Big Reveal

I know I've been all about the bad news the last couple of weeks but I have also been concealing some good news! I've been waiting two looooong weeks to tell you that I am one of the runners up in Scrapbook Magazine's 'Scrapbooker of The Year'. I am just so excited.

The magazine is due to land today so I am postie stalking!! I can't wait to see who the others are and who the winner is. I do know one of the other runners up is Emma who lives not too far from me so Bristol is very well represented.

I have won £180 worth of goodies which I was told would be here by Christmas but am still waiting so once again am jumping everytime a van drives past our house!!! It's gonna be like christmas all over again.

So I'll share a little peek of two of the LO's that won it for me.......

And if you wanna see the rest you'll just have to go out and buy a copy of SBM!!!

TFL xxxx

Merry Christmas

Firstly I must say Merry Christmas to you all and a big Thank you for your kind messages. I was devastated to say the least, especially when I discovered that the reason they gave was that I didn't demonstrate enough passion for teaching. As readers of my blog you will know from how much I talk about my time in school, just how much I love it and cannot wait until I have a class of my own. So I'm showing them my passion by appealing against their decision. I have nothing to lose so keep your fingers crossed.

Despite all of this, I have managed to have a lovely Christmas. Lots of family time has occupied my mind and kept me laughing and having lots of fun. I have also had plenty of time to relax and watch some Christmas films, eat lots of choccie and just chill out. Most of all I have been well all over Christmas which was all I really wanted after two poorly Christmasses in a row.

I'm keeping up well with my journal, particularly with the aid of the new Pogo that Santa has bought me! I am not completely up to date but am getting there!

I had to document this card that one of the children gave me in school as it was just so special. The same little girl also gave me a bottle of one of my favourite perfumes, but the thought was particularly touching at a time when I really needed it.
A double page about a dinner party we had at my Neices house.....

My Auntie Sue will love this, I know she reads this, a picture of her dabbing at her eyes when we all had a good blub at Noel's Christmas Presents.

Then there was the day we got snow. I am always desperate for a White Christmas but when it actually happened it was actually quite inconvienient but I managed to cope when my sister kept us going with Pancakes, Hot Choc with Marshmallows, pasta and lots of cuddles with the dog!

On Tuesday we went out with these little peeps and their Mum. It was worth sitting through Alvin and The Chipmunks to see their happy little faces!

On Wednesday I had another, more grown up, cinema trip and lunch with my neice. It was a really fun day out although in hindsight it wasn't the best day to go see a film about a primary school teacher!

And that is where I am up to with it so far. I have lots of photos blu tacked in ready to go so it shouldn't take me long.

Thats all for now, back soon xxx

Just wanted to say a big Thank you to everyone for the lovely comments. Unfortunately I didn't get a place at uni, I'm pretty devastated right now so forgive me if I'm awol for a few days. Hopefully normal service will resume when I've got my head around things xxxxx

I'm Glad I'm Journalling It.....

...cos I feel like I'm too busy to remember it! I'm hoping that this post will go someway towards explaining what I've been up to the last week! I've had great intentions of blogging but just haven't seemed to have a minute to myself!! I've managed to find a couple of hours to myself this evening and although I was completely hanging I was desperate to spend some time catching up with my journal so here it is.....

We put up our decorations on the 11th....
And on the 12th we had our last Scrapaholix day. I used the kit to make this wreath which I was so chuffed with, even though it did take an age!!! I still haven't found time to hang it yet but it will be on display before Friday!

I had to do a page on the lovely pressies Kim made us, little jars of florentines with our initials etched on, so personal.

The early part of the week was spent preparing for my interview, inbetween lots of other preparations for Christmas. I also had Christmas dinner in school on Tuesday, it was mad busy but fun and the food has improved massively in the 15 years since I left that school!!

On Wednesday was the staff night out. My page for this was a bit mad cos I forgot to take my camera so the only photo I got was this really poor phone picture, but, like a true scrapper, I made do!

On Thursday was my last day in school and Jenny and class 2 gave me this lovely gift.....

Friday was the big day!!! My interview actually went really well, I felt really relaxed and I am sure it was partially down to the fact that I had so many messages on UKS, blog comments, texts, cards and good wishes. I felt that I had so much support that I could do anything, so a big thanks to everyone. The other part, I think was because I felt really at home at the uni and it all just felt right, I just hope they agree with me! Even though it wasn't Christmassy I had to document it as a lot of my plans have revolved around this day.

After that I have had my nephews 16th, a dinner party and a drinks party. Not to mention the chaos the snow has caused today! Even though we only had a small sprinkling of snow, the traffic problems caused me to miss Reflexology and Dentist appointments that I really needed. I can't say however that I was completely upset about it when I got stuck at Clare and Jon's curled up with a blanket, with the dog keeping my feet warm, eating pancakes and drinking hot choccie with marshmallows!

So I still have more catching up to do in my journal and have plans everyday this week that will be journal worthy so I'm sure this will keep me busy into January!

Keep warm blogland!

B xxx

I've Got A Secret!

Just wanted to pop in and let you all know that I am still here! It's been a busy week but it's been much more relaxed and enjoyable than I was expecting. Tomorrow is my interview and last week I was so so nervous but I think I got the worst out of the way cos I'm feeling pretty good about it now.

Last night I went to Brasserie Blanc with the staff from school, it was a fab evening with great food and even better company and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Today I went into school and had a nice relaxed afternoon, I was spoiled rotten with some lovely presents from Jenny, the teacher that I work with, some Soap and Glory bath goodies which I love and am glad that the children wanted to see me open it because I will wind down after my interview with a lovely fragrant bath!

I have also been lifted out of my nerves by some very exciting news!! I can't share yet as I am sworn to secrecy but will as soon as I can.

So once I have tomorrow out of the way I will share photos of my journal and some other Christmassy projects plus some academy layouts.

And before I go I must wish a Happy Birthday to my nephew Danny who is 16 tomorrow, I can't believe it and it makes me feel old!!!

B xxx

P.S Congrats Emma!!!!xx

Bubbling with Excitement

I have finally found time to upload some more journal photos, I haven't done any pages since last weekend when I did this one.....
I used a cup holder to make a little page......

Which I attached this guy to....

It's been a busy but good week. Tuesday and Wednesday were spent at school doing performances of The Sleepy Shepherd, it was hard work, stressful at times but the little lovelies brought proud tears to my eyes, bless 'em. On Thursday we walked the whole school to the church, it was a beautiful day which made for a pleasant walk and the service was so nice and brought back lovely childhood memories.

Last night I cracked a tooth, ouch, so I had the morning off school today so I could try and get a dentist appt. This afternoon Mum, Clare and I went to Bath for a little wander and more importantly, a Toffee Nut Latte.

Today is my Auntie Chris's 60th Birthday, it's our family tradition to put up the decs on her birthday, as it's two weeks til Christmas it's a good date to do it so that's what I did when we got back.

And now to make us feel extra specially festive, we cracked open a bottle of bubbly and have cosied up for the evening, lovely!!

So that's me for now, back over the weekend with more xxx

Some Say He Moonlights As Santa......

I started the first weekend of December in the only way you should spend it.....
With a red cup in my hand! I don't make a habit of sitting outside Cecil Gee to have a coffee but I had to order takeaway to get a red cup!!! My friend thought I was a little bit mad when I got her to take a photo of me but she knows me too well so just did it without asking questions!

On Saturday afternoon I helped my Dad look after my nephew Jake while Mum went to the school fair with Phil and Max. We needn't have bothered though, as this guy was watching over him.......

How funny is that? They bought him at the Top Gear Live show and he so freaks me out! He always seems to be staring right at me.

I have finally managed to take some photos of my journal so far. The light is not good for photographing work and it won't stop raining so I'm afraid these aren't the best but you'll get the idea. Page 1 is just a bit of an introduction......

Page 2 is about the book I made and gave to my friend on Wednesday, she was so pleased with it.

Most of this week was spent making the classroom/school hall Christmassy so I had to dedicate a page to that. It's just a shame that I can't take photos of the children enjoying it. At least I will be able to buy some of the official Nativity photos tomorrow.

I was so pleased with my homemade gift tags that I did a page about them.....

I have added little journalling cards as extra pages so stuck on a picture of the presents I have made.....

The picture is a bit dark on this one but it shows what I want it to. I love the little Bingo card that my sis printed for me.

And I have just done a couple more pages now which I will blog later when they are dry.

I'll leave you with a sneak of Challenge 25 over at Butterfly Crafts. It's not Christmassy but I thought I would make my layout festive as I'm in that kind of mood! Don't forget to check out the blog next tuesday to see the full layout and the rest of the DT's work.

Happy Monday xxx

Feeling Festive

It's been a busy week. I waited and waited for December to start because I was excited to start my Christmas journal and when it finally arrived I had to wait three days to get it done. I've done a few hours extra in school this week, the to do list was never ending so I went in to help get through it. We've been busy turning our shop into this......
A Christmas Post Office to buy paper, envelopes and stamps for letters to santa. We've also made this.....

Santa's workshop to make and wrap presents, write cards, post letters, write naughty and nice lists...... This is only a fraction of what we've been up to. We've created some pretty impressive hall displays for which My Craft Robo has been put to very good use, these were only finished today so I will try and get some pics tomorrow.

This extra time left me feeling a little bit tired so I was glad of an evening with the house to myself. I spent an hour working on my journal. Then a bit of time cutting out these (thanks Kirsty!).......

And turning them into these........

I then settled down to watch the Restaurant and Gavin and Stacey and did a bit of wrapping.....

Tomorrow morning we have the dress run of the Nativity with the official photo shoot so I should be in for a fun morning. I'll try and find some daylight hours to photograph my journal so far and update you soon.

B xxx