Wow what a weekend

What a brilliant weekend I have had.

Friday morning I went to watercolour class over at Inkspot, first time and was only really there as a visitor, can't get a place on that class unless somebody actually dies to free up a spot on the list, but regardless of this, I was allowed a place for a one off session and I loved it. Margaret the teacher had me painting lines of colour till I got them to merge without any visible join. This is amazingly hard to achieve, especially when I took cheap crappy paper with me, but achieve it I did. I'm such a determined little bugger when I want to be, I now have some proper watercolour paper to play with, but not sure when I'll get a spare min to play.

Friday Afternoon Heather arrived and off we set for our jaunt down to England, we got diverted on the Motorway because of an accident and ended up at Kirsty's for a cup of tea, then hit the road again till we got to Janets. Had a brilliant night there, sat round the table crafting away, Heather was so funny, had a DT emergency for one of the mags and both of us sat making up lippy chick books.

Saturday was amazing, finally got to Sarah's Cards Retreat and wow, what can I say, arrived to a hall packed with people, some I knew, some I knew of and some I had no idea who they where, but I can safely say, left with a lot more friends than I arrived with. The day was amazing, well worth the money, we got a brilliant goody bag, filled with adorable things and useful things. 3 classes which I have to say where fantastic, first up was Julie with a canvas book, next was Kirsty with a exploding box and lastly was Jan with a Star book. The team sarah has where amazing, everything was cut out, even the tinest embellishement, so hardly any work for us at all and the results are amazing, I'll post pics later in the week for you all to see. Oh have to also say the food was brilliant, yummy scrummy, food in my tummy. hee hee.

Saturday night me and Heather went to Janes (another one of my friends, or Lisa T as some of you know her) and we stayed up till very very late, but had a brilliant giggle. I even managed to get my next BOM Prompt layout finished - Me and Kirsty will be posting this on UKS on the 1st December so watch out for it.

Sunday, we drove home, tired, exhausted but very very happy. Me and Heather spent so much time yakking in the car, the trip home flew by. Once home I collapsed in a heap and must confess to sneaking a wee nap in, then it was back up and unpacking, tidying up the mess the boys had left and then off to bed.

Today I was back to the world of reality, and work and housework, blahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

This week promises to be just as good though, Thursday sees Janet arriving for the weekend and lots of xmas shopping, saturday is crop day at my house and sunday is chill out day, so another fun weekend lined up.

Anyway, thats all my gossip, I'll catch you all later.

OMG I almost forgot, I opened the Scrapbook magazine today, and my ugly mush was in it, Kirsty did a feature on photography and had included a pic of me and her taken at the retreat she organised for her and emily falconbridge. I nearly peed myself laughing when I saw it. Here is the pic in question, but please check out the mag, Kirsty's article is fantastic.

Kissy Wissy's xxx

Joke of the Day:

The photographer for a national magazine was assigned to get photos of a great forest fire. Smoke at the scene was too thick to get any good shots, so he frantically called his home office to hire a plane. "It will be waiting for you at the airport!" he was assured by his editor. As soon as he got to the small, rural airport, sure enough, a plane was warming up near the runway. He jumped in with his equipment and yelled, "Let's go! Let's go!" The pilot swung the plane into the wind and soon they were in the air. "Fly over the north side of the fire," said the photographer, "and make three or four low level passes." "Why?" asked the pilot. "Because I'm going to take pictures! I'm a photographer, and photographers take pictures!" said the photographer with great exasperation. After a long pause the pilot said, "You mean you're not the instructor?"

Little Silver Hats

Little Silver Hats has now published the December DT Gallery work, so at last I can show you what I made them. I so loved the kit Lianne sent me, it was full of lush ribbons in all the christmas colours and I had a field day playing with them.

Advent Calender using Blonde Moments Festive Feast Papers, used a sizzix die to cut pockets and tags, and rub ons for numbers, I love this, and have ended up making tons of them for my nephews and neices and godchildren and for ben and loads of other people. I'm gonna write on the tags where the chocolates are hidden and then after christmas put pics on all the tags and list all the pressys ben gets.

Bag is something I came up with for the Luxurious Angels retreat, but never got to teach as a make n take, as let Anna do it instead as she was restricted on her luggage. its real easy to make a piece of 12 x 12 cut into 3 strips and stuck around the bag, voila, done.

Layout is of me and Gerry a few christmas's ago, used Basic grey, lots of hand cutting and a plaque with Joy / Love and the date stamped on it.

And finally two cards using ribbons, one on the right is the scraps of ribbon with white peel off christmas trees over the top (I know I slag everyone off for using peel-offs, I'm sorry). I really love how everything turned out, and I hope you like them too. YOU must go and visit the gallery, there is amazing stuff on there, I love everything, especially the stuff Pam and Hannah did, check out Pams wall hanging Peace, its fantastic.

I'm off tomorrow for the North West Scrappers retreat, can't wait, a weekend with the girly's will be heaven on earth.

You all take care of yourselves and I'll see you soon. Kissy Wissy's xxxx mwah.

Joke of the day:

A drunk was staggering down the main street of town. Somehow, he managed to make it up the stairs to the cathedral and into the building, where he crashed from pew to pew. He finally made his way to a side aisle and into a confessional. A priest had been observing the man's sorry progress. Figuring the fellow was in need of some assistance, he proceeded to enter his side of the confessional. His attention was rewarded only by a lengthy silence. Finally he asked, "May I help you, my son?" "I dunno." came the drunk's voice from behind the partition. "You got any toilet paper on your side?"

Wow

Life is brilliant, what more can I say, I'm on a high on life.

I really must say how much I love the life I have, now don't get me wrong, some times I'm so thoroughly pissed off with life and my lot in it, but at the moment, life really could not be any better.

OK my house is falling down around my ears with the damp problem we have, but so what, it will be fixed soon (fingers crossed, eyes crossed, everything crossed) and Ben might be a nightmare at the moment with his homework, but you know what, I've finally realised that these things don't really matter in the bigger picture of life.

I'm feeling ok at the moment health wise, my family has a roof over its head and we have food in our tummy, we are all happy and thats all that really matters in life.

This weekend I get to spend time with my girlfriends, me and Heather are going to Manchester to the North West Scrappers Retreat, we are staying with one of my oldest friends (not that she is old, god just realised what I said and she will kill me when she reads this) Janet aka Nut on the Friday night and on Saturday we are staying with the infamous Lisa Tarbuck (she's not really Lisa Tarbuck, its Jane, but god does she look like Lisa or what). Then on Sunday we drive home. I am so looking forward to this time away with my girlfriends, plus all the girls at the retreat, many of who I know and some who I don't but you can rest assure that by the end of the weekend, my address book will be bulging with all the new friends I make.

Don't that in itself make life grand, new friends, and old friends, what a brilliant life I have.

Anyway, I'm off now to watch Happy Gilmore with Ben, I so love that film.

Take care of yourselves

Kissy Wissy's

Joke of the Day: One night, a caveman comes running into his cave and says, “Whew! There was a tiger chasing me all the way across the savannah!”His wife asks, “Why?The caveman replied, “I didn’t stop to ask!”

Feel good

I feel brilliant today, I finally got my hands on a copy of the Scrapbook Inspirations Magazine and there was a half page write up about Lippy Chick in it, yahoooooooooo, and it was right at the front of the mag. I really need to say a huge thanks to all my friends who phoned me, emailed me and pm'd me to say congratulations. THANK YOU GIRLS. The book in the write up was done by Tracie Hudson, one of the girls on the Design Team, go to the gallery and check out her work, its brilliant, as are all the other girls.

Today was such a fulfilling day, I spent another afternoon at St. Elizabeths Primary School, with the P7 kids making Christmas cards, I was in there last week as they all wanted to make cards for a Tesco's competition, and this week they all wanted to make cards for their mums and dads. I loved spending time with the kids, they are brilliant and all have so many new ideas. I went in with very basic cards, using just cardstock and sizzix dies and they all made wonderful creations. I have even been asked back next week to design a project for the Eco club and for the other P7's to do as well. I can't wait.

Tomorrow I'm having some of the girls over for a crop in my house, not sure how many are coming, but I've made the biggest pan of soup you have ever seen. Vegetable and Lentil and it smells scrummy, am now trying to keep Ben and Gerry away from it, as those two love home made soup so much and usually devour it within minutes of it been made.

Anyway thats it from me for now, I need to go and tidy my craft room and make some room in the dining room for everyone to sit tomorrow, no idea where I'm gonna put all the lippy chick books as that is where they live, so we may end up sitting on boxes of the books, now that would be novel seating.

Take care and lots of kissy wissy's to you all.

NO joke tonight, as can't think of one, so I'm gonna send you all to this site instead, please go and try this out instead, my friend Nut sent me this and its so addictive.

Lavender + Lime

I have the most delicious smell wafting through my house right now.



Today I came home from work to find a lovely little present waiting for me. It was a lush Lavender + Lime Candle from Anna.
It had enclosed a adorable little note to say thanks to me and DH for taking such good care of her, whilst she was up for our Luxurious Angels retreat. DH was her chauffer for the weekend (and kindly gave her the low down on Sat Nav - Sorry Anna - boys and there toys).

so my blog tonight is dedicated to Anna, thank you so much, you made me feel so special. xxx

joke of the day:

Subject: The priest

A priest was being honored at his retirement dinner 25 years in the parish. A leading local
politican and member of the congregation was chosen to make the presentation and give a little
speech at the dinner. He was delayed so the priest decided to say his own few words while they waited.

"I got my first impression of the parish from the first confession I heard here. I thought I had been assigned to a terrible place. The very first person who entered my confessional told me he had stolen a television set and, when stopped by the police, had almost murdered the officer. He had stolen money from his parents, embezzled from his place of business, had an affair with his boss's wife, taken illegal drugs, and gave VD to his sister. I was appalled. But as the days went on I knew that my people were not all like that and I had, indeed, come to a fine parish full of good and loving people."

Just as the priest finished his talk, the politician arrived full of apologies at being late. He immediately began to make the presentation and give his talk. "I'll never forget the first day
our parish priest arrived," said the politician. "In fact, I had the honor of being the first one to go to him in confession."

Moral: DON'T EVER BE LATE

Kissy Wissy's xxx

Packing factory

My house has become a factory over the week, we took delivery of more materials to make the Lippy chick books with and we are all working like demons to get them packaged and sent out to the retails as quick as we can. Had so many orders this week, that you can't wipe the grin off my face :)

had some new retails come on board as well, so brilliant news all round.

UKS is having a cyber crop and one of the retailers Little Cottage Crafts is doing a class using the Lippy Chick Flip Book, it sold it within 2 hours, Tracie was on to me, begging for more books, I sent her another 50 and she pre-sold all of those kits as well, unbeliveable, now I'm just waiting on the feedback to come back, I so hope everyone loves them.

Went to my little card group today, I've not been in over two months, and I really missed all the girls, it was so good to catch up with them all, and all the gossip that they had saved for me. It's so nice to be surrounded by friends who you can have a good old laugh and gossip with.

I'm so fortunate to have a good group of friends, I have my card making mate and my scrapbooking pals, and then a even bigger circle of friends who are I've know for years and I love all of them.

Next weekend I'm having a crop at my house, and a handful of the girls are coming over to raid my craft room, think I might have to put a lock on it, or at least a weight machine by the front door as they leave, cause the girls will likely raid it empty, hee hee, only joking.

Anyway, I'm watching the X factor, so want to run and see the final, can't believe poor Simon has to choose one of his own acts.

Take care of yourselves.

Joke of the day is resumed, after complaints, sorry, here goes.

Lipstick in School -- Priceless!!
According to a news report, a certain private school in Washington was recently faced with a unique problem. A number of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints.
Every night the maintenance man would remove them and the next day the girls would put them back. Finally, the principal decided that something had to be done. She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night. To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required. He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it. Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror.

There are teachers . . And then there are educators

Kissy Wissy's xxx

Exciting News

some of you already know and some of you won't have a clue what I'm talking about, but I recently outed myself as Miss Lippy Chick.

I'm so excited about Lippy Chick, its my brand new company thats all mine and it makes tiny little scrapbooks, that are in the most fantastic shapes. Go and visit my website Lippy Chick. you need to check out the Design Teams gallery, they have done some fanastic work with the books.

I'm slowly building up a list of stockists and have two more to add to it this week. I'm so pleased, bet you can't tell, hee hee. I'm actually jumping all around the room as I write this with excitement.

I've just taken delivery of my next batch. The first batch sold out so quickly, I only had a small run produced, but this time, I've gone massive, and I've also designed the next book in the range.

My first book is called the Flip book and the next one due for release in early December is called the Flop Book.

here is some pics of what it looks like decorated. I taught this as a class at the Luxurious Angels Retreat, and everyone loved it.

I'm also booked in to teach some Lippy Chick classes at two other retreats next year, one for Scrapping Angels and one for Little Cottage Crafts, I'm so excited, and I hope your excited for me as well.

Anyway, thats my news, what news do you have.

Take care of yourselves.

Kissy Wissy's

xxxx

Home for the day

Spent the day in the house today, working on DT stuff for Lianne at Little Silver Hat, was sent the most lush ribbons and blossoms, but sorry can't share any of it with you just yet, as not going on her gallery for a while, I just felt like getting ahead.

Now I have to tidy my room up so that I can get organised for the crop tomorrow at Craft Heaven over in Paisley. I'm so looking forward to it, the girls over there are brilliant fun and have the funniest stories I've ever heard, so I think I'm gonna need a few tena's to see me through the day.

Nothing else to report, so I'm off to watch tv for a bit and an early night me thinks.

Take care of yourselves

True Friendship

I have just been sent the following from a very very very dear friend and I wanted to share this with you all.

This friend has touched my heart in a way that I can't explain, but her thoughtfulness will stay with me forever.

SISTERS
A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother.
As they talked about life, about marriage, about the responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the mother clicked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter.
"Don't forget your Sisters," she advised, swirling the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass.
"They'll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how much you love the children you may have, you are still going to need Sisters.
"Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them. Remember that 'Sisters' means ALL the women... your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other women relatives too. You'll need other women. Women always do."
What a funny piece of advice the young woman thought. Haven't I just gotten married? Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely myhusband and the family we may start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!
But she listened to her Mother. She kept contact with her Sisters and made more women friends each year. As the years tumbled by, one after another, she gradually came to understand that her Mom really knew what she was talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman, Sisters are the mainstays of her life.
After many years of living in this world, here is what I've learned:
THIS SAYS IT ALL:Time passes.Life happens.Distance separates.Children grow up.Jobs come and go.Love waxes and wanes.Men don't do what they're supposed to do.Hearts break.Parents die.Colleagues forget favors.Careers end.BUT.........
Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you.A girl friend is never farther away than needing her can reach.When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf,and waiting with open arms at the valley's end. Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you. Or come in and carry you out.
Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters in-law, Mothers, Grandmothers, aunties, nieces,cousins, and extended family, all bless our life! The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I.
When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other.
Every day, we need each other still.
Pass this on to all the women who help make your life meaningful.
I just did.

Thank you for the flowers

I wanted to share the flowers with you that the girls at the retreat bought for me.

I love them, every time I walk by them, they bring the biggest smile to my face and I have a flood of memories that come storming back, funny moments, like June with her berty bassett knickers, sad moments, conversations with friends about goings on in there lives, inspirational moments, when I saw all the lovely layouts everyone was creating, and frustrated moments, whilst we all waited patiently for tea on the first night.

I can't say thank you enough to all the angels for getting these flowers, and also to heather for orgainising them. So Girls, THANK YOU.