've been playing with it. This is what i have done so far. Not bad is it? I'll play more another day.

Sunday Bloggers #6

Late but it's being done

1: Do you have any middle names? Yes but i'm not telling
2: Whats under your bed right now? Nothing, well maybe a cat
3: Last time you laughed so much you cried? Can't remember
4: What age were you when you first drank alcohol? I think i was about 6 or 7
5: Whats your porn star name? (first pets name and mothers maiden name) Gizmo Robertson
6: Whats your desk top photo on your pc? My cats as kittens
7: What did you have for breakfast? Nothing
8: Music or Tv? TV, it's always on for company
9: Worst out fit you have ever worn? Too many to pick just one
10: Where do you feel most at peace? In bed

Sunday bloggers #5

Finally

PET HATES..

if you had to list the top 5 pet hates.. the things that physically make you go "UGH"
what would they be? what peeves you? What can make you leave a room!? Have a think and show us all your top five!

1) People that cycle on the pavement. Why do they have to do it? If they can't ride on the road then they should be out. They come right at you and make you get out of their way. I just won't do it any more.

2) Taxi drivers that won't help carry your shopping to the door. You have a lot of shopping and need a bit of help and all they do is take the bags out of the boot and put them on the pavement and then drive off.

3) Shops that charge a fortune for bread, milk or cereal when you can get it for a lot less somewhere else.

4) ATM's that charge you to withdraw your own money. These all say that their link machines so anyone can use them and then it flashes up on the screen that you'll be charged. Why don't they just say on them before you start to use it.

5) Lettuce in lots of sandwiches. I don't like the stuff and find that it's always in the best looking sandwiches in the shops. I know i could take it out but it takes so long to make sure I've got it all, i can't leave even a tiny bit. Can they please make a yummy sandwich without it just for once.

These aren't really my top five as their all that came to mind at the moment.

Haven't had some for a while

You Are Chocolate Ice Cream

Dramatic. Powerful. Flirty.

What Flavor Ice Cream Are You?

Bad blogger

I'm a bad blogger as i haven't blogged in a week.
There isn't really much for me to tell you so that could be the reason i haven't blogged.
I keep reading other peoples blogs and they always seem to do so much more or maybe it just seems that way.

One thing i have done is to sign up for a course in Getting more from your Digital camera. It's for 6 hours beginning next week, 3 hours on the 17th and another 3 on the 31st. It's being run in my local community centre by one of the colleges. If i enjoy this i may just sign up for something else as i don't have to pay.

I have decided that I'd like to get a group together for a monthly crop. This one would be different as i'd like it to be during the day on a week day. I know that this is a good idea but I'm just trying to get the information to the right people. I put a thread on UKS but only a couple of people have responded, I don't know what else to do. Hopefully people will love the idea and want to come and the group will start in the new year or sooner if wanted. Wish me luck.

Emily and Kirsty

What a fab day. Kirsty Wiseman who is such a warm loving, caring and extremely talented woman organized a scraping workshop with classes taught by herself and Emily Falconbridge. Emily is great and i love her, she gives off this energy that just makes you want to try something new. I'm so glad i went and got to meet such amazing women.
Here are a couple of photos

Kirsty and Me

Kirsty and Emily

Emily and Me

I'd like to say thanks to Helen who drove me there she is brilliant company

Hello to all the girls and Rena your cupcakes were fab. There are girls that i wish i could have chatted to longer. Kirsty's hugs are fab by the way, if you get to have one you are very lucky.
Thank you so much for a really amazing day. When I've finished the books i will take photos and upload them.

New LO

I thought it was about time i scrapped this. If you read my blog you'll have read this a few days ago on the patchwork quilt post. This is done very simply and i quite like it, maybe there's something missing I'm not sure.
This was also done as a speshal dare #20 it's a week late.

Sunday bloggers #4

So many of us rush through our days - Not letting the little things that usually mean so much to us get a look in, we fill our time doing things for other people, and putting so many people before us.

If you could spend a day, doing everything for yourself, with no indulgence spared -

what would you do.... 24 solid self centred beautiful hours!

My perfect dream day would start by waking up in a four poster bed in a really posh hotel by the beach on a tropical island. Breakfast would be served on the balcony that had steps down onto the sand. For breakfast there would be lots of choice, fruit, yogurts, meats, breads, eggs and salmon. The first thing to do would be a shopping trip for new clothes and everything i looked at would fit perfectly. After shopping time for a massage and a hair cut with a top stylist.
For lunch it would be to a penthouse room in a top hotel in New York, lunch would be Lobster served with pasta cooked by a top chef.
In the afternoon it's a scrapbook class in the penthouse with close friends and top celebrity scrappers like Kirsty Wiseman, Jakey, Emily Falconbridge, Elsie Flannigan, Donna Downey and Celine Navarro and a few others. It would just bit a fun get together with no one teaching. There would be lots of chat chocolate, cakes and everything else a scrapper needs to eat when scrapping.
In the evening it would be time to dress up and go for cocktails and then to see a Broadway Show, hopefully an opening night. After the show to a top new york restaurant for dinner. Not sure what the food would be but it would be amazing. To end a wonderful day a carriage ride through Central Park and then to a house in the Hampton's were my son is tucked up fast asleep in bed. I'd kiss him goodnight as he slept and go to my bedroom with a nice mug of coffee and sit on the balcony with a good book. When the coffee is finished I'd get into bed and fall into a blissful peaceful sleep and dream about the day i had just had.

What a day that would be.

Some people make me angry

I did these LO's to remember what happened on that dreadful day. We all saw the images on our televisions. I know that not everyone wants to be reminded of them.
I did these after the London bombings last year to keep it for future generations and for my son as he was too little to remember it.

Today i noticed a nasty comment had been left on my gallery on UKS saying that they were sick. I think that it is out of order to say that. This may not be to alot of peoples taste but you don't have to say anything.
I'm angry about this as i spent so many hours crying out that day and the people who died needlessly.

I am a scrapbooker and i don't scrap just the good things in my life i scrap the bad. I still have some of these pages to do but i will do them.
I will scrap my life and everything that involves no matter what anyone says. I want my son to know me, his children and so on.

I implore you to document the bad as well as the good it makes us the people we are today.

World Trade Centre Film

I know that there is alot of talk about this film at the moment.
A thread was put on UKS today asking if the subject is to sensitive.
A few people have said oh it's too soon for this to be made, it should be kept to a documentary, Hollywood shouldn't be allowed to distort the facts.
Now i know that this is a strong subject and i understand that people can find it very upsetting. I know for a fact that when i see it I'll be in floods of tears.

This film World Trade Centre made by award winning director Oliver Stone will be very powerful.

The fact that it has only been 5 years since it happened makes people talk but how long should they wait? Lots of films have been made about horrific events, but along time after as we didn't know had happened. Look at films about the first world war, second world war and even Titanic. The reason that these were made so long after the events is that they were unable to make the films. There have been films and programmes about Bosnia and the Gulf war in the early 90's. No one batted an eyelid. Is it because it wasn't about westerners dying that we don't care. The programme ER did a storyline about Darfur and what was said about that?

We live in the 21st century where everything is public access, we live in the information age. We have radios, TV and the Internet. We get to hear about all sorts of things now that we wouldn't have done before. Times have changed so much in the last 100 years. If you just look at what we now have compared to what our grandparents had.

At the end of the day this is a film and it's not hurting anyone so what does it matter. Films will be made and people will watch them.

UKS blog prompt

If you were to build a patchwork quilt to represent your life -- one in which each square would represent a milestone or a quality that, when taken as a whole quilt, would capture the essence of who you are for your family and friends when you are gone -- what would it look like, what would you include? Describe a few of the patchwork pieces.

Well my quilt would be at least king size and I'm not yet 30. There are so many things that have happened in my life that make up the person i am.
OK then here are a couple of pieces

1) This piece is about my sister Abi. She was my best friend and worst enemy rolled into one. We fought like cat and dog but we had some great times too. Abi died in 1990 26 days after her 16th birthday. It was a brain tumour that killed her and she was ill for about six months.
Her death was really tough on the whole family and you never get over it. It didn't really hit me until i was 16 and got older than she ever did. It felt wrong to be doing the things that i was doing and alot of the time i felt that it should have been her not me. I miss her so much at times that it hurts. I have learned to live without her and i don't carry the same feelings any more.
This piece would have a shine to it and be black and purple in the style of Madonna in the 80's.

2)Another sad piece. In 1996 i found out that i was pregnant by my then boyfriend Richard who i was living with at the time. I was in two minds as what to do about it. We talked alot and in the end the decision was made to go ahead. We started to tell people our news and we had different reactions mostly good. Then one day i started to bleed so i went to the hospital and within 12 hours i was told that i had suffered a miscarriage. I then had to have a D & C which is the worst thing in the world.
I took this really badly and got very depressed. I was angry that choice i had made had been taken away from me. Why hadn't it happened before i made the choice. Why did i have to chose.
Time is a great healer and things are clearer now, well it hurts less and less all the time but the feelings are still there.
One thing i did do was name the baby, I called it Toni. I don't know if it was a boy or girl.
This piece would be pale yellow with rocking horses on it.

3) This is my son Dominic James. He is my surprise baby and i love him so much. I had a very short pregnancy, well i should say that i knew about. I found out that i was pregnant 4 weeks before he was born.
I had joined weight watchers and was doing well. I had lost 2 stone and was trying to lose more. My periods did stop but i put that down to the fact that i had started to use the contraceptive injection.
One day my mum said that it looked as if i was getting a little plump round the tummy and could i be pregnant. I told her about the injection and the losing weight so we both agreed that it was highly unlikely. Anyway we talked and thought it would be a good idea for me to go and see the Dr in case it could be something else and best to be on the safe side and check. So i made an appointment to see the Dr and got to see one the same day. When i got to see him i asked for a pregnancy test and he started to fill out the form and then ask me to lie on the bed so that he could feel my tummy. He felt it and said well your definitely pregnant so we don't this *ripping up the form*. He said that i was anything between 30 - 38 weeks. Luckily the midwife was in clinic so he managed to grab her and get her to see me straight away. She was really nice and she examined me as well and said 34-38 weeks and listened to the heart beat. I was booked in for a scan the next day. That was brill seeing him for the first time. I had to have consultant appointments every week to see what was happening. Only a couple of weeks after my scan i had to go back for another one. This one reckoned that i was 42 weeks so two weeks overdue. But the girl did say that you can't really date after 28 weeks. My consultant appointment was the next day. I was examined and told that my blood pressure was very high and what with the dates i had to into hospital that day to be induced. That was Wednesday and Dom was born on the Friday after a 6 & 1/2 hours in labour (birth story another time). At 14 hours old he was taken into the baby unit as he was being sick. He was in there for a couple of days and i was told he could be discharged. So one week after i was admitted i went home with my little boy.
This piece would bright lime green with a cartoon Dino on it as this is the first real outfit he ever wore.

That's just part of my quilt. It's not all doom and gloom honest.

Just had to share

Well i just wanted to make you all jealous really. This morning i went to Starbucks and i had a Grande white chocolate mocha with whipped cream and chocolate, vanilla and cinnamon sprinkles. I also went to Thornton's and brought some of their Viennese truffles.
I took these photos for a class that I'm going to on the 30th September. The class will be taught by Emily falconbridge. It's all being organized by Kirsty Wiseman who will also be teaching a class. It's going to be amazing

UKS Blog prompt

I like this one

If you could find out the truth about one thing, what would it be?

There are so many things to choose from like
What was really known before 9/11
What really is going on in Lost

But if it can be anything at all it would have to be a question to my dad. I'd like him to answer this

When did you stop wearing women's clothes?

When i was about 6 or 7 my sister and i found out that our dad had wanted a sex change six years previously.
My parents split when i was a baby as he wanted to become a woman. He even started to dress in the clothes and even come round the house wearing a dress.
On the day we found out my dad had popped to the shop to get something and Abi and i went into his bedroom looking for something. We went through his drawers and found lots of women's clothing like tights and in his wardrobe dresses. When he got back we asked why he had these clothes and the answer was "they belong to a girlfriend".
The next day we were taken home and we told our mum what had happened and she told us the truth.
Our dad had wanted to become a woman and had even started to go through the process.

To this day i don't know what he has to say about it.
It's not that i have a problem with it coz i don't. It doesn't bother me if some one is gay, straight or even changes sex. I have lots of respect for anyone that puts themselves through it as it must be so tough.

Maybe one day I'll get an answer.

Sunday bloggers #3

If you could meet anyone famous or not, dead or alive, and sit down somewhere quiet for a chat.. who would It be and why?What would you say and ask etc

If it could be anyone at all.
Dead or alive.
I wish i could say that I'd pick someone really amazing, someone that everyone would go wow. The person i choose is

River Phoenix.

23rd August 1970 - 31st October 1993

Well in the late 80's and early 90's i had the biggest crush on him and then he sadly died outside a nightclub. I cried buckets when that happened.
I would love to ask him if he has any regrets over the way he lived his live just before he died. If he would do things differently now.
There is so much that I'd love to know but it's hard to put into words.
I would tell him how his death affected his fans and what a waste of a talent and life it was.
Most of all I'd just like to sit across a table from him and look into those lovely eyes.

We miss you River.

Sunday scribblings

I've just found this site by following links and thought it would be fun to have a go at. If you want to take part go to Sunday scribblings

This weeks prompt is Google magic. Research a subject. I choose

Vampires

A vampire is an undead monster from the legends of various cultures and often featured in fiction.

There is so much to read about vampires that i don't know where to start and i don't just want to copy.
Wikipedia has lots of great info on it.

The folklore that i have grown up hearing is that they only drink the blood of virgins by biting the neck. To kill they drained all the blood out of the body. If they wanted you to become one the vampire came back night after night.
In my teens i came across Anne Rice and her way of thinking. This is way i think it really is to some extent.

The things that are most associated with vampires are

Coffins - they sleep in these
Crosses - will deter them
Wooden Stake - will kill them if put through the heart
Garlic - deters them
Holy water - can cause pain
Fire - Kills
Daylight - Kills
Bats - they can turn into them

How much or how little you believe is up to the individual.

There are so many different films and books around see that it would be understandable to get caught up in it all.

I leave it up to you to decide if the information out there is fact of fiction, or even some of both.

Tagged by Jakey

I've been tagged by the wonderful Jakey, thanks lol.

This has really got me thinking

10 things that have terrified me

1) Spiders

2) Dracula films. I'm fine with films and books about vampires but the old black and white ones really get to me.

3) A snake in my home. I used to live in a flat above a reptile shop and on a couple of occasions snakes got lose and came into my home.

4) Hoping that a tarantula won't escape

5) 9/11

6) 7/7

7) Certain people on a certain forum

8) Sharks

9) Rats

10) Really big roller coasters



Now it's myturn to tag and i choose.....................Jo and Kirsty

Really greatful

I am so pleased that i have made some wonderful friends online and i hope to meet each and everyone of you. You all make me laugh even when i feel crap. Thank you so much for your lovely comments, you're the best.

Feelings

I spend a lot of my time online (sometimes too much) on forums. I used to post alot but lately i have just taken to lurking and reading what other people have to say. Lately it seems to me that people aren't being nice. I've seen people changed for the worse and i find it really sad. You can see how someone posts one minute and the next thing you see seems like someone else has posted but they haven't. It's a shame when nice people get dragged down.
When people post nasty things about an individual it makes the whole forum look bad. I have stopped posting on a forum because of this, also because it looked and felt liked no one cared anymore. It felt less like the family i had once known. I hope I'm wrong about it but it doesn't feel like it as it has been like this for ages.
One thing i have seen that really bugs me is people posting about themselves all the time. It's the constant look at me, or i know better than you.
I admit that at times i have felt like jumping up and down saying hey look at me, tell me I'm wonderful. Now i have this blog i really don't feel the need to. This is where i can talk about myself till I'm blue in the face.
I have another thing to admit to and that's i felt bad or should i say a bit miffed that when i put something online the other day no one noticed, or if they have they haven't said anything. I'm not going to point it out coz i don't feel that it's important enough and that i feel fine about it.

I think I've rambled on enough for now

No school

What horrible weather we had last night and this morning. It was so bad that DS's school was closed as it was flooded. School will also be closed again tomorrow. We're not sure if it will re-open on monday, to find out we have to keep an eye on the news. It's all great fun. Will keep an eye out for whats going on.

The mind boggles

As yesterday was the 5 year anniversary of the terrorist attacks in America and the so called war on terror is still going on, it makes you wonder.
What makes someone strap a bomb to themselves or hi-jack a plane to kill innocent people. Why get on a plane that has small children on it (I didn't realise until yesterday that some children were killed and the were the same age as my son)
I can understand the hating of the west and wanting to make them pay, but it's the fact that it's only ever innocent people that die. We suffer at their hands, The terrorist and the politicians. Sometimes i don't know who is worse.

Will my son grow up knowing that no matter what he does or says he could be killed because of where he was born.

In five years we've had
New york
Washington
Deli
Madrid
London

That works out as one a year. Whats next?

Was there really a plot about the planes. I keep feeling as there is so much we don't know and that is being kept from us. We have a right to know.

I don't blame just Blair or Bush, i include the people around them as well. Also i blame us. That's right US, the voting public. We gave them the power, we put our little crosses on the ballot paper. So we gave them the power to make the decisions we can't, won't or shouldn't make.
We sit at home saying he shouldn't have done that, but we don't see what he sees and we don't hear what he hears. If we did would we make a different decision?
If we want to change things we should do it and stop talking about it.

9/11 tribute

Robert C. Miller, age 55.

I'm finding it hard to write this as i don't know you and as hard as i try i can find out very little. I believe that you were a brave and loving man.

This is the only information i could find

Born in East Stroudsburg on the 21st Feb 1946 to parents Robert C and Ethel Miller. Growing one of three boys in Belvidere, N.J.
Robert went to Belvidere High school and then went on to Ohio State University where he graduated receiving a Bachelor of Art Degree in Political Science.
He served in U.S Army Intelligence as a Lieutenant in the Vietnam war and received a Bronze star.
Robert was married to Mitoko and had two children Lisa and Marchi Iwaki.
He worked for Aon Corporation on the 92nd floor of tower two World Trade Center as a Vice President in the Marine department.

This information was found on a Victims site

I will remember you today and your spirit lives on in those you loved and who loved you.


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Sunday Prompt #2

Today's prompt is

YOUR FAVOURITE LAYOUTS....

If you have to choose two Layouts - one of your own, and one of someone Else's that inspires you - what would they be? Its a time to boost you're own ego as well as someone Else's!!

Post a link or photo of the layouts on your blog with words of praise to yourself and those you have chosen.

You are worth it!

The LO of my own that i love at the moment is my doodle one. I'm just so pleased with how it turned out and i had fun doing it. At the moment I'm trying to find a style that suits me and i can work comfortably with.
At the moment there are so many LO's that are inspiring that it's hard to choose just one. But there is just one that stands out more than any other at the moment. It is Lousette's Time LO that she did for the Speshal Dare blog. It's a very powerful page and reminds you would scrapbooking is really about. Lou you have inspired me to scrap the painful things as well as the good things

Blog prompt

If you could be given any surprise..........what would it be?

If i could be given anything at all it would have to be my own house. The house would be fully paid for so no morgage or rent would need to be paid for it. It would have enough room so that i had a craft room that was comfy enough to have all the things in there i needed. There would be a playroom for DS as well as his bedroom. We would each have an on suite bathroom and so would the two spare rooms.
There would be a lovely kitchen dinner that would be the heart of the house, it would have a TV corner with a sofa and a big table for homework to be done at.

I can see this house so clearly in my mind. Maybe one day I'll get it but I'm not counting on it. It's a dream house.

Men

Just found this on someones blog and had to share

1. Men are like ...Laxatives ...... They irritate the crap out of
you.
2. Men are like.....Bananas ....... The older they get, the less firm
they are.
3. Men are like ......Weather . Nothing can be done to change them.
4. Men are like .......Blenders ... You need One, but you're not quite
sure why.
5. Men are like .....Chocolate Bars .... Sweet, smooth, & they usually
head right for your hips.
6. Men are like ....Commercials ....... You can't believe a word they
say.
7. Men are like... Department Stores ..... Their clothes are always 1/2
off.
8. Men are like ......Government Bonds .... They take soooooooo long
to mature.
9. Men are like .....Mascara . They usually run at the first sign of
emotion.
10. Men are like ......Popcorn ..... They satisfy you, but only for a
little while.
11. Men are like... Snowstorms .... You never know when they're coming,
how many inches you'll get or how long it will last.
12. Men are like ........Lava Lamps .... Fun to look at, but not very
bright.
13. Men are like... Parking Spots .......... All the good ones are taken,
the rest are handicapped.

Who would have thought it

You Are 52% Independent

Overall, you're a pretty independent woman. You don't follow trends just to fit in. You've got your own cool thing going on, though you sometimes still care too much about what other's think.

How Independent Are You?

You Are 61% Scary

Sorry to break it to you, but you're a pretty scary chick. Men don't know what you'll do or say next, and that freaks them out.

Do You Scare Off Men?

You Are Most Like Charlotte!

You are the ultimate romantic idealist You've been hurt before, but that hasn't caused you to give up on love. If anything, your resolve to fall in love is stronger than ever. And it's this feminine optimism that men find most appealing about you. Romantic prediction: That guy you are seeing (or crushing on)? Could be very serious - if you play your cards right!

Which Sex and the City Vixen Are You?

Wednesday blog prompt

The world is a wondrous place. If family, money and a job were not a factor, where would you most like to live? Why? What are the factors, to you, that make a great place to live? What do you like or not like about where you live currently?

I like having a three bed roomed house for just the two of but I'm not keen on the area at all, but but in my position you can't be too choosy.
To be honest I'm not really sure where I'd like to live for definite. It would be Australia or America. The main reason is that i love the style of the houses and the way they look so homey even when they are totally spotless and it looks like no one lives there. I'd love to live somewhere like San Francisco in the states, there is just something about the place that appeals to me. The other place that appeals to me is Melbourne in Australia. As we see so much of these city's on TV that i can see myself being very happy in either place.
Maybe one day if I'm lucky

Blog prompt

I just posted this prompt on UKS

What are the five signs of you?
When someone walks into your house how do they know without you saying anything that your at home? What things do you do that let people know your around? We all do it without thinking about it. Tell us what are yours.

The things that show that i'm home are
1) My shoes by the front door
2) The TV on
3) The computer on and connected to the internet
4) Bottle of coke with a glass next to it
5) My keys in the lock on the front door (the inside)

That's how you can tell I'm home

Edited to say
Having read a couple of other peoples blogs with this prompt I'll go into detail.

When i come in the front door i lock the door behind me leaving the keys in the lock. I kick my shoes off as i just can't sit comfortably with my shoes on, the TV goes on and so does the computer. I drink alot of coke so there's normally a bottle in every room.
I'm not really a radio person so the TV is on for company even when DS is home. It really doesn't matter if I'm watching it or not. I have now passed this habit on to Dom. As I've had my computer for the last year i really enjoy it and love being on the Internet and spend alot of time on it.
So that's me.

Back to school

Today was the first day back. Dom started in Year 3 which is now junior school. For the first time he has a male teacher, Mr Stallard. He seems really nice and Dom likes him. Hopefully things will fall into place this year and DS will get on better. Here's hoping anyway.

Sunday Bloggers

On UK scrappers a group has been set up for a Sunday blog prompt. Today's is

I want you to Blog your Favourite part of yourself!
We all know we can fill a day describing what we would change - but what wouldn't you change!?!?!?

I don't think i really have a favourite part of myself but i suppose the thing i wouldn't change is my skin. It's always been flawless and I've never really had any spots.

I love Doodles

One thing i have found out is that i just love doodles. So this LO is for my love of them. It has taken me a while to finish it as i kept changing my mind on how i wanted to do it. Now that it's done i love it.

Tag Challenge

As promised here is the LO redone. Still not sure if i'm happy but it's done now.

Altered clock

I recently made this clock for a friend to put in her craft room. I really enjoyed making it and plan to make more.
The swap was part of cyber crop weekend where you had to make something to swap with a partner. It took a while to work out what to do, but when i saw the clock i just knew it had to be this.
For gift i received a lovely purple bead bracelet and mobile phone danglie (will take photo). I've worn the bracelet and people have commented on how lovely it is. So thank you Sarah i love them and will remember you each time i wear it and use my phone.

Tag Challenge

A few days ago i was challenged by Anna to do a blog tag as a LO. I'm not happy with it so i'm going to have a play with it and post the better one as well.

Personal DNA

Benevolent Experiencer