More from UKS CC

This class was by Shimelle and is so quick and simple but brilliant for the wedding photos. I have done this as a digi but I have also done a double page spread as a paper version to put into the album. Sadly STILL no scanners at PC World. Curry's had just the one I want, and on offer, on the shelf. But not in stock apparently - and the assistant I asked had to be the most unhelpful I have ever come across. These places no longer keep stock 'out the back' but on the shelves below the ones on show. So when I could plainly see there were none there I was pretty sure they were not in stock. Hubby asked the assistant anyway who looked, muttered 'none in stock' and walked over to where their own make, at a quarter the price, and obviously far inferior to the one I wanted was. 'I want a higher dpi spec than that one' I said, so he just walked off!!

Still I never learn, last time I went in the same self store they had just moved into the new premises and when I asked where a certain item was located I was told 'I've just put them out somewhere but blowed if I can remember where' and he walked off too.

So back to the cybercrop. I got into a bit of a strope when one of the class threads got a bit nasty because the class designer (the lovely Jean) had omitted to upload a template. I wont go into details but suffice to say I got on my high horse a bit and really went off in one on her thread so Jean if you are reading this - I sincerely apologise. However despite the hype and all the other things I dont like about the UKS cybercrop there are some fab classes over there this time round. I havnt bothered with anything else, as I cant accept the way things are done and the unfairness of alot of it, the fighting for points and the time spans so I have just done a few classes at my own leisure. If you do get chance pop over and take a look at them, some great designers, lovely ideas and some new techniques.

UKS Cybercrop

...is today. And although I have a heap of housework, the garden needs a heck of a lot of work on it and I have 6 application forms to fill, I stopped to do a couple of classes digi wise. The first is a class by the wonderful Katie of digi LO fame using a template by her.

Papers - Miss Mint Sweet Easter
Flowers, corners and sun - Doodle fancies by I made this today
Swirl - Shabby princess Colourful corners
Stitches - SP Spendid
Bead chain, and flowers - Miss Mint Sweet Easter

And the second is a digi version of Maria's class using more of Shabby Princess Sweet Easter and some home made letters.

Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit rabbit

We have a bit of a rabbit problem at Nursery. Not the chatting, Chas and Dave stuff but the cutsie fluffy hopping kritters.

On monday the staff uncovered the tarpaulin off the sand pit (it had been covered for the winter) only to discover a family of Mr and Mrs Bunny and all the little baby bunnies had made a real live burrow in it! So the sand pit is out of bounds until they can think what to do. Lets hope Ofsted dont come aknockin as I am not sure which curriculum target we will be failing on for that one.

Then today as I took the children back to the classroom from lunch we saw a wee little ball of grey fur dissappear into the covered area outside the classroom door where there is storage of the larger toys. It was a little babe bunny but it was so frightened it buried itself amongst the toy boxes and refused to move. In the end we had to get the Deputy Manager to chase it out and back to its home.

Scanner

I really miss not having a scanner. I have done 2 LO's for my DD's wedding album, covered a Boots album ready to put them in (I cant do any more as I am waiting for more cardstock to come), made a cd box for my DC pdf files and 20 invite cards for DH's birthday. None of which I can share because try as I might I just cant seem to get decent photos of any of them. Neither can I get a photo of the pen box I have made using the wonderful little triangle boxes Beth kindly sent me to play with. The trouble is I have set my heart on an Epson V1000 because of its high resolution for scanning in my old photos but everywhere is out of stock.
Another letter to tell me I have not been shortlisted for a job came today so despite one Head teacher telling me my application letter was spot on I decided it wasnt working and started again from scratch. I have 10 suitable jobs to apply for so I want to get it right. Someone somewhere must want me!!This meant I have spent most of the delightful sunny day stuck indoors on the computer. Hubby has just completed 3 'days' on nights training his night crew so although he was awake to ensure he sleeps tonight he has only lazed about getting in the way, so despite the house looking like a tip I have not been able to clear it up for fear of upsetting him.
We did take a trip over to the site where the fences have gone up - what a difference it makes to see the two plots properly divided off. The plumber has also been in to put all the toilets and basins in. Its one mad rush now to get it finished in two weeks so that the kids can collect their doggy and have a home for it.
Laura and Wayne went up to see the little Bailey puppy yesterday (which is so sweet so I am told and the best of the 8 strong litter) only to break down at the very top of the Dartford bridge crossing!! Apparently Laura was driving and the clutch went. Luckily it was stop start traffic so even though they were in the outermost lane they were not in any real danger and the services soon came and towed them off for the AA to repair and send them on their way.

Job interview

Today I went for a job interview as an advisory teacher to the pre-schools. I really wanted it and thought I had all the right qualifications and experience. I was feeling very confident and tried really hard to sell myself. I really wanted a shot at this job.

Sadly I didnt get it. They have just phoned to tell me (after a nail biting hours wait by the 'phone). The feedback was that I did really well in presenting myself and came across as very caring and passionate about the children and their welfare/development, but after alot of deliberation decided that the other candidate had more experience than myself in Nursery Education.

I actually feel quite up about it even though I didnt get the job. The nursery where I am working will be so pleased to hear this as they are really up for me to stay with them, and I now know that I have fully regained my confidence and can get through an interview without being subservient or looking like I am begging LOL. The best bit was when I asked should another similar vacancy become available should I apply and she said please yes do!

The other news is that hubby, on a suggestion from me, is to have a BBQ for his 50th birthday. I was expecting just a small family affair but made the mistake of saying he could invite whoever he wanted. He then spent three hours on the phone and internet tracking down people he hasnt spoken to for nigh on 20 years and ...they all want to come!!! I just pray the weather is good because I have no hope of squeezing them all in the house. Still the look on his face as he made contact with these lost friends was priceless, and meeting up again after all these years will be worth the effort and cost I am sure.

Easter bank holiday

We dont celebrate Easter as much as we do Christmas in our family but we do try to get together as a family over the weekend so this is probably the first year we didnt all manage to be together in the same place at the same time.

Friday Martin had to work so, having worked 2 days myself that week, so I had promised to go and help Laura and Wayne at the house. A break down in communication meant that they werent there when I turned up (they thought I was going food shopping, and had gone to sort out Currys and their fridge/freezer. So I came back home, pricked out some seedlings, painted a bit more of the garden furniture, and went to buy a few bits and bats only to get a phone call from them just as I was tucking into my hot cross bun lunch!

Anyway I spent the rest of the day putting dutch oil on all the doors in their house, exhausting myself in the process.

Saturday and a fortnight's worth of housework needed doing. I was only going to hoover Laura's room but as this meant hanging up all the clothes on the floor I ended up gutting the whole room! So again a very tired me, and we were going out for a meal with our friends that evening too.

I had suggested we go up on the Kent Downs to a pub which was, in the past, very popular with a great atmosphere, fab out of this world food and a brilliant landlord but sadly it had changed hands and was only a shadow of its former self. The meal was ok, but the put was empty with no ambience at all, so not worth the 40 min drive to get there and such a dissapointment.

Sunday morning Martin went off to play golf and I got a chance to have a go at the Design Collective lessons using paper this time. I still have no scanner so I cant upload the results (I'm hopeless with the camera and LOs) Then our only family moment, a lovley BBQ at Kelly and Ollie's, with my parents. Only Laura and Wayne were off to Southampton to watch the footie so they were missing. Scrummy food though and really squiddy home made brownies!! We did come home to find a few easter eggs from Laura and a thankyou post-it for doing her room though. Ahh Bless.

And today - Easter monday, and the traditional pub meal and walk in the woods. (Although it was more pub than woods but a pleasant way to spend a sunny bank holiday monday). Shame its back to work tomorrow.

Classes

I am so excited about the Design Collective classes. This week we were emailed our first 3 classes plus a bonus class and every single one is just so inspiring. I have actually been and done some paper scrapping - something I hadnt felt like doing for ages and ages!! Not only that I used quite a lot of my stash that has sat collecting dust for a few years as it has gone out of 'fashion'.

Its not quite ready yet but while the glue was drying I attempted to do Kirsty's class as a digi version.OK I couldnt use the technique because that involved eyelets but I have used it as a sketch (sort of) and I am really pleased with it.

The only thing is I am really stuck for a title so if anyone can come up with a better one I would be more than grateful for the suggestions.

Still about

I have not abandoned my blog - I just haven't really had much of note to write about. And I haven't done much in the way of scrapping either. BUT today my DC classes arrived and as soon as Friday comes and I have a bit of time I am chomping at the bit to get started on them. They are awesome.

Here is a digi I did last night though.



PP and scrolls are from Miss Mint Spring Kit and the rest are brushes I have played about with.

New printer

I am not going to mention the job because I am really hating it - the days are so long and boring, and going from being the teacher in charge to the nursery nurse who's biggest reponsibility was emptying the bins because the student was away is really difficult.

On a brighter front though the official wedding photos have arrived. The blokey chap has put the whole lot on a disc at high quality definition, and waived his copywrite. This is brilliant as it means I can play to my hearts content with them in photoshop. He has done quite a good job of them for the price (I still think mine are better) but many of them need cropping in as he hasnt always zoomed in and in many he hasnt really grasped the Rule of Thirds and eye level of people is way too low. Here is one I have already had a bit of a play with.


On thursday my all in one printer/scanner gave up the ghost, refusing to turn on or when it did refusing to communicate with the computer so on a recommendation from Scrapdolly I went out and got an Epson R265. I have never had a photoprinter before and am blown away with the quality of the photos it prints out. I cant wait for my next day off now because I think finally my mojo is going to return and I with all these new photos I am going to be back in my scrapping room cutting and sticking to my hearts desire!

Its a job

Thank you for all the lovely comments on the wedding photo's. I have been in that anticlimax state this week and not really felt like blogging but I do need to add some news.

I mentioned that I had a job interview. It was a little odd as it was for Deputy Manager in a local nursery but just before the closing date the Manager rang me to say that she was unsure if my QTS would cover NVQ Level 3. Apparently the qualification could be tracked and she kindly gave me all the contact numbers to do it, but she also said this could take up to a month to do, and she didnt want to risk Ofsted by employing me without being sure. So we left it at that but on Monday she rang again to 'offer me an interview anyway'. I found this odd if she wasnt going to employ me but thought I would go along for the experience. I didnt really think I would get it anyway as I have no experience of Management or Birth to 3 but you have to try these things.

It was a strange semi/casual interview with some questions quite strange. I didnt feel I had done well so was not surprised when she phoned on Thursday to say I had not got the job, but would I like to come and work in the pre-school room on a temp/cover basis. Now this is way below what I am qualified and experienced to do and the money is bare minimum wage BUT I would loose my benifits if I turned it down so I agreed. There are also some peculiar circumstances as to why I was offered the job as well (but that is confidential for now) but she did let me know that she was also interviewing 2 people who already worked for the Nursery for the Deputy job - it would appear that I never stood a chance in the first place. I have my suspicions that I am only being used for cover while the Manager has a two week holiday.

I must admit to an uneasy - no - panicky feeling about the whole thing. Not the actual job, I could do that in my sleep, but the strange situation, the hidden agenda that is obviously behind it all, settling for a job paying such a small percentage of my real earning potential, and yes, actually going back to work when it is a job I dont really want to do. But on the positive side it will mean I no longer have to state the school and all its problems as my last employer, its a little bit more experience and it earns some pocket money.

Watch this space!

Wedding day.

I am feeling much better today so as promised - photos and account of the day. Kelly 'left' from her bessie friend and chief bridesmaid's house so it was very calm at our house, for the morning anyway.

Back view of wedding gown

Laura (second bridesmaid) had stayed over at Wayne's for the night and had promised to be back at half twelve to have her bath, get ready and drive us to the church. She decided on the spur of saturday morning though to go and have her hair curled so both her and Wayne turned up at 1 oclock, neither of them bathed or changed! Despite the panic to get us all ready and in the car on time we managed to look reasonably presentable as we walked out the door. We managed to get lost on the way to dropped Martin off at Helen's (thank goodness for mobile phones)and arrived at the church on time.

Laura, Wayne and the two grandfathers outside the church.

I did very well, only having to choke back tears when the wedding party walked up the aisle - but then I think that was my perogative since as well as my radiant baby in her beautiful gown,
there was also hubby in his tails and Laura the most prettyiest of the bridesmaids! The vicer was a lovely old boy who had lots of little jokes that broke the ice and got everyone relaxing.

Signing the register

The sun shone, the sky was blue, there was a little bit of breeze and there were tons of smiling faces.

Leaving the church.

Some little ironies/incidents:

The council must have a sense of humour - the building right next to the church is a home for battered wives!

5 Mins before leaving for the church, the chief bridesmaid discovered the zip on her dress had broken. She was upstairs and Kelly was downstairs in a hooped wedding dress and the only one free to move up and down stairs was Kelly's dad who no way was going to attempt to mend the zip on a semi clad young bridesmaid!!

The hotel had forgotten to shut the door seperating the dinning area from the drinks/meeting room so people wandered off to their tables without doing the meet and greet/kissing and hugs past the wedding party so no one got introduced to each other which was a shame.

The guys were really nervous about their speeches but they all did really well, and I didnt get the traditional bouquet as given to mother of the bride by the groom but a lovely wheelbarrow planter (flat packed though).

Then it was the fun bit, good food, laughter, lots of drink, and dancing. A brilliant day all round.

The only real downside was the hotel. We stayed overnight but in one of the rooms below us there was obviously some sort of after party (from the other wedding event being held there) going on and it didnt finish until the dawn chorus. So no sleep for me for the entire night, which is why I have been so totally exhausted.

But it was very near to red nose day so to finish....

Wedded bliss

Judging by the amount my stat counter has gone up, I guess I have had people dropping in to find out how the wedding went and to see some photos.

I promise I will get some on here but right now I am just sooooo tired I dont have the energy to keep my eyes open let alone mess about in photoshop getting the photos the right size to upload so please be patient I promise I will get them loaded as soon as I feel better.

Here's one of me in my outfit though - please note it looks purple here but irl it is no where near that colour but more a dusty dark pink
The wedding was a fairytale, brilliant, and there are heaps of little stories to tell about the day so I want to be awake enough to do it justice.

I also have an interview on Wednesday at a local nursery so lots to update but sleep comes first.

The BIG day

So its finally here. The day we give our little girl into the keeping of her new husband! Gosh where did that time go, seems only yesterday we were rushing off to the hospital - me in the ambulance because my waters had gone and hubby in his car, racing to catch up because the ambulance driver needed the loo in a hurry, and hoping not to get stopped because he had just come back from a pub crawl with his mates (I stress this was back in the days before we really realised the dangers of drink/driving).

So right now I am sitting here waiting for my nails to dry and wishing I had settled for slightly lower and more comfy shoes. Its very quiet here because Kelly has opted to leave from her chief bridesmaid's house. This is because she is getting married in her own parish which is half hour drive from our house and I couldnt see the point in her coming all the way back here just to drive back again. A little bit of me wishes I hadnt suggested this, and had made her come here but I know in my heart of hearts this is the more practical option.

So calm, calm almost boring here. We had some fun yesterday as the boys were going into town to collect their penguin suits and Kelly and I were collecting the dress and cake. This obviously needed 2 cars but as Martin went to start his, it refused and the RAC had to be called. The RAC were prompt but parked across the drive preventing me from getting my car out. So delays all round and slight panic as we were running out of transport options for today. Dad's seats in his car are all spoken for and Wayne's had failed its MOT, needing new suspension.

Anyway all cars are miraculously back on the road now so panic over. Suits were collected, cake is beautiful and dress safely delivered.

A futher hickup when I got Laura's poncho out the washing machine (needed just incase it is cold at the church as the bridesmaids are in strapless dressies) to find the washing machine had eaten a large hole in it. Back into town to M&S to buy a pashmina. We managed that after a strange 3 way phone call in the middle of the store between myself, Kelly and the other bridesmaid to check I got the right one.

So off at 2, ceremony at 3, then lots of kisses and hugs, tears and hopfully happiness to come today.

Forced to scrap!

My beloved favourite scrapping forum is down for maintenace, and has been since early yesterday morning. This means I ma chasing round lots of other forums trying to catch up with all my mates - and I have never read so many blogs as I have this weekend. Of course it doesnt help that the weather is really horrible so I cant get out in the garden (which really needs some work) and hubby was out all afternoon and evening on his future son-in-law's stag do.

So I was forced off the computer and into the scrap room. Gosh what a hardship. LOL

I haven't finished the paper LO yet as I had some trouble with the paint on my chipboard letters so I cant upload that yet but I was inspired by this weeks make and take feature on 2Peas so I decided to try a digi version.

The photo is my youngest DD having her first fitting for the bridesmaid dress (her elder sister gets wed next Saturday) but she forgot to put her strapless bra on for it. Hope she gets it right on the day

All the bits (apart from the heart brushes) are from Whatekatiedid's freebies (found on her blog) but I desaturated them to remove the colour and then altered the colours using variations in Photoshop so that they would match the photo.

Look what happens

When you get out of the habit of updating your blog daily -

1) You forget what the hell you have been doing for the last week
2) People stop visiting your blog and you fall off the blog chart numbers LOL

Now number 2 is just an observation because as I have said before this blog is just for me (see number 1 as to why LOL) but isnt it interesting how you give a few freebies away, and soar up to 25 or something ridiculous but then plummet like a stone when you stop giving away stuff? Gosh its a mercinary world we live in.

Mind, there has been a lot of blog activity in the scrapping world this week as some very talented and lovely ladies launched their new venture The Design Collective offering classes, private tutoring, a forum, crops and heaps of other online fun much on the lines of The Big Picture or Shimmelle's classes but far bigger, better and brighter with some big names from the scrapping world. The launch of this exciting enterprise didnt go as smoothly as it should have done though. Instead of welcoming new ideas that are going to help put British scrapping on the map, help newbies and old hands alike, and plug a huge hole in the market that the loss of our British scrapping mags left,there has been heated words, much nastiness, and some very hurt feelings. So there has been a frenzy of bloggworld reading as the scrapping community (nosy cows that we are) tried to find out who was saying what about whom.

Personally I wish the girls well in the new business. I would wish anyone brave enough to start up their own business good luck. The way of things in this country just now makes anything a huge risk with no support should you fall,even if you think you are in a 'safe' profession (just look at the state teaching and nursing are in right now).

I also think the scrapping world needs more diverse ideas, more ways in. When I started there were hardly any places you could get stash and certainly only online or at shows. I watched with glee and mounting excitment as more and more online shops and then real bricks and mortar shops opened, but then the competition and the profit margins became too much and sadly many of those shut down again. Now there are very few places selling a really wide range of goodies, and lots of those entraupenures are going over to specialising in kits or albums or such. You cant believe the problems I have had just being able to source Herma at a reasonable price because of this.

Then there is the advent of digi scrapping and now hybrid (which is basically what most of us have always done, I mean I started from day one printing out my labels and using clip art to make embellishments). Hardly heard of a year ago and now there are literally hundreds of sites and blogs giving away digi freebies or pointing you in the direction of kits for sale (Hey I know I tried it myself).

And this is why I ask we give more variety a chance. It seems our nature to either jump on a new idea and flog it to death at the expense of all the other good ideas, or dis it without even trying first. Yes kits are great but wouldnt it be even better if I could ALSO get some Herma from a shop without having to have a full pizza box of other stuff just like I used to when I started out?

Which is why I love the idea of what the DC are doing. It may not be a new idea to sell classes on line. It may not be different to set up a hints and tips forum or an on line cybercrop, but to have it all in one place without having to spend hours searchng online, to know that the class I am going to get is one in a style I will like (because I know the work the girls do). How many times have we all read posts or posted threads claiming to have 'lost our mojo' 'run out of inspiration'? What good is a scrap room full of stash if it never gets used or we dont know how to use it? now instead of having to google for hours, search huge galleries, flip through pages of mags until that little bit of 'me' time is gone and there is no time left to scrap anyway, there it will all be, with the talent and knowledge of these terrific girls but a click away.

Its something ELSE not INSTEAD of I can choose to spend my money on. And guess what? I am not stupid. I want value for money. So if I dont think it is what I want., if I dont like it or my spending priorities change then no one is twisting my arm up my back and making me buy. So if I do find that elusive Herma I can spend my money on that instead of a class.

If I like a class one month but dont have the right bits and bobs to make it I can use my following months money on stash and catch more classes the following month. How terrific is that? No more subbing up front for a year only to find the company has gone belly up two months down the line and no way of getting any money back. No more 'well I love the layout shown in this mag but I cant buy all the stuff they are sourcing because I've spent all my money on the sub'. No more 'well two months ago this mag really suited my style but now its gone all way out but I am stuck with it for another 10 months'.

They say no publicity is bad publicity, maybe that is true, maybe all the heartache the DC girls have gone through this month will give their idea one hell of a kick start. Lets hope so, lets hope that something good comes from all the pain, because this industry should be supporting new initiatives not putting them down. If the idea is bad or wrong then it will fall of its own accord (personally I dont think this one will). Businesses are hard to keep afloat and will only work if the ideas are sound, the managment strong, and the talent brilliant. I personally think the DC have all three of these things. Time will tell.

So to all the DC girls - good luck, and I wish you well in your new venture.

New experiences

Well the weekend was full of new experiences!

I started off by going with Laura to her bridesmaid dress fitting. I cant say I am overly impressed with the place Kelly has chosen to have them made with. I thought this experience would be all cosy and girls together, mother and daughter stuff. The place we went is in the middle of nowwhere, a barn on a farmyard that has been converted into outlets. So my first new experience was using a sat nav system to find it.

Far from my ideal, it was literally in and out of the shop! Last time there wasnt even any seats out for those waiting, this time at least there was a huge chocolate fountain running although everyone felt too intimidated to munch any. The dresses are already late, they were promised the end of January and have only just got back to the shop from the suppliers, so they hadnt even been pressed when the girlies tried them on. And despite all three girls being vastly different in size and shape strangely all three dresses need taking in at the bust??!?? I only hope the alterations are good as there is only a week to the wedding once they come back.

Then it was back to my mum's as that is where Kelly is leaving her wedding gown so that Ollie cant see it before the wedding. She had picked it up that morning, so it was a full dress rehersal for me and the grandparents to see the dress. Wow! For obvious reasons I cant put the photo's up here, but it was a bit of a hanky moment seeing my little baby all growed up.

After that it was off to the hotel for the hen do. I've never been to a hen party, they didnt do them in my day, just a bit of a drink with your girlfriends down the pub if you were lucky. None of all the commercialism they have today. So another new experience. There were 13 of us including the bride, and we started off in the hotel pool, followed by yet another new experience for me - the steam room. The youngsters also piled into the sauna but that was one new experience too much for me and I stayed in the pool.

Up to the rooms for the opening of the 'brides' box and the rules of the evening. Then into our 'costumes' - a cowgirl theme, and down to the restaruant where a table had been booked, decorated by the waiters with goodies supplied by myself and the bridesmaid and an evening of laughter. I'm not going to put drink and food there because the service just wasnt up to it. We were very dissappointed as it took them an hour and a half to get our food to the table once we had ordered - it would have been quicker in weatherspoons and in my experience thats saying something!!! Maybe this is what put the waiters off?

In fact the service was so bad that the waiters never returned to take our desert orders so we retired to the bride's room for a slightly altered game of pin the tail on the donkey (involving a tastefully changed poster of the groom *wink wink*) and pass the parcel, chocolate and wine.

By 11 the main bridesmaid, Helen who was the organiser, had run out of steam, it being only the first time away from her beautiful baby boy of 7 months, so the games ceased and we listened to the chatter of two of the other girls as the rest of us snoozed gently against the walls of the room (seating being on the floor only).

Sadly a combination of excitement, toomany new experiences, chlorine, and rock hard very high pillows resulted in a migraine for me, so not only could I not enjoy my full english breakie included in the package, but Jan had to drive my car home, and I spent Sunday and Monday sleeping. But I did enjoy it all. I look forward to Laura's hen!!

Oh and to finish one more new experience. When we got home, Jan phoned her husband to come collect her, only to find he had managed to get their Landrover stuck in the mud at the stables!!!! Only he could manage to get a Landrover stuck!

Stinger

A couple of digi LO's I have been playing with. This one is of me and my younger brother taken on the hill at Pegwell Bay when we went to see the viking ship. No idea who the little fella in the middle is, he just happened to be there for some reason and came over for the photo call.

Shabby Princess Seasonal Sampler Winter
Katie Hatfield Doodle arrow
Shabby Princess Festival Frame
Colleen Lynch Sweetpea Kit

And this one is Laura taken last summer as she was watching Wayne play cricket.

Shabby princess colourful corners
Katie and Kirsty's Kit
I made this today doodles
Colleen Lynch Sweetpea kit

The plans for the wedding are down to final details now, one of which is the hen party and also the 'Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Kelly had asked me to find the baby blue garter that she had had as a youngster as part of a dressing up outfit so that it would cover old and blue. All dressing up clothes from when the girls were kids had gone up in the attic so she also asked that while I was up there I measure the internal doors stored there to see if they would fit her house. For some reason it seems a hobby of the people who own houses before us to take the doors off and put them in the attic space. There were 7 in our attic when we moved in, although all the rooms in the house did have doors hung on them. We left them up there and used as floor boards, making it less likely for Martin to fall between the joists and through the ceiling (he still did). And Kelly only has two internal doors in the whole house, seems the previous ocupier took them all away. So it seemed a good idea to see if the ones in our loft fitted her doorways.

I went up to look in the attic on Wednesday. I couldnt find the garter and the doors were hidden behind a pile of boxes so I asked Martin to measure them. Somewhere between getting his tape measure out of the shed and climbing into the attic he managed to harbour a wasp in the sleeve of his fleece though and, yes, it stung him not once but about 4/5 times. He then had an alergic reaction so that by the time he came home from work yesterday his arm from his knuckles to his elbow looked like the leg of an elephant. The pain we suffer for our kids! And whats worse it turns out the doors wont fit Kelly's doorways either.

Tomorrow morning the bridesmaids have their fittings and Kelly is collecting her dress to bring down and give us all a show, then tomorrow night is the hen night. We are off to stay in a hotel, enjoy the pool and spa and then a meal (dress not optional, cowgirl theme) followed by silly games in the hotel rooms. I must go put the camera batteries on charge.

CV Madam?

If you claim Jobseeker's allowance (which I am in order to get my National Insurance stamp paid) you have to agree to do at least three things a week in order to find yourself a job. So last week I signed up to Fish4jobs, and on a whim applied for a Trainee Microbiologist vacancy. I dont think I have much chance of getting it, after all its twelve years since I got my Science degree and I haven't really had call to use it much teaching 4 year olds.

Yesterday I got a phone call from someone claiming to have had my cv passed on to them from Fish4 jobs - convo went like this

Them: You have all the right qualifications and educational background but your cv lets you down so you havent been chosen this time.
Me: Oh right, what should I do about that?
Them: Would you like to talk to the recruiter about it?

Following my affirmative, I am left hanging for some time, then the original caller comes back

Them: I have spoken to the recruiter (I thought you were going to get him to talk to me?) and he says that its down to your CV. In light of the short time before the cut off date to apply (I thought you said I hadnt been successful, now your saying I havent been put forward yet?) he suggests you get a professional to write your cv for you.
Me: Ok what do I do?
Them: We have an account which means that it usually costs £99 but we can get it done for £39 which you would get refunded if we got you the job?
Me: (finally realising what this was about) Well as you appreciate I am unemployed so I would have to ask my husband to pay that but he isn't here.
Them: We are here until 6 tonight
Me: My husband wont be home until 9
Them: You can leave a message or phone me in the morning (Hang on I thought this was urgent?)
Me: Could I not just send you my own cv
Them: We already have your cv
Me (and here's the clincher) No you don't, you have what Fish4jobs wrote using the answers to the questions I answered on their site, they wrote that cv, I never sent in my own because I applied through their website. My CV isnt skills based though.
Them: (after pause and some excuses about not knowing how Fish4jobs works) It does need to be skilled based
Me Ok I will write a skilled based one and send it to you.

Honestly! How many people fall for this? I was disgusted that, already in a vunerable position of being unemployed there are sharks out there ready to prey on you.

I have been scrapping and have actually finished a paper LO! I will try and scan it in later today.

More before and after

I'm still trying to rescue those 1980's photos and came across this.



Sweep is no longer with us - but just how cute is this, and what do you think of the after photoshop effect?

Bluuugh!

I've not blogged for a bit. Just didnt feel like it and to be honest life has been so bloody borring there wasnt really anything to blog about. I guess its February blues. I do so hate January and February. On top of which a job which I really really wanted and which on paper I was highly suited for never called me for interview so feeling really down about that too. So anyway I have branched out and applied for a few jobs which have nothing to do with teaching but will call into use my Science degree. Perhaps it would be nice to actually use it??

I did also start making a Valentine digi kit to give away but seem to have lost steam on it. I will try and zip up and upload the bits I did make though. Someone may find them useful.

Wedding plans are steam rollering along and on Saturday I got invited to Kelly's for a cuppa. We ended up going through lists and lists of songs choosing stuff for the reception. Agerdoo made it to the final cut but sadly Hi Ho Silver lining and The Conga were veeto'd.

I've played with this digi LO for ages, it feels to me that it needs more but I just cant figure out what.



Papers by Ashley Olson (Digidare colaberation kit)
Shabby Princess colourful corners
Shabby Princess Sweet Serenity alpha
Miss Mint Blue Lavender pin
Coleen Lynch SweetPea Kit pink ric rac
Miss mint Cinnemon Tea wordart
Divine digital doodles