In: , ,

Ouch! Damn Power Supply

I am posting from my upstairs pc - the one that I loaded a copy of Vista onto for the 2nd time and which now thinks I am all illegal and keeps trying to get me to pay for a new copy of Vista (that ain't gonna happen), but only lets me use the internet for about 15 minutes before going all Big Brother on me.
And I am having to post this from the upstairs pc and not the laptop because the laptop power adapter got fried yesterday. Probably because it's been on permanently since October (how I haven't burned the house down is a miracle), but who knows? All I know is that my ife is on that godamned laptop (Lists & Ideas on One Note and all the photos I have taken (15000 of them) too). I am just crossing my fingers that I have got everything on the external hard drive too, because even though my house is small and there are only 13 stairs to get upstairs, it seems too far to go to back up my photos onto the External HDD every once in a while.
I always tell myself that I'll back up more/organise more/sort myself out more, but at the end of the day there is always a distraction that stops me from doing it, whether it is Pip (2) tugging at my tshirt going 'MumMumMumMumMumMumMum', or Sam (9) fighting with Munch (5) and about to draw first blood etc, or the washing to fold, or the kitchen to clean, or dinner to get, or sewing to do, or blogs to read or more blogs to read. My life doesn't extend much beyond this house and maybe it should and maybe it will, but not before I've found a 'genuine' Dell Power Adapter for the laptop I regret buying but am never off.

In: , , , ,

Easter Photos


Easter 2008
Originally uploaded by toniann.

The pics have a blue cast which means I still have the WB set to tungsten bulb. Nevermind a bit of Photoshop magic and a 28 hour day can fix that.
These are the best of the 30 or so pics that I took, trying to wrangle 3 kids, only 1 of whom has the ability to be sensible for more than 3 seconds at a time, coupled with a husband who was calling the shots thereby making the kids look at him rather than me. The lure of the many eater eggs on the bed also did not help, my steadfast refusal to let them dig in didn't go down too well either.
So with no one photo where the kids are all looking at me at the same time I had to do a freaky photoshop thing and swap out Munchers eyes (that were not looking at me) for some smiley Muncher eyes that were still not looking at me but were generally in the right direction. I like this photo and may even have a keyring made out of it for Steve's birthday. Sad I know but that's all he wants (although he will get a new pair of jeans too as he hasn't had a new pair in about a gazillion years).
We are off on holiday on Saturday, to Eastbourne, let's hope it doesn't snow.

In:

Spindesigns at Etsy


I sometimes wish that I didn't have kids, that way I'd be able to afford this and know it would not be destroyed by sticky fingers

Etsy :: spindesigns :: LaLa Mobile

In:

Can I Narrow it down to 7 things?

I've decided to jump on the 7 things meme (that's what it's called right?) seeing as it left the dock weeks ago, I've taken the liberty of using the lovely and funny Margarets prompt as in invite and in years to come my kids can look back at this list and shudder quietly to themselves.

  1. I have to have the washing up done and table wiped before I leave on the school run. Even if it means we cut it really fine before the doors close, I cannot bear to come home to it. For that matter I always wash up once our main meal has been eaten because I know that Steve will let it sit there for a while and I CANNOT BEAR THE THOUGHT of washing up sitting up festering. Maybe that's part of the reason I don't have a dishwasher (bar having no space or money for one) - I cannot bear how long it takes those things to wash things up...
  2. It takes 10 minutes to leave the house with the kids, whether it's with just Pip (2) or with Pip & Munch (5) or with Pip, Munch & Tiddly (9). Lots of shouting goes on in those 10 minutes.
  3. I love, love, love US Drama. I don't watch anything else virtually. CSI & CSI New York, Cold Case, ER, Grey's Anatomy, House etc etc I do appreciate a bit of well made British tv, usually BBC commissioned, but to be honest it's a rare beast, but recently my boat has been floated by Cranford, Sense & Sensibility and Ashes to Ashes.
  4. I hate buying shoes, they are expensive and never fit. Hence my skanky feet are always in skanky shoes. I hate buying clothes too and only buy cheap brands. I don't feel I deserve more expensive clothes (I'm too fat and have no money) and Steve never buys anything new to wear, just to make me double up on the guilt.
  5. I loathe washing kitchen floors and cleaning ovens, loathe it. To the depths of hell.
  6. I really wish I had travelled more and tell my kids that they must travel and see the world when they are old enough.
  7. I alwasy feel like my right arm has been cut off when my broadband or laptop isn't working.

I think that's enough insecurity for one day don't you?

In: , ,

BLURGHHH











Been trying to use Word 2007 to blog because it's a lot easier to format the text all pretty and stuff. BUT failed miserably and spent all afternoon doing it.
Am giving out my little purselets to friends for 'field testing' - I want to make sure they are hardy and don't fall apart in a heartbeat before o take it any further, although I do have business cards and a stamp - am being a bit previous with myself and not focussed on actually making the things, but I am sure that I'll get there.
I wanted to post a wishlist of things I yearn for, so this is more of a picture spot thing rather than a list, as the list format sucks.




Alexander Henry Kleo in Choc Book Recommendation via Pink Chalk Studio
Beautiful Doo-dad purse by Elisa Lou
Making Memories Noteworthy Journalling book



Sew What! Skirts






Print Gocco from Print Addict Japan on Etsy




Wacom Bamboo A6 tablet




Instead of this gorgeousness I have this:-








In:

Fun Skirt-WG293-Skirts at Boden

I like the beige daisy one
Fun Skirt-WG293-Skirts at Boden

In:

Fabric is my new friend

I am spending a lot of time gazing in awe at some amazing needle skills. Am not going to post pics as I haven't asked permission because these ladies do not know me and they'd think I'm strange.....but here are some links:-

http://tulapink.com/?p=7 - The Full Moon Forest Fabrics for Moda are wonderful, plain and simple. Like the Green Colourway the best.

http://pinkchalkstudio.com/blog/2008/03/07/sugar-spice/ - This quilt is fantastic, loving the polka dot on the back, loving the Bento Box Pattern (look at me using all technical speak - just read Kathy Mac's post - it's in there). All the things on this site are fabulous, even the explanation on how to press.

http://www.splityarn.com/split_yarn/2007/06/sew_a_zippered_.html - I nearly wet myself when I found this tutorial on lined zippered pouches. The quality of this lady's work is such that I've ordered one of her coin purses from Etsy.

http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=291 - you would go cross eyed and then blind before you found something repeated on this amazing site. This particular page is a round up of things to make for Christmas, but most of them apply to all time of the year. I particularly love the Wellness Bag (earmarked for 2 of my friends birthdays).

http://www.thimble.ca/ - there are always a ton of great links on the posts here. I particularly enjoy the flickr links as I seem patently unable to unearth treasures on flickr.

http://threebears.wordpress.com/2007/10/15/little-boxy-pouch-tutorial/ - this lady doesn't seem to post that often but this tutorial is a real find, it's from one of the flickr links from Thimble.

http://jcaroline.typepad.com/ - awesome and I love , love, love this fabric range and this looks interesting = would make nice nintendo cases for boys.


Must take some pictures, make all this a bit more interesting.

In:

Slip Sliding Away....

Time that is, it's time that is slip slididng away (thereby betraying my 70's MOR childhood - a childhood steeped in the genius James Taylor (gosh he looks old now), Carol King (I know all the words to all the songs on Tapestry even though I haven't listened to it in about 10 years - note to self - get Tapestry on itunes - and other less memorable artistes).
Wow that has sucked me into a time warp.
I remember as a kid I only taught myself guitar so I could play like James Taylor (which I can't) and I always desperately wished I could sing and play piano like Carol King (which I can't). Music played an important role in my poor little only child life. It was my friend, my solace and my deep joy. To find my oldest son loving to play and desperate to learn makes me giddy with excitement. I fawn at the music teachers feet, man I am such a creep, but for my boy to find something he loves so much he writes his own music (badly I might add he's no Beethoven) - well it's inspirational.
He plays the Euphonium by the way. Not rock star material, very British brass band stuff.