Can't believe I have admit it..!!!!

Whey hey I,m blogging early today because I really really need to sleep. I am feeling like a pile of s**t, and I am not sure if I am coming down with something, jet lagged or just plain knackered, lol. I just had a bath and washed my hair and had to have a lie down. Had a really relaxing art journaling class today. Everyone just did their own thing and what a brill job they made. It is really fantastic feeling to see how they have progressed over the past 14 mths if that. They came to their first classes as terrified rabbits, who wanted me to tell them exactly what to put and where. They just wouldnt, or couldnt commit any of their thoughts to paper, and panicked if anyone came near their journal.!!! Now they just go with whatever I suggest, and it is brill to see, although I do worry that at this reate I may become surplus to their requirements. I,ll just have to keep coming up with some new and unusual techniques. Now where did I put all those peel offs from years ago..!!!! lmao.
Here are the 2 pages I did in class

I am busy working on some new downloads for you all, as they have been sooooooo popular. They take frikkin ages to do mind, but I think they are worth it.  The first of this years art journaling weekend starts on Friday and I am sooooo looking forward to it. If you are coming, get plenty of rest beforehand as you will be mentally and emotionally drained after. and dont forget, warm boots, vests, long johns, fingerless gloves, scarf, wooly hat and hot water bottle..!!! Yes youve guessed it we still have no ceiling and it is frikkin unbelievably freezing...

Which reminds me , is anyone from the South coming to the April weekend. I have a lady desperate to come but doesnt want to travel on her own. If you fancy keeping her company just let me know. Thanks.

I got 2 blog awards today from 2 of my lovely MacDuff ladies. Although I am really bad at remembering to post them and never ever pass them on, I am always really honoured that people have thought of me and inside chuffed to buggery.! So thankyou the lovely Sonja and the lovely Kirstiwithani.....

I will answer the 7 questions though. It is supposed to be about things you don t know about me, but I,m not sure if there is actually left unsaid. lmao

 So here goes with 7 things people dont know about me.

1. My nails take hours to do. They are a ritual wether long or short. First strengthener, basecoat, 2 coats of colour, topcoat, chip n skip and then sprayed with a quick dry. Is there anybody out there the same or is it cos I,m crackers. No don.t even go there.!!!
2. until the age of 12 I always thought that Joshua Tetley was my uncle. My Dad used to take us round the pub , sit us outside, and come out with crisps and pop, saying "your Uncle Joshua is a bit busy but he's sent you these out " Yes really, how gullible is that.?
3. At the age of 6 we moved to Harrogate from Batley. It was only when they were half way here that they realised they had actuall left me in the front room of the old house.!!
4. was the first girl in my secondary school to do Technical drawing and Building construction.. Until then it was a boy only subject. It wasnt that I was desperate to do it, just that girls werent allowed to do it made me object. I went on strike and picketed the library for 3 days, clutching a hand made banner. lmao. It worked and in I went. I frikkin loved it, you all know how anal I used to be so all those straight lines and measurements were music to my ears. I was a bit like Tubbs in League of gentlemen when she was shown a map.."Ooooooooh lines and lines and lines and lines."
5. have become addicted to the Jeremy Kyle show. I very rarely watch tv but when I can remember I record the double bill for those rare occasions I get the time. I know its a very shameful addiction to admit to, on a par with smoking crack. Giving up hard drugs wasn't too much of a problem , ha ha , that was a joke,but giving up my fix of Jeremy is proving extremely difficult.  They tried offering me a substitute but Trisha just doesn't satisfy me the same. it is very shameful and I struggle to hold my head up. Oh and by the way if you query me about it, I will just lie and deny it to save face....
6. I can move my little toes independantly from the rest of my toes.
7. I don't suffer from OCD anymore. Good eh? instead I hav e been diagnosed with CDO. It's practically the same, but I prefer it because it's in alphabetical order...lmao

Ok to lull me off to sleep I have an appointment with a box set of Hustle and a packet of strawberry chewits!! I know how to live, me....ha ha

Enjoy xx

Ps.. I knew I shouldnt have mentioned the peel off word, cos I,ve now broken out in hives and a cold sweat..!!!

Ooh I must be getting old..!!!

Just a quick post tonight, Ooooh dont know where this large typing came from lol. Mind you its ace to read, I can actually see it even with my glasses on. Ha ha I might keep it... You watch I,ll never find it again..!!!
Preview went brilliantly today with loads of students in and out. Sexy Susie drove through the snow so we had a good old putting the world to rights. I had all my journals piled on my desk ans someone asked a question about o e of them. Well that was it, questions came thick and fast, answers became even faster and before we knew it the 3rd art journal weekend in April is almost full. Hilarious, none of the ladies had any intention of doing a journalling class. Maybe I hypnotise then with my passion. Dont know what I'm doing but its working..!!! ha ha

Ok two more journal pages for you. The first has some of Tim's new paper from his pad, which is quite seriously TO DIE FOR.!!!! Never mind chocolate or sex, Tim's vintage paper is the future, lmao.

Enjoy xx

The pigeon post rumours were true.....

Yes you heard correctly, the new 2010 CHA release of Tim,s stamps are on out shelves. Yayyyy how did we do that then. Well we were the first order placed at CHA and there just happened to be an international going the next morning and lo and behold here they are. Thats a lot quicker than some of the stores in America. And before any of you start, no it wasnt favouritism we really were the first on the stand. It really helped that thay were next to the Ranger booth that I was demoing on.!!!Ben put them on line this afternoon and they are flying out the door. We ordered tons and tons ,cos they are of course fabbylicious but I still cant see them lasting long. Dont panic if you think some of the stamps look familiar. He has done his usual terific idea of making mini sets of his most popular. So the only problem is deciding which ones and getting your mitts on them before they all sell out.AGAIN..!!! Here they are in all their glory and you can buy them HEREhttp://shop.afth.co.uk/tim-holtz-cha-2010---stampers-anonymous-stamps-384-c.asp

sooooo how cool are  they then..???

Heres a few more journal pages for you.

Its preview afternoon tomorrow 12 - 4, come along and see what I have planned workshop wise for the coming month. Please try not to come before hand as you all know I will be running around like a mad woman, trying to sam up, lma off.

And on Sunday we have our regular art journaling workshop. 10 - 3pm A lot of you are mithering that it isnt in a brochure, and you are right, thats cos we dont have a January brochure, lol. Just turn up with your journal, we,ll get the kettle on and have a bloody good cry, lol

And finally I am going to leave you with a litle tease. The person coming to teach art journaling in February has the initials D & W and I think she is absolutely fabulous with a style all her own. She has long been a favourite of mine, I have even participated in one of her online workshops, which you all haven,t seen yet.I think the dates are going to be 2&3 of March, but don,t quote me on it you all know I just make things up... Better wait for Ben to confirm it and open the registration. Ohh woop woop I am sooooo excited....

Right I really need to get some sleep soon, I don't think I am suffering from jet lag, but from jet awake. Why am I so odd ..??? I havent slept , bar the odd 30 mins here, since Tues. Ah well greater mysteries have occurred. Hope to see you this weekend

Enjoy xx

Give us a clue..!!

You are all asking, "who's coming, whos coming" and if I told you I would have to kill you, wouldnt I..?? And I,m not really in the mood for blood today...!!!  Little tip tho, those attending art journaling class on Sunday will be let in on the secret first. Oooooooh how's about that then.. still havent unpacked, I,m a bit zombie ish today, but got tons to do tomorrow, so better get this fat little ass into gear.

May be this Northern will jolt me into action, lmao

Enjoy xx

Hot news - smokin..!!!!!

Stand by your beds, art journalers, one of my fave art journalers from the USA is coming to teach at mine in Feb. Yayy...!!!! Just need to finish sorting dates and flights etc. To be sure to be one of the first to get a place you need to be signed up to our newsletter. Remember Claudine sold out in 6 mins. And if you think I am giving up my place you can think again..!!! This is a class not to be missed...

I am soooo knackered that it is taking all my time to write this up, lmao, but I,m doing my best...I didnt sleep much on the planes, I journaled instead and have finished my small Moleskine now, yayyy..!!! See I do finish things. I,ll get it scanned and uploaded as soon as I can focus, lol. But I will leave you with a few pages from the outward journey.

Ha ha I just love the fish face on this. This is how I was feeling on the way out, but I have come back totally passionate again. Don't know what it is about the Ranger boys but they are like a breath of fresh air to me. They pick me up, turn me upside down, slap me around a bit and talk sense into me whilst pouring alcohol down my throat. Yayyyyyyyyy...

This is made with 2 of my download sheets, love creating these villages.

Nuff said..!

I am absolutely loving making silly collage/drawn images.

And more downloads (loads more designs in the pipeline)

Enjoy xx

Leaving on a jet plane.....

Ok here we go again, with yesterday and today,s news. It's a bumper one, but then I will be spending hours and hours and hours on a plane and then recovering from jet lag..!!!

Yesterday started with an urge for sugar and so I ordered blueberry and granola pancakes. Jeez there was enough to feed a small army. Just look at the size of these beauties. I think I managed about a fifth before giving in.

Ha ha this picture makes me laugh soooo much. Yes its the lovely Natalie let loose in a motorised vehicle lol. She hurt her foot wearing flip flops, would you believe..??? Talk about road rage at times, blimey she's lethal in it...!!!

Heres some pics of me demoing. I have sooooo much fun demoing the pearls, and showing how versatile they are to use

Heres some pics of the samples I was making.

This is always a good sign of a days demoing. Guess whos hands these are..??

Yup they are the lovely Claudines.

I had time to catch up with the gorgeous Lyn from the Crafty Emporium and the lovely Michelle who is looking cracking with her weight loss.

Hey up shes still driving on the wrong side..

.

Ha ha me and Wendy are always in trouble for something. Oh ok then it's always me lol. But we do love each other really, ever since we were sleeping partners at a Ranger U.  Oh yes our room had a gorgeous King size bed and a poxy little sleeper couch. She drew the short straw, but being the darling that I am I let her share mine, as long as she didn't snore burp orpinch all the duvet...!!!

And then of course theres Tim himself, He despairs of me sometimes and thinks I,m a right giddy kipper...

But I know he loves me really...!!

A few of us went out to eat and we actually managed to get into The Cheesecake Factory without waiting over 2 hrs. The food was fabulous and we gave a great attempt at devouring it.

Justin managed to bag another Birthday surprise.

Just look at the size of the deserts, I managed to decline as I was stuffed.

Today was filming day for me and Wendy. We have to film clips for the Ranger website. As I turned in for duty Wendy was just finishing hers.

Patti is ace as the director, but I think we need to get her a box to stand on next time..

Then it was my turn.

Last time I looked Tim was sat doing make n takes.

So how come he seems to have sneaked in here..???

He frightened me to death when I turned around, lmao..

As you can see I was kept busy all the time I was there. Love it when the crowd are sooooo interested.

Time for a quick breather with Claudine.

So thats it, we are packing and trying to keep under the weight limit of baggage and in a few hours we will be off again. I always love demoing at CHA and it is a pleasure to work with the luvvly Ranger lads and ladettes. Love you all...

Just wait until all the new products start arriving, yee ha..!!! Gonna have a bath and turn in, cos I am absolutley knackered. I had some really shitty news last night and hardly slept. Still "cancel and continue", tomorrow is another day...

Enjoy xx