Christmas is a comin'.............

Afraid to say christmas will soon be upon us and I'm quickly running out of time or energy.LOL
Had quite a fruitful day so far. The tree is up, decorated and the lights are twinkling in the early evening darkness. I like to put the lights on when I get up in the mornings while it's still dark......looks so cosy while I drink my cup of tea!!!!
I've also written most of the christmas cards, just a handful left to do now. I've changed the linen on two beds and hoovered up from top to bottom, surprising what you can do when you put your mind to it.
My aim by the end of the week is to have finished the cards and wrapped all the presents, just got a couple left to buy tomorrow......did the rest last week at Lakeside shopping centre.
Had a great Christmas crop on Saturday in Bramford with over 30 ladies attending. Will be off to Papermaze crop on the 19th, so that's to look forward to apart from I'm at work that night as well as the Sunday night and Monday morning...busy weekend.
Emily is now starting to get her christmas tips from her paper round....last year she got over £200! I think she might buy herself a new flat screne TV for her bedroom.
Got an interview on Thursday at the residential home I work nights at as a relief carer. Silly I still had to fill out an application form and have to have an interview even tho' I've been working there over a year...fingers crossed I get permenant hours so I can then give up my other part-time job.....would make things easier for me.
I've still some christmas cards to make for my special friends, that's to be done by the 19th.I've ideas so that helps.LOL
Well lots to do. Hope you all have a lovely Christmas.
Janina x

Two weekends of fun

Hi folks.Yep this Saturday is the Papermaze crop which I have been going to now for about 4yrs. I always thoroughly enjoy it, don't do much scrapping but plenty of chatting with my lovely mates. Also means a trip to the Papermaze shop and no doubt I will be tempted into buying something even though next Saturday we're off to Ally Pally. Yes 7 of us will set off at 7.30am and arrive home exhausted but happy about 9pm. Ang will take her 'bus', so thanks for that Ang she's a real star, especially as she has to put up with Jekyll and Hyde as her navigator( aka me). The others are Carol, Karen, Liz, Janet and Angela. We always have such a great day with a much needed stop at the Chelmsford Mac D's on the way home........last time they didn't know what had hit them as 7 crazed women sat down to eat.LOL
Worked a night shift last night, glad to say it was a good one and the 9 hours went quick. Had 2 1/2 hrs sleep this morning and I'm now full of the joys of spring.......bit deluded there.
I now have my own craft room, as Aaron has moved out so I'm now in his old bedroom, which is downstairs so idael. If he decides to move back home he'll have to evict me.LOL
Well I'm in desperate need of a caffeine fix, been drinking it all night so you'd think my veins would be well topped up.............got to get some LO sorted out for Saturday. I've at least 6 that only need journalling on which I printed off yesterday so I'll finish those later. I'm desperately trying to use up my old stash.....gave me a chance to have a sort out by moving into a craft room, so now have several things to sell.
JANINA

The holidays are nearly over...

where has those 6 weeks of the summer holidays gone! Thursday Emily is back at school and starting yr10. Tim will be enrolling at college( he'll be 17yrs next week), Aaron missed out on getting into university, so intends taking a year out and deciding what to do, luckily he has a full time job to tide him over. I feel rather deflated with life at the moment, I don't really know why....it'd be lovely to say sod the lot of you and disappear for a few days....my dream is Florida and yes I would go by myself, sounds so selfish but hey we all have the erge at times but not all of us admit it.
Anyway it's the Bramford Crop on Saturday, so I've that to look forward too, then the following Saturday it's the Bromeswell Crop, the 3rd Saturday it's Papermaze and the 26th it's the long awaited trip to Ally Pally, so September Saturdays are fully booked.I'm actually sorting out some LO's to do on Saturday. I've also started a list of things to look out for at AP.
Got to go pick Tim up from football training soon. He sold his moped last week and is saving up for a 125 motorbike.......more worry!
I'm buying my friend Carol's large Artbin wheeled tote, I think at long last I've found a tote that serves my need for lots of space as I never know what to leave behind when I go to a crop. This tote I've filled with everything I take, all I need to do now is pay Carol for it. LOL....that's more cash for her Ally Pally stash shopping.
Well best end now, have a nice week peeps.

August already!

Should have been the Bramford Crop today but had to change it to next Saturday as my cousin Sian got married today and my daughter Emily was her bridesmaid........and gorgeous they both looked to.
Strange really as Sian's mum Maria was my mum's bridesmaid(they're sisters), I was Maria's bridesmaid and Sian was mine and now Emily is Sian's.......I took loads of photos so will be up at Asda tomorrow or Monday to sort out prints.
The rain held off long enough for photos to be taken.The wedding was at the beautiful church in Hadleigh. Tonight we're off to the reception....great I love a buffet and I'm starving LOL.
Will have plenty to scrap at the crop next week and Papermaze the following. I'll have LO to do but I also want to do a brag book each for Sian and my Auntie Maria.
I've actually been scrapbooking this week. Think I've completed 5, yes 5 LO's of Aaron New York trip he went on in April and of my nephew David's wedding from last year....I get fed up with doing all of one subject so like to alernate from one to another or 3. I hope to get alot more done in the coming weeks as I'm trying to use up my stash ready for restocking when we go to Ally Pally in September......trouble is my paper stash is about 3ft high !!!! I mean it and am not joking, I just love paper. There's some lovely new stuff been on show at cha..Jillybean Soup, Cosmo Cricket, Sassafrass to name but a few.
Well we're off to the evening do in awhile so best sign off............have a good week peeps
Janina x

Where has the time gone?

Didn't realise it was the beginning of May when I last blogged!Can't believe we're nearly into July.Someone mentioned christmas cards last week, ah my friend Liz when we took a ride out to Capture The Magic. I always have good intentions of starting to make christmas cards from July, but each year I get to November and think I'd best get a move on LOL. I'm really going to try this year, I say with fingers and toes crossed.
I've been doing alot of rubber stamping the past couple of months and watercolouring them with my lovely Caran D' Ache pencils(blame my mate Carol for getting me onto them) they produce such lovely results and you don't have to be a fab artist either. These images I'm getting done so I can have a couple of days making a batch of general cards.........I've got all the stuff just got to find some me time to do them. Me time has been harder the last few months what with working two part time jobs and having to catch up on sleep as one of them involves working wake nights and sometimes only having an hour spare before going onto my other part time job. Sympathy votes here please LOL
Took a trip out to Papermaze earlier................bad mistake as I bought one of the new EK Success border punches, very similar to the Martha Stewart punches(that's a laugh as they're made by EK too) but a smaller design, so great for mini books cardmaking etc.
The weather today is gloriously hot, lets hope it continues, odd cos Wimbledon is on too.
Treated us to a new computer desk from Staples yesterday, so have had a good sort out and Andy didn't moan about the desk, so it must be OK. The Scouts have taken the old one as they've got their bi-annual auction on Saturday to raise funds to keep their mini bus on the road.
I must stop now as I've just been asked' are you doing any tea?'
Enjoy the weather..................................
Janina x

NSD

Well we celebrated NSD at the monthly Bramford Crop on Saturday. It was a full house with 34 of us scrapping. I think everyone enjoyed themselves, at least Sue went home this time with a happy friend beside her as Dawn won a prize LOL.Next crop 6th June, which will soon come round.
Have you seen Carol is starting up a new challenge blog starting 15th May you can find her at;
adifferentchallengeaweek.blogspot.com so pop over and see what's going on.
I was up at 4.45am today as I did a boot sale at Foxhall Stadium, got rid of lots of stuff and made a bit of cash in the process.Thanks to Karen(Barker) for dropping by with a cup of coffee and to give me a pee break......bliss LOL.
I hear on UKS WHS are now selling Scrapbook Trends mag, so I'm off to have a look tomorrow.I'm hoping to catch up and get sorted one or two little jobs that need doing during this week, I'm hopeful. I could do with tidying up my craft stuff....yet again. It semms to keep spreading outwards and I don't know how to cure it, have less stash maybe, no that's dirty talk.
Well I need a coffee and then it'll be off to bed, yes I do go to bed on a coffee. Iknow I drink far too much of the stuff, and apart from stash it is my biggest weakness.

Have a good week bloggers..............................Janina x

Ally Pally

Well Ang, Carol, Karen, Janet, Angela, Liz and myself set off at 7.40am for our long awaited trip to Ally Pally. The sun was shining and the journey there quite straight forward. AP was packed not just with lots of lovely goodies up for grabs but with people, this was the busiest I'd seen it in about 4 years and the heat inside was stifling too. I bought lots of lovely goodies and was well chuffed. I think we were all impressed this time and all had a good spend. We came away at 5pm when the show closed all shattered but very happy, sat on the steps had a group photo and then loaded into Ang's 'bus' for the journey home. We had our customary stop at McDonalds Chelmford, were we ended up in fits of laughter and funny stares from other customers. We arrived back in Bramford at 9pm.......must say a BIG THANKS to Ang for kindly driving us all there and back.
I had a good look at all my purchases this morning and was surprised at how much I'd actually bought! Lovely card stock and papers, nesties, inks, alot of lovely rubber stamps....you should check out a new company called www.littleclaire.co.uk her stamps are gorgeous.
Well tomorrow my son Aaron is off to New York with Suffolk College until Friday. It was his 18th birthday pressie from me and hubby. He went last year too and this last week I finally finished srapping his photos. I won't be going to bed until 3.30am tomorrow as he's to be at the college before 3am!!! Motherly love or what LOL.
As alot of you know I'm an avid Ipswich Town football supporter and today we played Norwich at home, sadly Andy used his season ticket so I didn't get to go, very inconsiderate of him me thinks.......well Ipswich wiped the floor with Norwich...he! he! he! bragging rights are ours. Even better news Everton have just knocked Man U out of the FA Cup semi finals, even bigger Ha!, Ha!, Ha!
Well I've a huge pile of ironing to wade through, so must stop now.

Janina x

Long Time no write!!!!

Well it's been awhile since I last blogged...where does the time go? It was the April Bramford crop yesterday and another good turnout. The May crop is National Scrapbooking Day so they'll be lots of prizes on offer...so hopefully Dawn will win something which will save Sue's ears on the drive home LOL. Emma a Stampin Up demonstrator came yesterday and did a demo for us. Thanks to those of you who placed an order and thanks to Emma for the demo.
April 18th, Ang, Carol, Karen, Liz, Janet, Angela and mtself are off on our twice yearly jaunt to Ally Pally...Ang kindly drives us ( and I drive Ang with my Jekyl and Hyde driving, tho being a passenger.....you'll only know if you are with us !!!!) all in her bus........which Trevor, Ang's partner call a menopausal womens day out LOL. We always have a good day, so am so looking forward to it.I'm making my list and have a few things on it.
This week I've only to work Monday morning, rest of the week off as hols, so I've big plans to sort out my craft stuff and to make some cards and scrapbook to..Big ideas I know.
My oldest son Aaron needs prompting to get onto Ucas and submit his Uni place exceptance for Southampton.......a lovely uni with so much to do for students.Then it'll be sorting out his grants etc, which I must say seem quite daunting.He also passed his driving test last month, so I keep loosing my car!
Just looked outside, it's getting dark so I've been on here longer than I thought...my hubby reckons I'm an addict, me never.
Well bloggers, hope you all have a good week, lets hope the weather lasts for Easter....I'd like it too as I want to do a boot sale to boost my Ally Pally funds!
Janina x

A Happy New Year and where has the past 3 months gone!

A Happy New Year to all you bloggers.Hope you all had a lovely christmas and that Santa was kind to you all with stash!!!! We had dinner and tea Christmas day at the in-laws which was great as I was working Christmas night 10-7am Boxing morning(I work as a relief carer in a local home for the elderly with Dementia). The past 3 months have whizzed by and I'm sure I've missed most of it, well that's how it seems. Andy my DH has been working in Belfast these past 3 months coming home at weekends, which has meant my twice weekly drive to Stansted Airport, which I can now do with my eyes shut and cruise control on the car!!!!! Then I also work 3 mornings pw at a sheltered housing complex, private carer 3 mornings and 3 tea times pw for a 90yr lady, also my relief night shifts miexd with taxi service on tap to 3 teenagers oh and housework......you can see why I've lost 3 months and haven't blogged for 2 months. Andy has now finished in Belfast and is now offically unemployed and reckons he's going to be a house husband....yer right over my dead body!!!!He can have a couple of months off getting those jobs done around the house that I can't do then it'll be time to job hunt.
DS 1 Aaron is 18 tomorrow, it doesn't seem possible, I remember labour like it was yesterday.He's not having a party as we are paynig for him to go to New York in April with college.
The Bramford Christmas crop on 13th December was again well supported with over 30 scrappers attending. I am so pleased this crop has taken off and our ladies keep coming back month after month(so thank you to you all) I was alittle worried when Ang said go on start up a crop.....the rest is history. We have such a lovely bunch of people who make the crop such a huge success, with a warm friendly atmosphere.
Ang and Diane(Crafts and Candlelight) kindly bring along their shops each month. Diane's shop next to Lumberjacks on Bramford Rd has had a big makeover during the christmas break, with new shelving and a big move round it's well worth a visit(open Tues-Sat).
Well DS 2 is now pestering to use the computer, so I will say goodbye for now...............Janina xx