Get a cuppa, you're in for a long one..!!!

Sooooooo Sat morning was indeed a 6am startwith breakfast. mario and I shared a bagel and banana and then it was off to the NEC. Then off to the NEC to set the classroom up. Well we would have if they were open..!!! Eventuallty a key was located and it was a mad dash of moving tables, routing all the electric extensions, filling the water pots, unpacking all the supplies, setting the tables, drinking the Starbucks we sent Alain for, applying first aid to Jayne who lost a fingernail and nearly the finger, fighting with melt pot packaging..,!!!, oohing and aahing over the fabulous project, reminding Tim's many excited fans to breeeeeeaaaaathe..., filling the mini misters, unwrapping the mirrors, checking the melt pots, doling out the UTEE, checcking the H&S leaflets were out, having a wee, pinching Marios muffin, getting told off for being my usual giddy self, lmao, sent on a stealing mission for Blending solution, trying , and failing, to appear professional, snogging Jane Dean, applying my slap and opening the doors to let them all in.

The calm before the storm..!!!!!

Heres the project, fab isnt it..???

The engrossed students...

The infamous Suze Weinberg

working her magic with the Melt Pot.

Here's Jane and her friend....I dont't think that "care in the Community" working...do you..???

Any idea who these are...???

Yep they belong to my babe, the one and only partner in crime, the luvvly Mario..xxxxxx He only wears long trousers for special occasions.., and hes always telling me how "special" I am lol.

To the left of this picture is the lovely Sharon and her fella Jamie from the Artist Trading Post.

Oooops seem to have missed Claudines shots, I was running around like a mad woman at this point..!!! But heres Tim.

And here's some shots of the nearly finished projects..

Then it was a mad rush around for me and Mario, cleaning out the melt pots, washing the brushes, changing the water, tidying the tables, restocking the supplies, trying to get the first lot of retailers out, whilst not letting the next lot in, ha ha . And we did it all again..

The project was an ingenious idea of Tim's, it showcased all of the 3 designers talen ts whilst blending them together beautifully. A real inspiration board for the retailers to take and display in their shops. Wonder if one will be appearing down your way. And a massive round of applause to Mario and Michelle who packed all 110 kits, and patiently made 60 crown moulds from scratch...

After checking the booth was all set up with demo supplies, me, Alain, Tim and Mario set off for our annual choc buying frenzy and curry night. We used to make Tim go because he despises curry, but now he loves this place sooooo much that he insists we go. As you can see we are always so pleased to be sat together...!!!

I got my desert in this gorgeous tacky little Dragon boat. How naff is this..??? I love it..

Whilst there I bumped into my gorgeous, gorgeous friend, Barbara, from Clarity stamps. I love her to death, she is a doll, and has really helped me in this last year. She is the Queen of stamping and what she can't do with a brayer isn't worth knowing..!!! Pop over to her website and feast your eyes...

We then staggered back to the hotel, which rather handily happens to be a pub as well. Coincidence..??? err no I don't think so. I hardly ever drink but when the Ranger boys are in town, it is our ritual and to be expected. It was then we discovered that my room was supposed to be vacated by the morning. Wtf..??? where was I going to go, sleep under a hedge. So Tim and I ran accross the road to another hotel and luckily they had a spare.

Sunday started off at a much more leisurely time of 7.30, which gave me time to pack everything up and ship it out to the van. Imagine my surprise when I stepped outside to find it had snowed all night. So we got ourselves wedged by the log fire and had brekkie.

Me and Mario have our own place to sit, its called the naughty table.!!!! ha ha .

Now I have to let you into a secret , Tim, despite all his lovely public persona, is a night mare to me with practical jokes, you all remember the UTEE pile of poo that followed me everywhere... Well this year because there were so many of us, Alain had hired a cross between a van and a mini bus. Alain and Suze rode up front, Tim and Mario took the back seats, and Claudine and I had the middle row. My seat was the one nearest the sliding door, and it moved forward to let the back row out. Well Tim discovered that it was spring loaded, and that if he pressed it when I wasn't expectin, that it would eject me, with force, onto the floor, much to his amusement, and this had been going on all weekend. Well, this morning we went to the airport (nearest Starbucks fix), and I had opened the sliding door and put one leg out and down into the snow, when BOOOIIIINNNG he ejected me. This time it pinned me to the seat in front, and I was trapped with one leg out of the van and no way of getting free. Tim calmly climbed from behind me, and started walking away, whilst persisting himself with hysterical laughter. Alain followed suit and it was left to the gorgeous Mario to release me. I was wetting myself laughing, because it was soooo typical of him. You all think he is sweetness and light, when in truth he is a tw*************t of the first degree, finding any excuse to take the p out of me. We always end up in heaps on the floor, holding our stomachs and trying  to compose ourselves. What with me and |Tim like that half the time, and me and Mario in the naughty corner for the other half, I think Alain despairs of us.lmao. We also drove Alain mad with our Talking Carl apps on our iphones. you really need to go install it. It is hilarious, it mimics every thing you say, and goes ouch when you poke it in the eye, and giggles when you tickle it. If you just put your phone down it carries on talking to itself...Soooooo funny. Watch this video......

As it was cold I had on my fave hat which they all found hilarious and christened me Heidi. I really didn't care cos at least I was warm.

So then followed a day of Tim, Claudine and Suze demoing and I walked the show. I had told Ben that I wasn,t really looking whilst there so he trusted me to go on my own.  Big, BIG, mistake. It was the best show there that I have been to . I found some right little gems, I am really into funky retro fabric, and felty bits at the moment, and there was plenty to inspire me. I also picked up tons of gorgeous metal embellies for the journals, delightful wooden products ideal for the classes, some new paper ranges, re, re, restocked up on all the books and lots more besides. At one point Alain txt Our Ben, to inform him I was out of control..!! Ben replied " is she buying shoes....?? If not,  leave her to get on with it,it will be cheaper in the long run"  ...!!

Opoh forgot to say I alo ordered in the gorgeous Dark Room door stamps by the lovely Rachel Grieg. She is a stunning photographer, from Australia, and her line is lovely. We hung outover the weekend and she is a doll. Mario and I wandered off out in the corridors and found ourselves near the Equestrian show, where we came upomn this fabulous living statue. |She looked as though she was made out of bronze and was fascinating to watch. She was also really nice and happy to let us have photos. It was so funny watching peoples reactions when she suddenly moved.

This was the remains of our lunch.

We met up eith Mark and Leandra from Paper Artsy, and we were having iphone fights and Talking Carl was on at least 5 of our phones at the same time.!!!

Sunday night was the annual dinner sponsered by Personal Impressions, where they take every one out to dinner at the fanulous Wing Wah restaurant.

I pulled on the way in....

It has become a tradition of the evening that there is a birthday celebration, even if it is no ones birthday...!!! So this year it was Claudines "birthday" much to her surprise.. Birthdasys are celebrated with lots of singing, clapping and a massive ice sculpture swan, filled with goodies and sporting a massive indoor firework.

Heres the gorgeous Jane.

We of course were all partaking in the Chinese beer so it was left to Mario to transport us all home. Don,t think he's quite got the hang of, do you.??

I don't really know what to say about that except that its novel and good for a laugh...

We were only allowed a drink if we decamped to someones room, so Alain got the short straw and we gatecrashed his room. I have to say that this is a really strange place to site the toilet.!! Overlooked by the main road. Maybe its a quaint tradition I didn't know about..???

Don't really think that this room is really suitable for He who must be obeyed...

This is what happens every time he goes through the door...Ha ha ..!!!

I left them to it today and travelled home. I was desperate to go to the bathroom and the nearest was Meadowhall. big, BIG, mistake, ha ha...Oasis has launched a new shop and it wouild have been rude not to pop in..!!!!Not sure what else happened but I also fell into River Island, Accesorize, Ted Baker, New Look and many others too numerous to mention.  But I was really good and hardly bought anything. and if you believe that, then Bob's your uncle and Fanny's your aunt..!!!

 I am now sat in front of the TV, even though I rarely watch it, and guess whats on..??? Yes its the man himself. He has the TSV on QVC and they are actually allowing him to talk a bit..!!! I,ve ordered it...I wouldn't dare not, cos he,d kill me..!!!! Heres the proof..

So how exciting has my last few days been.?? And its not going to stop really, its all go.

Yayy, the gorgeous, gorgeous, luvvly, luvvly Liz from County Down has just been on the studio phone to Tim and gave me and Claudine a mention. Woop woop..!!! Way to go girly, you get an extra blue lollipop next time you're here. xx

The lovely Janet gave me a blog award.

The rules are pass it on, which you all know I struggle with but I have decided to send it to some of my newbie bloggers and art journalers.. They are all getting the hang of it and would love it if you popped over to see them. So in no particular order.

Jude

Kirstiwithani

Little Miss War and Peace

Olive

Dee

I then have to list 10 things that make me happy..

1. 
   
   Watching my Grandaughter Maisie get more gorgeous every day.
2. 
   
   teaching, educating, teaching, educating, teaching.
3. 
   
   hanging with the Ranger guys, love them to death.
4. 
   
   fabulous mates, Bezzie Su, Sexy Susie, Kirsty, Marie and Liza T
5. 
   
   Northern Soul music, can't beat it.
6. 
   
   Art journaling, love it, love it, love it.
7. 
   
   learning to love and accept myself
8. 
   
   shoes, boots, high, low, heel, wedge, steel toecap, any.....
9. 
   
   looking forward to my birthday weekend away
10. 
    
    having so many things to be grateful for. Whatever people might say, Life is for living.

Well if you havent nodded off yet, I am nearly done. Just want to put a little video on, and I dedicate it to my Ranger boys, Alain, Mario and Tim. I love you all to death, even though you tease me mercilessly, and am so happy to have these last few days with you. I salute you.xxx

Enjoy xx