Hit and Miss...

...with me at the moment isnt it?

My time away paid off though - I did quite well with my assignment so I was chuffed to bits with that! It was a trickier one this time too. Got another to get under way with though so after my previous blogging performance whilst under pressure to get these assignments done to any reasonable standard, I fear I will be quite rubbish at blogging for a bit.

Just thought Id share this next LO with you first - its of me and my sis a couple of Christmases back, whilst I was preggers with young Shamus and ready to pop at any second. The green hippo remark is due to me wearing a green top, and feeling like a humongous hippo - I was huge when I was pregnant! A massive big and round belly, and I loved it. Isnt it mad how much you miss the bump when it goes (even with your new little baba lol)? Not helped at all by that horrible, feels worse than a blancmange stomach you end up left with. Anyway this LO has some of my first faffings with the sewing machine on - around the heart and on the ribbon. Must remember next time to try not to get adhesive on the needle, doesnt work as good after that lol. Have entered this for the House challenge over on UKS, the theme is Christmas past/present.

Did I show you this Christmas Journal I made? Trouble is Ive been that busy lately that it might turn into Christmas Journal 2008, I havent kept up with it as well as I should have!! I used the friendly felt for the covers and the tree, and some letter tiles from an old QVC set I got ages ago.

Here is my first proper make with my sewing machine - my little pin cushion!! Does anybody listen to Russell Brand on Radio 2? I think its radio 2 anyway, but I think that guy is so funny, really quick witted and clever. If only he didnt wear those tight trousers lol - point of that discussion was, that is where the 'pin pin' thing comes from. Now, the pin cushion is far from perfect, and I really could do to brush up on my hand sewing skills, because the finishing on it is not great. What stitch is best to close a cushion? Havent a clue so it looks a bit frankensteinish on that small section! I want to make another, but theres only so many pins you need - its full of them now. By the way - does anyone know of any good sites to get material from - reasonable money and decent quality?? Would love a link or some addresses please guys?

And now for the scarf. I have decided that it is done since doing this picture. I have crocheted a good few flowers to put on it (as per pattern) but thought that flowers really are not me, and that it might start to look 'antwacky' (as my ma would say) - so the flowers are staying off! Its lovely and warm, a bit on the itchy side yet but hopefully that might get a bit better with wear and a wash. So scrap that very very nearly done title. Done!

And finally for my moonlight picture. There wasnt a chance there was any moon about round our way this morning, it was cloudy so if it was there, it was well hidden!! So I borrowed someone elses moon - they said I could - and layered a pic of my window, taken today, on top of it. I know Im a big fat cheater, but it was the only way!! Ive been dying to get back in the thick of it - so sorry for cheating (i prefer improvising lol) guys!!

Right then, better go. Its Shaun Jr's Christmas party today, he gets to meet Santa (not sure what he will make of that) so will get lots of pics to put up. Got to be careful now though, with people being so funny about pics of their kids and all, with have to do a fair bit of Gaussian blurring and rubbing out!

Thanks for stopping by folks, will get by your blogs tonight - wish me luck at this Christmas party, I think Im going to need it!!

Charli

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A quick show off...

Helllloooooo. A very quick upload of my photos for today! Taken last weekend of my little man, two of the very few I got, where he was actually playing ball IYKWIM! You saw the 'away' pic the other day, well thats mainly what he was doing, trying to escape and evasively manoevre out of mine and the cameras way. But I love these pics of him!! I think I have somewhere in the region of 6000 photos on my puter, much more than 3/4 are of him! Is that sad/scary/weird? I have enough photos for a flicker pad of his life so far lol, but I just love having photos of him. I think it'll be great (mind you he probably wont think so for a while lol) for him when he's older, to see how much he has changed and to see himself at all the various stages of his life. We have had a quiet and chilled day today. He has been great - so well behaved and mischief making at the same time, but in a good way! I am going to get my Christmas shopping done this week, for my family. If I can get sorted it'll be great, and minimise the Christmas panic I get most years thinking - what on earth am I going to get for ......
I'll also upload a couple of things I popped (just had to go back and change popped from pooped - i keep doing that for some reason) over on the BTYD blog for my DT post for this week. The first, a little mini book, and the second, a felt frame using some friendly (and it is really friendly lol) felt. Its really easy to use, to pierce for stitching and to punch - stick it through your bind it all - get the crop a dile on the case etc - its great stuff!!

Right guys. OU stuff beckons. Yack. Not into it at all at the minute!! I think my studying days are over.

Thanks for reading - shall check out your blogs quick, and then get on with the OU stuff. Hows that for procrastinating eh? Lol TTFN

Charli

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My favourite bit about halloween!

My go at the prompt today - our cushion! Shaun loves these, he can sit and play with the fur on them for a good while, usually while he is watching 'In the night garden' before boboz. He finds his favourite spot on the couch and puts a cushion over his legs, and laughs and sings along to his favourite programme!

My favourite bit about halloween now, just like my favourite bit about Christmas, is Shaun Jr!! I hadnt really enjoyed Christmas proper for a long time, until he came along. Not that I didnt enjoy it at all, it's just that Christmas is hard work when your parents aren't together!! It's a time when you should all be together but usually, you end up having to spend one part of the day at one house and another part at another house, and it's horrible having to leave!! And of course we've got Shaun's (snr) parents too. But hopefully we'll get to spend some of this Christmas with us all together.

And halloween will be great too, to see his little face!! I love being a Mummy - a member of the best club in the world, in my humble opinion!! The grandparents - ma let me know when you read this lol - you've got to come to Shaun's halloween party dressed up!! Me and Shaun are, so its only fair that you and Grandpa do too lol

The first of these projects I made there, using the October Personal Shopper Kit was the LO of Shaun in his halloween outfit I got for him yesterday at Asda - he couldn't wait to get it on!! There he is, all kitted out (well kinda if you dont count his cute gingham jammies from Nanny lol), complete with Sparkling Ghost. And of course, he had to have the obligatory nibble at it, just to check it was 'OK'.

Second is this mini index book, made using stuff again from the kit. Am I right calling it an index book? With the little tabs on the sides of the pages? At school we had this English teacher - Mrs Smethurst. She has to be one of the most encouraging and inspiring teachers I have ever known, and I really hope my Shaun is lucky enough to meet at least one like her. But she had a real passion for poetry and I'll never forget her reciting John Keats' Ode to Autumn. She actually managed to get a bunch of 14 year olds interested in the stuff, and whatever else she taught. So when I made this 'Fall' book, I thought Id pop that poem in along with some of my pics from Fall this year, and other little bits and bats.

I cut Shaun Jr's hair last night. Hmmmm. Curly hair is not the easiest to cut AT ALL! Mum, I now understand the sheer hell you must have had whilst trying to cut mine and Mel's hair - we both had afro hair as kids and I tell you - it was a nightmare. I'll have to put a pic up of us for you to have a giggle at! Dont be fooled by that picture - we used to fight like.... I'll have to say cat and dog for now, cant think of anything more vicious off hand!

Trouble with our hair was, you could start cutting it, then comb it out and have to start all over again! Poor ma - I didnt have it that bad last night lol. Right guys, I'll skidaddle - I've waffled on long enough already and I'm sure you've heard enough - if you made it this far!!

Thanks for reading, and have a grand old day!!

Where do I start?!?!?

I'll start by getting some of these projects up - this is all stuff I made for my Ma's 50th birthday. After seeing an idea in the Foof a La Autumn Leaves idea book, I bought a box frame and made this 'family tree' - thought it was a cool idea and different!

I also made a gatefold mini book - saw the idea in Scrapbook Inspirations ages ago, and thought it was perfect for Mum. Ive made her loads of stuff so I wanted something a little different. I trecked round the rellies getting photos of them with my ma from way back, and put them altogether in this book. The cool thing about this book is that you can have three pages on show at any one time, and if you're like me and you love busy projects with loads going on - it's perfect!!

Next stop - grandfather saga. Spoke with my Dad on the phone the other night; he has discovered that he has 3 sisters and 2 brothers!! His Dad sounds fit and well; they had a really good chat on the phone and they are arranging to meet real soon! I can't tell you how happy I am for my Dad - he hasnt seen his Dad since 1960, when he first came to this country, so it will be a real emotional meet up I bet. I just cant wait to see what he looks like! So now I'm sorting some photos of us out to send him - my Shaun is his first great grandchild! Wow. So it looks like there might be a happy ending there after all. Phew!

Mum's birthday Do was a huge success. And we managed to keep

it quiet, which was hard work!! We had a super stretch Limo come to pick Ma up- we told her the taxi couldn't make it and when she stepped out the front door and saw it she couldn't believe her eyes!! We went for a lovely meal at The Pines restaurant in Chorley. Everything was perfect! The food was absolutely fantastic, it's one of those '4 forks and knives beside the plate' places!! I dont know if I get it right or not, but the food ends up in my gob so I must be doing something right lol

There's a picture of me, my sister, my Ma and little brother there
too. What a fantastic night! In the limo on the way back home, there was a karaoke! My sis cracked me up - she was singing 'come back', but it was't the same song we were thinking of - but she had us all in stitches!! She's the life and soul of any party, my sis - she's so funny!

I have to show you another pic that really made me smile too. On the way out of the restaurant, we noticed a sign that said -

Charlene Lee - 50th birthday - sneak peek into the future maybe?!?!

So the final important thing I have to share with you guys is that I have just uploaded some of the stuff I have made with my DT kit. It's on the Blog Til You Drop Website, with some links of how to get hold of the fab kit it's made with. I've got something interesting lined up for my challenge week which is on the 22nd September, and there's new stuff posted every day on Blog Til You Drop, each from a different designer! Our challenges are on a Saturday and go live at 6pm - Ruth's challenge is a cracker and I'm going to use it to scrap a photo of my uncle, who recently passed away. I want a fun and bright page; one that makes me remember him just how he was - a great guy.

Right, ramble over, I shall speak to you soon guys - hopefully with a HS:MS photo very soon!!