Well my PC died..........

That's the desktop that I use on a daily basis - not sure if we will be able to retrieve anything off it (that'll be the last four years of my life then!) but let's just say that I'm glad that Damon moved all of our photos onto an external hard drive a couple of months ago - phew! That's another reason why you haven't seen the photos of my classes from Scrappers Paradise last weekend yet either.

Scrappers Paradise was just great. We had reduced the numbers and it really had the intimate feel that we had at our first event. So many people commented on the fact that they thought that it was the best one yet, so we are reducing numbers for the next one too - which I've just released again - last weekend in April 2009!

I was straight back to work on Monday - knackered due to lack of sleep (lets just say husband with kidney infection before I went away and new snoring sleeping partner at Scrappers Paradise!). I was straight back into a Stampin' Up! party for over 20 people on the Tuesday night and then of course rushing around for Halloween and such.

Now I have to say that for the last four years, I have become somewhat renowned for my Halloween parties but lets just say with bedrooms being painted and new carpets being fitted last week too, I am really happy that one of the other mums offered this year! The kids loved it - all of our road are ready for Trick or Treaters too which adds to the fun and what with Damon being off work with the kids for half term, it was nice for my husband to be at the party too (he normally arrives just as it is finishing!) Plenty of alcoholic beverages were consumed by the adults and lets just say that we felt a bit worse for wear on Saturday morning.#

Our weekends are starting to be taken over by the boys football and they had training Saturday morning and then it was a clearing up the house from all the painting etc - the house looked like a bombsite - boxes and furniture everywhere. And then we were off to a dinner party with Mrs Wonka . Now Damon and I are real foodies, so we love going around to someone's house for dinner who is a foodie too. I have to say that Tony (Mr Wonka!) did himself proud - dinner was gorgeous and yes, of course it was chocolate for pudding :-) Thanks Mr & Mrs Wonka - you are my gastronomique heroes. Over to us next time xxxxxx.

And then we were up again this morning. Both the boys had their first official matches on their new teams today and I had promised to go and watch them both - one at 12 and one at 4. So we all went off to Pizza Express to fill the gap in the meantime. Then of course, it is back home to sort out and make sure that we have school uniforms, PE kits and such like as the boys are back to school again tomorrow.

And that is kind of where we are up to right now. I have another Stampin' Up! party on Tuesday, dentist on Wednesday and I cannot remember the rest of the week so better go check.

Okay, war and peace over - sorry for no pictures. I really need to start uploading some of my Stampin' Up! work too. There is a couple of great offers on for November and December but I'll wait to tell you about those in a day or twos time!

Hope you have all had a good weekend.

Have fun!

Natalie x

I know that I'm rubbish....

and I know that I start every blog post apologising for not updating frequently.

I am absolutely shattered having had a great Scrappers Paradise Getaway this weekend. Most of last week was preparing for it. Now it's over, as much as I should be able to relax, I've got a Stampin' Up! party to do tomorrow night and then bedrooms to empty for painting and carpets to organise!

Let this week be over and then calm will be restored..........and then I'll get ill!

Will photograph and show you my Paradise classes later in the week and share but for now just gotta go to bed.........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Natalie x

La Mola album

This is the front of an mini album that I have made this week. It's got a mixture of KI Memories and Doodlebug flocked paper and if you look closely at the orange paper, you can see the KI Memories lace paper.

La Mola is a fort in Menorca which when Damon and the boys were too enthusiastic about going and looking at it, I have to admit to being less than enamoured. I thought I might sit in the car whilst they took a look around - until we found out it took 2 - 4 hours to get around. I gave in to keep all my boys happy and have to admit to really liking it. It was really quiet so the boys could run around to their hearts content and they loved it - through the underground tunnels and all the secret places, there was a new surprise for them around every corner.

I'm on Scrappers Paradise alert this weekend as I cannot believe it starts next Friday - arrrgghhhhhhh!!!!! So looking forward to this one for some reason - not really sure why - just know that I'm going to have sides that ache from laughing so much and will revel in spending time with good friends.

So best get on and perhaps, I'll give you some sneak peeks later.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Natalie x

Oh dear (again!)

My hopes of updating this blog a few times a week just isn't working is it.

I am really busy 1) working at my "proper job" 2) being a mum who does more homework than her kids 3) finalising my classes for Scrap-a-ganza and Scrappers Paradise 4) organising and running Stampin' Up! parties, orders and deliveries 5) not even thinking about my Cathy Z class that I haven't even started yet and we are nearing the end of week 2 or the fact that I haven't even thought about Kian's birthday next month or that dreaded C word (Christmas!). And lets not talk about organising decorators (hi mum!) and carpet layers and trying to workout how to furnish Ethan's bedroom with all new furniture without it costing the earth LOL!

So not much as ever then.

I did have yesterday off of work as I was getting all a bit behind and I have to say that I did get alot more organised and on top of things (thankfully) as after a bit of a cold over the weekend, I didn't achieve too much (apart from getting washing dry in the glorious sunshine).

Anyway, getting on with my album class for Scrap-a-Ganza, so better get on with it but I will leave you with the layout that went onto the A Daily Inspiration blog - go have a look - there is a big dollop of creative talent on that team. Please excuse the badly lit, badly taken photo - but you get the idea!

Also, a big congratulations to Zoe who has been commissioned to do some more magazine work after a certain publishing house saw her work on her blog! If you love cute stamping projects, go and bookmark / follow her blog .

Also a big congratulations to Kirsty too - she's been nominated as one of the blogs on Aceville's craft awards. Go see here.

Right that is it for tonight - gotta go play with bits of paper.

Have fun!

Natalie x

Busy Busy Busy

I must be getting old!

It wasn't so long ago that I could work all day and half way into the night. I'm not sure if it is the colder evenings or what it is, but I just can't seem to do it anymore.

By the time I have sorted out the boys, done homework, washing, dinner, tidied up, caught up with internet and emails - I'm too tired to do anything else.

My to do list is gradually going down and I should really be doing some more tonight but realise that I'm just too tired.

Managed to get a layout done for my next Scrapbookmate DT spot. Here's a little sneak peek for you:
Full of Chatterbox, Making Memories and 7Gypsies gorgeousness and my normal dose of doodling added to the mix too! Blue - what a strange colour for me to scrap in LOL!

I am eagerly awaiting my first box of goodies from the new Stampin' Up catalogue which I'm hoping is going to arrive tomorrow just in time for my workshop Friday night. I will share some goodies with you if it does turn up - lots of yummyness! I am still offering free P & P with any orders for October - a minimum saving of £3.95 - so be sure to let me know if anything tempts you in the new catalogue. Why not make yourself a cup of tea and click on the link on the right and have a good look through - there is sure to be something that grabs your fancy!

Already behind on my Cathy Z Big Picture Scrapbooking class and the next lesson is tomorrow - oh dear! Must get my Scrap-A-Ganza class, workshop and Scrappers Paradise out of the way first and then perhaps I will be able to catch up.... I hope so anyway - really don't want to get left behind too much and end up not doing it. Perhaps I'll be able to catch up when I'm not teaching at Paradise LOL!

Anyway, that's it for tonight - I'm off to bed!

Goodnight!

Natalie x

Happy World Card Making Day!!!

Stampin' Up! have two fabulous offers on right now. One for World Card Making Day and one for the whole of October.

The special World Card Making Day Offer is the flyer that you can see on the right hand side above. You can purchase a 'Simply Sent' card kit which is a box brimming with card making goodies. They are retiring from the old catalogue, so have already been discounted BUT if you order between 4th-11th October and Stampin' Up! will give you an extra 20% Discount! That means that this kit instead of being the original £49.95, they are now available during this period for just £31.96! Each kit contains a six piece die-cut stamp set, three Stampin' Spot inkpads, an assortment of cardstock, ribbon, brads, adhesive and envelopes. I'm sure that you will agree what a bargain this is and what a fabulous way to get a bunch of cards made together.

Now this additional 20% discount also applies to the BRAND NEW Simply Sent™ Card Elements kit too making it just £10!

On top of that, running for all of october, we have the Stampin' Up! Birthday Celebrations. If you spend over £20 in the new catalogue, you can choose from selected stamp sets and get 20% discount off them!

On offer there is;

Crazy for cupcakes - you can get it for £16.76
Birthday Best - you get it for £8.76
Cheers and wishes - you get it for £11.96

So if you are interested in either of these fab offers, then be sure to get in touch. Email me at natalie@oshea26.freeserve.co.uk and remember the World Card Making Day offer has to be ordered by the end of next Saturday 11th October.

Keep posted for more info and enjoy the weekend - I'm off to a charity crop tomorrow so really hoping that I get some crafting done.

Natalie x

There is so much to tell you but it might just have to wait until tomorrow....

So much going on this week but really want to spend the weekend doing a nice long big post for you.

I'll explain either tomorrow or Sunday but here's a quick run-down of things to expect (otherwise known as My To Do List LOL!).

1. Stampin' Up! NEW catalogue!
2. Stampin' Up! October Offer - 20% off selected stamps - need I say anymore than cupcakes?
3. World Card Making Day tomorrow - and more special Stampin' Up offers.
4. Wednesday's Stampin' Up party and photo of Make and Take card.
5. Stampers 10 Club.
6. New monthly stamping club starting in Crawley.
7. Charity Crop in Horsham on Sunday.
8. Anything else that I might have forgotten :-)

So I will leave you with a link to the new catalogue for you to drool over (or click on the image on the right hand side) and watch this space over the weekend!

New Stampin' Up Catalogue

Until later.

Natalie x