I didn't get any gold boxes

under the Christmas tree this year but I must have been a very good girl cause I did receive some amazing gifts.

Home for Christmas 2010

In fact I think it's fair to say that Her, Him and Me were all very happy with our gifts.

Well it would seem

that unashamed self promotion works.  I not only made the top 3 but was the clear winner. I'd like to thank anybody and everybody that took the time to vote especially it was for me!

I've been busy with more assignments that have really got me thinking about my photography cause recently I've not really been taking photos and those I have taken have been snaps that I took without even thinking about them. It's also helped me fall in love all over again with my Nikon D70 and 50mm prime len.

This was from an earlier assignment, definitely scrapping material don't you think

Perhaps if I've been a really good girl I might get a little gold box under the Christmas tree.

I'm chuffed to bits

to have not only got a place on Cheryl's 12 Days of Christmas photography workshop, met the deadline for all but one of the assignments but get this I also made the top 20 shortlist for the Self Portrait assignment.

This was my photo for the assignment


There's a vote for the top three and if you fancy casting your vote (for me of course) you need to head over to Cheryl's blog.

12 Day of Christmas,

no I haven't lost the plot although I can't believe I've mentioned the 'C' word this early in the year!

It's just I have to give a shout out for Cheryl Johnson's new online photography workshop - 12 Days of Christmas which start on the 1st December. So you better get yourself over to her website and get yourself registered. Me and Hannah have.

Tuesday's little

clear out that turned into a rather large sort out, which I then ran out of time to finish is now complete. So both me and him are happy.

Sadly that is only the beginning. I have plans to down size my stash and move out of the dinning room and upstairs into the computer room. It can be done but it's gonna be a marathon and not a sprint.

So if you've down sized your stash what do you do with the stash you know you'll never use? 

Selling is near impossible and finding new homes is time consuming, both just sap away all your energy.

Throwing it all in a skip would be quick but too painful, I need to find a better way. Suggestions would be most welcome.

Just call me ......

Wonder Woman

or Fixer Supremo! In the Webdale household if I can't fix it it's time to get the Yellow Pages out. This mornings mission, fix leaking loo. I'm happy to report it's mission accomplished. 

I was sat wondering

what I've been up to since I last blogged. Then it came to me, I was only at the best retreat ever.

 October 2010 GoGoGetaway

Same great venue, De Vere's Theobald Parks, Cheshunt but even better GoGoGetaway. Which hardly seems possible as they've all been fab but they do.

I taught two classes at this October 2010 Getaway. Spiro Mania were I got to play with the coolest tool, a mini spirograph.

and this class Behind the Camera. 

For Behind the Camera we had exclusive stamp made for each of the delegates, the cutest camera. I can see that image appearing on more LOs in the future.  

As a little indulgence I had my photo take by Kirsty Wiseman. My only dilemma is what photos to choose cause apart from the photos of me attempting to jump like I just won the lottery were I look like a complete idiot I love them all.

This one is a keeper the rest are still to be decided.   

Cause you're never

too old for a little fooling about especially when it's with the people you love.

No pretty pictures

but another quote from the lovely people at Values.com that struck a cord with me today.
“Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand.”
Chinese Proverb - 

Use it or lose it

is what I say to myself when I get to one of these breaks in blogging. Nearly 2 months now that really is slacking, so now the dilemma is just start again from here or play catch up? I think catch up but not today.

Although I will share the pretties that I created with Septembers Fresh New Fall GoGo kit, you know that box of goodies that I left you with an image of on 15th August!!!!

Don't get me wrong I've loved designing with all the ScrapaGoGo Kits but some kits just seem to create LOs all by themselves and this is one of them.

It came,

I stroked and then set to cutting and sticking.

Yep my latest GoGo kit has arrived.

Hannah's trip

 back from Wales, that she had stressed so much about that she nearly didn't go at all went smoothly and the train glided into Paddington on time with Hazel and I there to greeting her.

What she didn't know was that far from just heading off to do some shopping which was her hearts desire  I had tickets to see Wicked.

Wicked has been on my 'want to go and see' for some time and last year or was it the year before I promise my sister we would go as her birthday treat but it just didn't happen. People that I know who have see the show have all raved about it and I'm happy to say we now fellow ravers.

However too many late night last week plus a day in London yesterday mean Hannah and I have tired heads today.

Oh my, the house

is so quiet with Hannah away! It's tricky to put my finger on why cause she not noisy but come the weekend that will be rectified as I'm heading down to London tomorrow to meeting off the train at Paddington. Plus I have a little surprise up my sleeve but 'Mum's the Word'.

I also had a tidy up of the old craft room aka dining room which always means NO scrappin as my inspiration /mojo seem to disappear at the same time as the clutter. I have to say it feels good to have the decks cleared, especially as 'Fresh New Fall', Septembers kit should be with me by the weekend.

As I eagerly wait

for my September GoGo Kit to land I wanted to share what did with the lushness that is August kit, check out me scrappin' girly, male and a little Halloween  for good measure.

Have you heard the news .........

has just launched an exciting Loyalty Stamp, as you would except it has the GoGo factor. For the full low-down best check it out here

WOW

what a weekend!
GoGo Girls were back on tour again with another trip ooop north, Bolton home of the Reebok statium was our destination and apart from a small hiccup we had a remarkably uneventful trip up on Friday.

GoGo Total Textures on Saturday was 6 classes, with refreshments and lunch plus a shop full of gorgeous stash that even I had to make a few essential purchases from! As with all the day events the day just seemed to flashed past in the blur of having a good time.

I was able to make the family birthday get together on Sunday afternoon thanks to my travel buddies Janice (no.1 ace driver) and Nicola agreeing to an early getaway.

All in all a tiring but great girlie/family weekend that flew in to quickly.

Just time to

wish my sister a very Happy Birthday. Hope you've had a great day.

Today was not

a good day for Her and Me.
Tears, tantrums and harsh words spoken, some in the heat of the moment and some that have been on my lips for a while.
A few hours apart and the air has been cleared, we've said sorry to each other and are 'friends' again.

To tell you the

truth I have no idea how brushing my hair reminded me that I was due at the hairdresser's in 10 minutes but it did and for that I am truly grateful as I had had to postpone an appointment whilst poorly. So now I am properly shorn and feel cooler for a little less hair on my head.

Continuing with the birthday theme I took myself into town again, twice in one week that's gotta be a record for me. I trawled around town looking for suitable gifts for the girl who has, armed with only one suggestion from the birthday girl herself. Luckly I found inspiration before melting into a little muddle.

I was severely tempted by a rather lush red handbag but like all red handbag I've lusted over in the past it didn't come home with me.

This is

Birthday season.
Kicking off today with Matthew's 6th birthday, the little fella seemed pretty please with the Toy Story 3 lego that came his way which in turns makes me happy.

I've been hankering

after an iphone for quite a while and when I got back from America in January with spending money left I decided to splurge and get one. Only a wise woman, namely my sister pointed out that there would likely be a new release come June/July, so I waited. 

Well the Iphone 4 was announced and release date has come and gone but can I get my hands on one, hell no and today was no different. So I wait.

I did get one little surprise, Jon brought me Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird.

It's one of only a few books that I have fond memories of reading at school and was reminded of it in the recent rash of publicity about it being 50 years old.

Today was

completely exhausting, back to work for a full day after being off with my bad back and what surely must be one of the hottest days of the year, what a combo!

Sometime I

surprise myself but not often when it come to getting myself organised and out the door but today was one of those days. Create & Co crop day had me up, out and at the crop before 9.30! In fact I think the 'Girl' were a little shocked.
Now that was were the surprises finished for the day cause although I had a lovely day I sadly only got 1 LO finished but it's all good cause it was something that had a tight deadline and whereas inspiration is often in short supply when distracted by chatting I was inspired.

It's been

a mighty long time.

It goes something like this, I work up 2 weeks ago and I'd doubled in age!

No not literally but I sure felt like it was I could hardly move for the pain. It would have been comical had it not been so painful. So handful of pills and near on 10 days later I finally found I was back to my actual age and life returned.

Only problem with being out of action was my scrappin' deadlines but as I'm a deadline girl at heart I just set to with my trusty scalpel and July's GoGo summer gorgeousness did my thing.

Help I'm

turning into a book worm! Life just lately has been a blur of work, reading books and very little cutting and sticking.

I borrowed the second Stieg Larsson (Millennium Trilogy) book - The Girl Who Played with Fire which was brilliant.

I loved it which isn't a problem except I read it too quickly and now I only have The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest (the author unfortunately died just 6 months after delivering the first 3 manuscript of a series that he had outlined as 10 books!) so I'm hoping to eek out the last book.

It's gonna be hard cause it's the type of book that just draws you in and has you compulsively keep turning the pages to find out what happens.

As well as the Stieg Larsson books I've had my nose buried in the two more of the Peter James - Roy Grace series of books that the lovely Sheena passed onto to me.

 I also have my eye on these 2 beauties

but not before reading this book. 

 

The weather outside

today is foul but my craft room is toasty warm so did what any sensible scrapper who's had had her imac hijacked by teenagers wanting to play with Photo Booth

and I had a little play with what remains of my June GoGo Kit and made a little mini book, I don't know what came over me as I don't usually do mini books but the stamp (which is available as a Grab Its whilst they last) was great as a background for the pages.

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Once I persuade the printer to play ball I shall fill it with my favourite photos from a bunch of day trips that we took Summer 2008.

Small

but perfectly formed.

The little mini book that was my class for our National Scrapping Day crop at Create & Co. Our first Create & Co crop got the thumbs up and we're now looking forward to the next one.