Try to keep on track

This weekend I've been on my own, Hubby and Son went to MIL on Friday after school and came back today around 6pm today (Sunday). I was able to get myself and the house sorted for Christmas and fell alot more relaxed than I have been over the past weeks.

I sent them off with all the presents for the family, even though we will be seeing them on Christmas Day, I found over the year its a lot easily to send the presents up before hand, then we don't forget anything, but most of all, I don't get squashed in the back of the car, surrounded by gifts. My Son gets car sick, so he has to ride in the front.

Went on to the High Street on Saturday am, was expected it to be crowded, but it was quite - did a few last minutes things, got Hubby an extra gift. Then when I got home finished off wrapping, and generally tiding up the house.


Being by myself this weekend was able to finish some of my LOs today, with the hope of catching up with my Journal - managed to do 5. Hoping to get upto date before Thursday, but I won't hold my breath. Again I've used mainly Scrapagogo December 2008 kit with a few extra embelishments - it's so much easier doing 8x8 LO than the ones I was trying to to before.

I'm going to put a photograph of my new Panasonic DMC FZ28 here - it was my Birthday/Christmas present this year from my Hubby. I did get in in October - so it feel like I've had it ages - but I love it.

My contribution to the family Christmas feast - each year I make a cake and decorate it, this year due to lack of time, had to get "shop brought" one and still need to find one that says Merry Christmas but even if I don't get on the cake will nice as nice as ever - fruity, moist and laced with Jamaican White Rum - Yummy!!!


A letter to Santa - decided to incorporate a Christmas card/thank you card to Santa - the journally inside the cards say thank you for my new camera and apologies for not writing to him over the past years.


Shimelle's prompt say to use something with Santa on, so stamps the "Santa postmark" on the flap of the enevelope - the stamp comes from Stamps Away.

This is the "surprise" prompt - even thought I've done the pages still not sure what I'm going to put on it.


I think this is the 1st time I've completed a LO on the same day that I've had a prompt - I took photos on some of the decoration in my sitting room, just to remind me that the "main" day is coming and to enjoy.


A big thank you to ~Rachel.B~ on UKS for telling me how to upload my photos.

Back again .......

Well, trying to keep my head about water is something that all us ladies have to do - my great intentions of complete a page a day for my Christmas Journal is so far behind, I think I will be finishing it next Christmas.


I had started to do my album in uneven sizes, 8x8, 12x12, 6x4, 7x5 - this album came in a class kit that Shimelle range at the Skrapzatular II Retreat at the beginning of November. Well going a crop on 13th I was talking to AliM (UKS) who had also done the class and she said that she was finding it too confusing to do the smaller sizes as well and as decided to complete an Album that will fit into the 12x12 box and still use the "uneven" pages to add additional photos/journalling - What a great idea - so I have now changed mine to 8x8 size, which I find a lot better to work with.

Still trying to work out how to add photo into the middle or even at the end of paragraphs. Bear with me ............

Good intentions down the pan.........

Well I started this blog with the best of intentions to keep it up to date, entering each day - but I'm now a week behind due to be working at the Clothes Show Live, Birmingham.

So my Journal your Christmas has been sheelved, my Christmas decorations are still in the boxes, my cards are not written and I feel complete un-prepared for these coming weeks....

So firstly, the Clothes Show Live - I sell Virgin Vie at Home products - cosmetics, jewellery, homeware, skincare, body and bath products and the Company had got a stand at the event so for my sins I decided to work 4 day of our the 6 - easy I thought - I was defentialy not prepared for the mass crowds and all the make-up demo I had to do. It was a good job that their was about 10 of us their everyday. Fortunutately we had limited stock so it would have been a complete nightmare to control... On the Friday I did a full make-up demo on the stage and back stage whilst we were waiting to go on we met "Ziggy and Liam" from Big Brother - they are really georgous and very friendly - I have taken some photos but missed the opportunity to take any with them - think I was a bit star stuck. Above photo of me at the Clothes Show before the crowds came in.

On 9th was my Son school production of Dick Whittington which was very good indeed, this will be the last production at his shool has he will be gooing to secondary school in September 09 - I really don't know where the time has gone. As a parent govenor for the school I was invited to the afternoon performance and had got tickets for my hubby, MIL and myself to go in the evening. I must admit the evening one had a better atmosphere than the afternoon one and I enjoy it better.

My Son didn't have a major part in the play but all the class take part and perform a part of the play- his year was the banqueting screen - and he needed a "smart plain shirt and tie" well my son is definiately a tee-shirt person - so off I went to M&S to get him a school shirt - so that he could were it again - well whilst waiting in the queue so a lovely pink shirt with a burgrundy tie, which I got as well, when my son saw it he said "Sorry Mum, I don't do PINK" and promptly sat down to read the sport paper.

I was so shocked, it was the first time he has every refused to wear something I had got him. I informed him that his Dad wears pink shirts and that he will look really smart. Well after a long discussion he decided to "give it a go" but if anyone laught at him he wasn't doing the play. When he had his final dress rehearsals on the Monday his class teacher said that he looked like Brack Obama - he was so chuffed that he wanted to wear the shirt to school for the rest of the week - I've always know that teachers are worth they weight in gold - LOL.

So my Journal you Christmas Album is now a week behind, but I have been making notes, and taking photos each day, not what Shimelle has suggested due to time and not printing the prompts off before taking the photos, but reading them now I can take photos when I finally get around to putting up my decorations, which I am hoping will be on Sunday 14th - which is 14 days late for me - ahhhhhhhhhhhhh. Have made notes and sketches of what I want my LO to look like so hopefully at my crop on 13th will be able to complete or every make a start on some of them - I'm trying not to stress too much, because all my gift buying has been done and will be wrapped next week and food shopping got next week, which will only take about 3 hours for both tasks then the rest of the time is for me.

JYC - Prompt 3 - Cards

Well today prompt arrived about "Cards" !!!

• Do we hand made them or buy them?
• When do we send them?
• Do we write long messages in them or just a simple note?
• How man card will I send?
• What system do we use for our addresses?

Well I do make all my Christmas card, I started off crafting as a card maker and only moved over the scrapbooking about the beginning of January 2008.

This year me a two friends started our card making in October, we generally meet up on a Wednesday and do some crafting. This years cards I've done several designs, from Father Christmases, Christmas Trees, Robins, Fairies, Snowman. I think at the moment I've made about 50 cards with a few spare "just in case". But thinking about Christmas Cards I think next year will stick to one design to make - it will be away easier.

I try and send my cards out about the middle of December, all 2nd class with a "love from Jackie and family" inside.

My JYC album has different size inserts so will have to think about how I'm going to incorporate any cards into my album for today.

Still not managed to upload photos but will keep trying.

JYC - Prompt 2 - Weather !!!!!

What the Weather like today?

Todays prompt is about the weather, what we have, what we like, what we don't.

I love the snow - don't much like getting wet and cold but the playing in and going for walks is brill. I find it amazing when you hear weatherman/women saying that it going to be cold - well it is winter what do you expect!!

My LO for today will include a photo taken at Easter in Norfolk when it snowed, we went on a lovely walk and took some great photos.

This morning it snowed quite hard, for about 1/2 hour, but it didn't stick, and now the sun is shining.

Not managed to upload photos of yesterday manifesto but will do at the week-end when I've more time to mess around with this site.

Journal Your Christmas 2008

Well, today's the day, that Shimelle online class begins "Journal your Christmas", and this morning I received the 1st prompt to write a manifesto - about my intentions with this journal and any idea/throughts I might have about Christmases past, present or in the future.


My first throughts are to start a blog, and hopefully add to it each day.


My others are to try and keep up with the prompts and enjoy the experience of Christmas without becoming too over run with things. So been out to buy a notebook that I can carry around with me each day, as well as a folder to put my printed prompt in. I'm hoping that the journal will allow me to really enjoy Christmas and what it is all about.


So now to writing my manifesto and starting this project.