grumpy ...happy moments

happy...phoebe 'tidied' up my pj's and folded them and put them under my pillow so that when I went to bed they were 'nice and neat'.
grumpy...being woken up twice in the night by Ewan.
happy...walking to school without any rain or wind.
grumpy...lots of fights to separate before we got out of the door!!! Ewan and Jamie, I think Jamie is a bit tired
happy...having two friends over for a quick coffee, chat and prayer time before the day really gets going
grumpy... Lucia managed to mix up all the reward pasta jars and as I was sorting this out tipped pineapple juice over her, down the fridge and on the floor.
happy...knock at door and my scrapping parcel had come! (Not the one from America)
grumpy...hauling Lucia out of the fridge for the 10th time
happy...playing hide and seek with Lucia and listening to her giggle
grumpy...can't get my class teaching timetable sorted out. Need inspiration
happy....only one child awake...Ewan playing
happy....its Friday
happy....scrapping tomorrow!!
OK its not all that bad, just a funny way of looking at my day so far!

Spiders

Ewan and Lucia made these at Sunbeams Toddler Group today!!!

OK anyone who is at the Odiham crop on Saturday, here is the sneaky peek of the class. It is a double layout (at no extra cost!) that will get your new year kick started.
Ultra simple but with plenty of scope for you to put your own mark on it. You can choose your own colour scheme. I'm bringing the usual card stock, patterned paper, selection of embellishments, paint and stamps. If you have patterned paper scraps please bring them so we can pool them (this layout looks better with a different selection) Also alphabet stamps are good.

If you want to do the title ahead (if you are lucky enough to own a craft robo or cricut) the title "January" needs to be about 5cm high.

This layout was inspired by Ali Edwards article in January 2007 Creating Keepsakes "Daily, Weekly, Monthly". Article is not online but these two links will give plenty of other inspiration.

See you there. For those who aren't going I will try to get some photos of the results and post them on sat.

Things that make me happy...

Lucia's shoes from granny and grandad in thailand...my little tools bag (red of course)...gorgeous silk and velvet scarf...one of my paintings...walking home from school in sunshine instead of rain...jamie's drawing of a house for me.... thomas the tank engine dvd (Ewans favourite)....my car because it means freedom to get out!!...invitation today from ross and jules to ross's birthday party at the coolest place in town-pennyhill park (thanks so looking forward to that) .....listening to the radio...spending time with phoebe jewelry making at her girls club, such a funny photo notice the horns on our head we stood in just the wrong(or right) place!!! haha...dolls house (phoebes fav)....i love you book (jamies fav)...lucia in her reindeer antlers, her fav thing today was apricots because she kept raiding the fridge for them....fianally our "family" carving because it reminds me that I have five children even though one (elisha) is in heaven..it is sad too but reminds me of her happy nature and constant energy which always makes me smile...what things make you happy?

Just Playing...

...I had an inspiring conversation with my friend Penny (a cool artist) ...we were saying how important it was to play with materials experiment with them and not always to have to produce!! wow...isn't that liberating?

Then I was looking at Ali Edwards blog and she had set a challenge to choose one word which would be your word for the year?...I think mine is going to be PLAY...I feel like my scrapbooking has got in a rut and I want to try different things...

ooh! silence Lucia is asleep and all the others are out I think I need to go now...will try to post some pictures later. Now what can I do with paint......

what do you do with...lined paper, squared paper, masking tape, paint and stamps.....

Tear a shape put of the masking tape and brush paint over without adding water. Leave to dry and then peel away masking tape. I addes some pen and a lighter shade of paint. Go on have a play.

A word from the children:

The Dreadful Duo of Ewan and Lucia were up to mischief again today! They had found a bowl of chocolate sauce...taken it up to their bedroom and shared it aww how sweet!! I wiped the evidence away before I realised what had happened!!

Jamie came home with Daisy the class mascot and he and Phoebe played a loveley game of "dog races" which Daisy won first prize. Jamie was supposed to write in Daisy's Diary but after a few laboured lines he gave up!! The game was much more fun.

Mmmm can't wait...

...finally I have heard that something I have ordered (in November!!) is finally on its way...can't wait as I have been looking forward to this for ages...will let you know when it comes!

Evidence of Lucia.....

is all around! After she has gone for her nap or gone to bed I find it...no not just the usual toys (which she leaves plenty of) No, I am talking about the more bizzare bits of evidence like.....bitten and chewed parsnips, onions, and leeks...or the trail of garlic cloves across the kitchen floor.... a toy carefully placed among the jars in the fridge...the ar posted in the video (ok thats pretty standard!).....balls placed in my shoes....forks in the washing machine....the list could go on.

I have come to the conclusion that Lucia shares the same sense of purpose and unique personality as her big sister Elisha did...watch ou world shes coming and shes got purpose, determination and style!!!

Hysterical moment! I was helping Ewan get ready for his bath and I heard a small splash. Turned around to see Lucia in the bath fully clothed. She had got the bath toy box and pushed it over to the edge of the bath and sort of climbed and rolled in!

See what I mean ingenious!!!