Pass The Book Redraw and Twitter Curious

Just a short one today - chest hurts from the reappearance of my chest infection. Need to go lie down before the school run.

Had an email from the Pass the Book winner, Jennifer last night to say she now already has the book so I get to draw another name. Sorry about the blurry pic - coughing is not conducive to good picture taking.

Congrats Nicky. Can you please drop me an email with your address details? Email button in my profile.

Next I want to tell you about a class Julie is running on her blog Notes on Paper. It's a free class (that got your attention didn't it?) for those of us who are curious about Twitter, maybe have dipped our toes in but aren't quite sure, maybe thought about it but decided against it... well Julie is running a really in depth Twitter 'how to' class at the moment and she really knows her stuff. It's well worth going along for a look.
In Julie's own words:

• read about what on earth twitter.com does and is;
• learn about how Twitter might be useful to you;
• get more out of Twitter than you already are;
• hear practical ideas on making the site work for you;
• uncover some of the more artistic values and uses of Twitter.
I look forward to sharing my ideas and experiences with you very soon! Until then - please spread the word to anyone you know who might benefit from a non-threatening, lighthearted yet in-depth, exploration of Twitter-ville.

It's aimed at everyone from:

• complete beginners to ...
• those with an account already but who don't use it;
• to those who do use it but for only one purpose;
• ... and even for those who think the idea of writing very short message is ridiculous and pointless!

What are you waiting for? Get over there and take a peep. Me, am off for a small glug of cough medicine and a little nap.

Thanks for stopping by :)

Pass The Book & Giveaway

Whoops forgot to draw for the next stop on the Pass The Book tour. So without further delay... drumroll please...

Jennifer, congratulations you are next in the Creative Wildfire chain :) I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.

Next up I have a little giveaway. Just before Christmas I was lucky enough to win two tickets to the Stitch & Creative Crafts Show in Braintree, Essex. However, I really want to make it to Ally Pally in April and can't do both so I'm offering the tickets up as a giveaway here. The dates of the show are Thursday the 17th of February through to Saturday the 19th. The tickets are valid for any one of those days.

If you'd like them then drop me a comment below and I'll draw a winner this coming weekend.

Thanks for stopping by :)

Rocking My World Friday

...on Sunday. Oopsie... excuses? Too many to mention so I wont bother :P

It's that time of the day when we like to say.... What's Rocked Your World this week? (And the Cbeebies watchers among you will note my cleverly placed Zingzalla's homage there.)

Well first up is the unit, soon to be officially known as Cam's Stu-stu-studio. The floor is as clean as it's going to get, the walls are freshly painted, Craig put up two bays of shelving for me on Friday and... AND... I've started moving my junk down there. Junk - his words not mine! My sister assures me she does indeedy have a spare piece of kitchen worktop to go on top of my stand alone shelving to form my messy painty station. We just have to wait till my Dad's car is back on the road to get it as it wont fit in our little motor.

I have however already had a taster of what it will be like to work in the next room from Craig. Things keep disappearing and I caught his thieving backside the other day - see, he didn't know what I had when it was all crammed on my little shelving unit in my little Chaos Corner of the dining room. Small price to pay I suppose. I do love taking a little packed lunch down for us both each day so we can sit and natter while we eat before we crack on with the work. Such Fun!

Which brings me neatly onto the next thing that Rocked my Week. Miranda Hart clearing up at the Comedy Awards! Woohoo! I genuinely believe she is the funniest thing on TV at the moment and I couldn't be more happy that she won three awards.



Also - Horrible Histories became the first children's show to win Best Comedy Sketch Show. Hurrah! Love that program - especially Stupid Deaths. Much eye rolling from Craig as he witnesses my snorting with laughter at that. He refuses to watch the show - thinks it's disgusting. As I keep telling him - clue's in the name.

Next up is Radio 1. Yep - the whole station but in particular the Chris Moyles show.
It's only this week I've come to realise what a good mood it puts me in. No matter how grumpy I am of a morning, by the time I get home from dropping everyone off I'm usually happy again. Many's a time Ruby and I have sat in the carpark waiting for them to finish a conversation before we come over to the house because they have me giggling so much. Plus I'm watching Dancing on Ice this year - I don't usually but all the time Comedy Dave is in - we'll keep watching this year ;)

The M3 class with Tam. Loving it - behind as per but loving it still. Loving reading up on Klimt, loving my sketchbooks getting a thorough workout. Just loving doing a little something every day. It's nice to be in a class from the start too as opposed to coming along when it's all but over.
The Blogosphere which also includes Twitter and Facebook. So much good has come out of this little corner of Cyberspace. I've met so many great people who even just this week have in turn been encouraging, inspiring, supportive, funny and just... there! You may not know it a lot of you but your influence over my little world is amazing.

2011. Yes 2011 is shaping up to be pretty amazing too. So much stuff just waiting to burst forth from my skull it's quite dizzying - literally. Already I've had a couple of amazing requests that came out of the blue and are so flattering - more news on that if/when I meet my mark. Getting my stu-stu-studio and possibly...definitely starting to sell my bountiful wares.

It's strange, when you've had 3 or 4 pretty, to put it politely, carpy lollocky years and I mean TRULY awful, you start to think that's just the way life is. Then it all starts to go right, really right. I don't mean perfect - blimey I'm having more than a few health issues, the girls are all in varying stages of hormonal rage and the house is still one step away from being condemned but, all in all - life is pretty damn amazing at the moment. I'm almost holding my breath waiting for the kaka to hit the fan - isn't that strange? It feels strange believe me.

So go on - what's rocked your world this week? If you play along then come link up with Virginia - the instigator of this feel good reflection on the week ;)

Thanks for stopping by!

Pass The Book

Oh dear I am so seriously late in Passing The Book. My excuses are Christmas and... well, I just loved the book!

Don't know what the heck I'm on about? Check out Sian's blog here, then come back and if you fancy being the next receiver of this fabulous book - leave me a comment saying so below. In a weeks time, Sunday 23rd, I'll do a random generator thingy to decide who it goes to next...

The book on offer is Creative Wildfire by L.K Ludwig. An Introduction to Art Journalling - Basics and Beyond.
Now, if you are remotely interested in Art Journalling, learning new techniques, learning how to bind your own books from scratch... this book is for you. It's got something for everyone - from the beginner art journaller to the more experienced. You can see it's influences in my recent January journal page and in my messy paint pot - see, you don't have to use the techniques just for journalling. They can be taken, adapted, have your own twist put on and used on anything!
I can see this as a book that would be one to come back to again and again and again and... you get the picture. I only scratched the surface of some of the techniques - It's definitely going on my 'to buy' list. Chock full of inspiring journals from some amazingly talented artists but not presented in such a way as to be daunting. More as "look at this, don't you love it? Well, this is how you do it."

Have I whetted your appetite enough? Then drop me a comment, the book could be on it's way to you next to read, enjoy, have your mojo sparked before you do a post helping it on it's merry way again :) I'm happy to post internationally.

Thanks for stopping by!

Pay It Forward

I saw this on K and Ewa's blogs who saw it on other peoples blogs... you know - one of those great things that just keeps rolling.

Now I'm joining in...I promise something handmade to the FIRST 5 people who leave a comment here. However, to be eligible, you must repost this status, offering something handmade to 5 other people. The rules are that it must be handmade (or homemade) by you and it must be sent to your 5 people some time in 2011. Ready, set, GO!

Now I'm not promising when you'll get your something - we all know how rubbish I am at a deadline. But I promise you will recieve your something THIS year.

I now have my group who have all already reposted! Yay! As I say - can't promise when in 2011 your makes will arrive but they will arrive this year :) Go forth my pretties and multiply! Ooer!

Rocking My World Friday

...Really, really late Friday night/early Saturday morning. Do I count as still scraping through on Friday? Nah, thought not!

Thank you Donna for the reminder of what day it is otherwise it would probably have been another Monday post.

Rocking My World this week...

Unexpected presents from amazing people. This gorgeous book was a total surprise from an amazing lady who I feel very lucky to know. It's going to be so helpful with the course I'm starting on Monday... Yay - that will be on my list next week. The first part of which is inspired by Klimt. Drool and... can I just say? DROOL again!

Keeping up with my journal. Every evening I input a little something about the day and am loving it. It's definitely helping me get over that self conscious barrier I have with journalling. And already am noting some amazing things this year that it will be so lovely to remember later on.

This little Hoot fluttered through the door this week.

He's handmade, hand felted by Mel, I won first prize in her recent bloggy giveaway. My first win of the year - isn't he Hootiful? I was so pleased - having purchased one of her felted budgies as a Christmas pressie for Craig that was just so gorgeous I nearly never gave it to him... *Sssshhh!* I was chuffed to bits to find out I was getting my own feltie creation... and mines BIGGER! We are getting quite a menagerie of birdies from Etsy now. I was going to take my Hoot to the stu-stu-studio but as we gradually get the house straight and dare I say it,  nice - I 'm beginning to think maybe he should stay here and we can have a birdie shelf. So far we have Craig's budgie, my Hoot and the wire pigeon. (Remember him?) I love Etsy! Etsy sellers... not just Etsy, crafters and artists... everywhere, you Rock my World.

We are getting over our germs! We are all still wheezing, snuffling and coughing but definitely not so much. It's on it's way out the door - hurrah! Which means not so much snot spray mixed in with my stu-stu-studio wall painting this week. THAT can only be a good thing! Right? Talking of which, the painting is all finished now. I tried to scrub the floor yesterday but it was more a case of shifting the dirt and grease around into different areas. Sugar soap - you failed me. Back in for round two on Monday - am thinking Jeyes Fluid or even Cillit BANG it's arse! I need the weekend to recover though. That was more knackering to my back than a whole week of painting.

What made your week? Why not drop by Virginia's and play along this week? Thanks for stopping by :)

WOYWW?

Afternoon all :)

Still no desk as such to show you this week. Every afternoon this past week has been spent down the unit getting my stu-stu-studio ready. There has been scrubbing and painting and sweeping and hoovering a plenty going on.

Breaking news *insert appropriate newsflash music here* I remembered the camera today so this is where we are right at this very moment.

Starting pictures are in the post below...

This will become my clean area and will have my sewing machine and old PC on, I'll also probably use it for drawing and stuff like that. On the opposite wall Craig is going to put some racking up.

And before you ask - yes I did paint straight over the pin board. If it was nailed down, it got painted ;)

This is going to be my messy area. That shelving unit is really, REALLY sturdy. Craig tried to saw it in half when he first got the unit and it bit back. His pain is my gain however. *g* My sister said she has a spare bit of kitchen worktop so if it's still available I'll be putting that on the top, lick of paint to the shelves and this will be my messy, painty station. My easel will also go up this end.
...and finally this is my view through the adjoining window. Craig - my landlord, soon to be accountant and my lovely blokey. Doesn't he look poorly, bless'im.

So looks like you were all right and we may have overestimated our 6 weeks - it's looking like it will be sometime next week I'll be in! Eek! It's exciting and scary at the same time.

Fancy snooping round some more desks and doing a bit of flashing yourself? Head on over to the wondrous one known as Julia and link up so we can all find you :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Rocking My World Friday

...on Saturday again. Oops, Sunday! I swear I started this post Friday. Really under the weather with a cough/cold, horrible germy bug type thing that's knocking us all for six at mo!

ANYHOO!...

First up to rock my week has been getting down the unit every afternoon to clean walls and paint. I keep forgetting to take my camera to take updated pictures but will do on Monday. Tuesday. This is a reminder of the starting out point...

The wall with the door and the corner up to the pin board has now been scrubbed and repainted with a cream, magnolia and white concoction - we had a few odds 'n' sods we just mixed together.

The large drill and saw in the picture below will be leaving soon. Craig is hoping they will sell this week.

I've decided not to touch the ceiling as it's quite high and I wont be spending my time gawping up at it anyway. The floor is another story. It's caked in grease and dirt. At first we were thinking it was just bare concrete but after cleaning a small patch yesterday it is in fact... well I'm not sure, not linoleum but some kind of shiny similar hard wearing material. So that will have a good scrub and sweep out as well.

We measured the room the other day and it's roughly 9'4" by 16'10" Woohoo! So much space!

I'm enjoying spending time with Craig even if it is conversations through an adjoining window as he works and I, er, flick paint everywhere and knock stuff over!

My efforts must be paying off in other ways too - I weighed myself on the Wii Fit this morning and I've lost 3lbs in a week. I've only started healthy eating again this week so am well chuffed, obviously moving the old body is working.

Next up on my Rocking List is the Calendar Journal I've started doing. I try to remember to fill each square in at night and already it's nice to look back just on the last week so can't wait to see the full year filled in for me to look back on.

Hot weetabix with banana chopped in. Mmmmm. Of a morning I have three (piggy) weetabix, pour hot milk over and then chop in a banana... pure Heaven on Earth. Such a winter warmer and has been carrying me right through till 4pm lately with maybe some fruit in between. Works out well as we have quite late dinners so I am finding that having my lunch at 4ish makes me not want to snack so much.

Finding out that the tickets for the Alexandra Palace show have gone on sale! Huzzah! Both Devvie and me are now going to the April show after all and am really looking forward to that! It will have been a whole year since we went last - feels like forever! Plus, I may be wrong but I'm sure the tickets are quite a bit cheaper this year.

The sun came out today and although it was still flipping cold (not helping the coughs we have all come down with this week) I was still able to get some washing OUTSIDE to air. It's been months since we've been able to do that.

Lastly - I've joined up to Tam's Magical, Mythical Makings class. Can't wait to get playing.

What's been Rocking Your World this week? Why not play along and link up with Virginia, who so very kindly gave my little blog an award this week :)

I've been called many things but rarely stylish. Thanks Virginia. I'm to bore you all with 8 facts you might not know about moi and then pass the award on to 4 deserving bloggers.
Here goes:

1: I used to be vegetarian but got terrible meat cravings with my 2nd pregnancy. I rarely eat meat but do very occasionally now eat chicken, turkey and bacon. I keep considering going veggie again - I'm still totally addicted to Quorn products.

2: I have a 'thing' about the See no Evil, Hear no Evil, Speak no Evil monkeys - I don't own anything related to them as yet. Everything I see is not quite right but do want to get or make something with them on. I'm thinking a painting...

3: I love stripey socks and was chuffed to bits at ending up, quite by accident I think, with 4 new pairs this Christmas. Love new socks, love new STRIPEY socks even more ;)

4: Johnny Cash's Hurt is the only song that can make me cry every single time. If I see the video too... Niagara Falls!

5: While everyone else at school was crushing on New Kids On The Block, my childhood crushes were Michael Jackson, Danny Kaye and Jerry Lewis... oh yeah and David Bowie in the Labyrinth! *Ahem* moving swiftly on...

6: I rarely remember my age! I waver between 32, 33 and 34... in fact I will be 34 next month... I think. It's only doing lots of surveys that helps me remember otherwise I wouldn't have a clue. I think I'm aging backwards - I feel now like I should have felt in my teens but felt so OLD in my teens.

7: I'm a cat person living in a household of doggy lovers. I really miss having a cat... luckily our mutts are so daft I swear they think they are feline sometimes.

8: I love my blog because you can see the real me without my shyness getting in the way. When I meet up with bloggy friends and I'm quiet... it's not my being rude or because I don't like you in real life. I just need to get over that initial stumbling block. I'm a ton better than I used to be, it was crippling at school, but still a ways to go yet. And once I am over that block people try and shove me back the other way ;)

The blogs I nominate are:
Gail
Donna
Bernie
Sian
Because I can't wait to see them dish the dirt.

Thanks for stopping by.

Painty Messy Brush Pot

Wanna see what I made for my first Gauche Alchemy post of 2011?

Tadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa....


If you'd like to read more then mosey on over here. I need to go soak in a hot bath. Who knew washing and painting walls was just like a full body workout? Ouch!

Thanks for stopping by :)

1-1-11

How weird is that date? A bit mind boggling to me - but then I am easily bemused.

Resolutions Pah! Can't stick to 'em so 2011 is my year of "why bother?" Not as in just doing booger all you understand - just not making unattainable promises to myself that I have no intention (in my heart of hearts) of ever keeping.

However what I will be doing is:

Accepting myself. Stop putting things off today (or for years) until I reach that magical unattainable weight/size. Be happy and accept me for ME. First and foremost, eat properly, get off my arse once in a while and exercise and if I lose weight in the process - all good. But if I don't that shouldn't put me off wearing the clothes I want to wear or being the person I want to be. Which it has up to this point. No more.

Next is mainly... well it is ALL arty crafty goals because lets face it - apart from my family, that IS my life. It's what my dreams are filled of and I am going to throw myself in wholeheartedly from here on in.

SO 2011 will see me finish and make use of the classes I started in 2010. Namely the Suzi Blu Goddess class, the Alisa Burke graffiti class and the free Willowing Art, Heart & Healing class. Just from the bits and pieces of each class I have done I have learnt so much, to finish them all will be my start of year gift to myself...

Starting this month, when the kids are back to school, I start the clean out, wash down, sweep out, possible repaint, lugging down of furniture and supplies and moving stuff around in my stu-stu-studio. In answer to your sigh and thought of how long I will continue to refer to it as that - the answer my friends is forever. Forevaaaaaahhhh!

I am signing up to The Kathryn Wheel challenge that I've seen on a few blogs last year. It's basically creating a calendar in a journal each month. I keep saying I'm going to get going on journalling and diarising so this will be the one that kicks me off methinks.

Which will give me chance to use some techniques from the journal book I received in Pass The Book over on Sian's blog. I am woefully late in getting that moving again so will indeed be posting that up ready for it's new home this month.

I intend to try and make all (well, most) of my Christmas cards this year. Not sure how I'll go about it as am still a bit on the fence with card making. Maybe do a couple a month or make a few 'all occasion' ones to dip my toe in the water.

I'll be participating in One World One Heart blog event at the end of this month. I just need to think of something decent to give away.

I intend to practise, practise, practise with drawing and painting this year. I think that's my main love and I enjoy nothing better than getting messy with my paints. If I could just end up with end results I'm happy to display or give away then all the better...

Which leads me onto..

I will start selling. I may crash and burn. I may succeed but without trying I'll never know.

And lastly - the non-crafting challenge that I've signed up to is Eleventh Heaven over on the compers corner of the MSE forums :)

"For the year of 2011 pick 11 wins that you'd like to win throughout the whole year which would make you feel like you're in your own compers heaven"

So my picks are:
1: DSi (For Devvie or Craig's Mum)
2: Gig tickets
3: Portable DVD player (Handy for classes when everyone is hogging my PC)
4: Twilight goodies (for Devvie)
5: JLS goodies (for Pheebs)
6: Something Cbeebies-ish (for Ruby)
7: DS Games (For all of them)
8: Books
9: Art or Craft Stuff ('nuff said!)
10:Wii games
11:Vouchers (Preferably Amazon but any would be lovely)

Which means I'll have to get botty in gear and start comping more often than I have been of late. Am thinking of dedicating an evening or two a week for that challenge.

So what about you? Resolutions or not? Any interesting challenges that you are signed up to this year?

Just before I sign off - please go pay Virginia a visit. I just love her New Year's post and think we should all read and absorb the words, it's a beautiful piece of writing.

Thanks for stopping by :)