Sweet nothings

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Today I've got some pages up on the lovely Lynn in New Zealand's blog :)

and my sister mentioned me here :) Thanks K!

Ooo- edited to add, how exciting :) Thanks to Carol for noticing my picture of Daisy is the featured one at Shuttersisters today too :) :) :) 

tuesday's ten...

1) In the midst of a super busy and organised like clockwork week....Daisy's got sick. Everything stops, plans get held and you just roll with the flow. Luckily - and I appreciate daisy might not think its so lucky - Daisy's high temps is {so far, not jinxing anything} just a rubbish high temp and a sore throat. Having suffered from kidney issues all her life, her high temps always being a precursor to each infection, the moment she's ill we all kind of hold our breath until we know its not hospital stay inducing. It is, as I write, sofa lounging inducing instead, with snacks and tv watching thrown in for good measure. Dont we all need days like that sometimes?

2) When my first son was a baby I made some joke about buying shares in Calpol. Four kids on, I SHOULD HAVE. Holy heck, that and  Nurofen orange are staples in my house during the winter months.  

3) I finally learnt how to fold up my pop up studio background. This is, trust me, a major achievement. The words 'pop up' give a very good descriptive of how it goes up, but there is nothing 'pop' or simple about the taking down. Or there wasn't. It was like one of those deckchair comedy sketches you know? where you wrestled and twisted but nothing happened. Finally I figured there would be help somewhere and there was. a video of simple 10 second instructions. I was very cynical - it was after 15 minutes of Teen Daughter and I frantically wrangling with it and getting nowhere - but on my first attempt it was in the bag in seconds. wow. I really hope I can do it again on Thursday night. The video is here, in case you ever need it. Or I ask for your help Thursday.... ;)

4) Relationships with food are an ongoing issue... in particular little people who think school lunch break is totally wasted eating anything, and go out to play instead. It drives me potty, to say the least. Especially when one of those people is underweight, under the Dr for possible food intolerance, and worrying me to death. I keep chanting 'this too will pass' - because its 99% likely too, I know - but its still not easy to live with. 

5) Tomorrow is the day of the big strike across England. 80% of Teachers, hospital staff and airport staff {a peculiar mix} are striking tomorrow. One of the girls schools is closed, one isnt. helpful. I am decidedly PRO good pay and benefits for teachers and nurses, {airport staff...er... not so much, sorry} but I do find striking is one of the last ways to get me backing your cause.... that and the rest of the non-public sector taking such a hard hit in this rubbish economy, and having nothing, no strike action, no campaign, as  a back up to making the hard times stop. Possibly, if all the teacher left schools to work in private schools - ditto nurses to private hospitals- it would have more of a sit up and take notice effect on the government than 'another' strike. Not that I want that to happen. Shall I stop talking now? yes...I dont know, I'm no great mastermind... I just know this strike doesn't feel like it helps. 

6) Thursday I have an appointment with Santa. So you know, let me know if you want me to pass on any names for the naughty list ;) I'm taking his photo.  I *think* Santa may dislike me by the end of the day, as I am making him sit, in those very hot Santa clothes, under two very bright BIG studio lights. And. altho the booking was originally for an hour, I said yes I'd love to, when they suggested making it longer....without really thinking of Santa and the heat.... Maybe tho, this will be Santa's new weight loss plan? and next year it will be the latest thing to try...

7) Oh the weather outside is frightful.... and as I dont have a fire inside I'll just leave it there. pretty much sums it up. ack.

8) One of the saddest and most amazing things I have created recently, was a remembrance book for a dear friend who lost her Mother. It's truly stuck in my mind because the photos were of another time, and of a life so well lived. Desperately sad, and yet gloriously preserved. I hope I can post the cover of the book at a later date to show you. I wonder if somebody will make my remembrance book and think my life was well lived?  Most of all, I decided I wanted to make books like that for grandparents still alive, so I can ask them all the questions about the photos NOW. 

9) Nothing makes your heart beat faster than leaving your little portable photo studio set up right next to where they are manipulating several yards of still a bit wet printed fabric. with glitter on. And I may have pointed out 400 times 'dont touch my lights!' 'mind my lights!' and received reassurances that the lights would be fine, but I still walked away from the building of the school grotto with my heart in mouth. {I had to set up first, grotto going in front of pop up studio}

10) Just when I get the hang of making dinner for five and not six, I discover five is normally four, due to one working evenings, then four is lately three now and one later, and then when I think its six for tea because Teen Daughter has a friend round, turns out they are ordering pizza later. And then its sometimes two now and two later, or two for simple food and two for something more interesting later, - it feels like a restaurant with ridiculous opening hours. I'm certainly learning what home made foods can heat up and keep warm for different servings, and what has to be cooked to order.... Hearty soups are good, risotto not so much. 

Wind in the Willows Costume

These pictures are especially for my Mother - a Granny extraordinaire - who makes costumes for a living, and who gets coerced into making our school play costumes, anytime it gets complicated. {ie; anytime I cant find it on Amazon!} 

Mollie has a big part in Wind in the Willow - she is Ratty. {Anytime you need to know the lines or songs just shout, this whole house KNOWS THEM by now.... LOL}

The school had quite particular costume ideas, Mollie had quite particular ideas and my Mother had some too... good job they all worked out ;)

All I had to do was make Mollie a toga, for Roman week, and rustle up a bunny rabbit costume for Daisy. that's all.  I didn't dare ask Mum AGAIN, less than a day after asking for this costume, so I made them myself. Well, when I say 'made', I did attempt it, then I got frustrated fast, {fabric and I just dont get along, despite my best efforts, I have been spoilt by having a seamstress as a Mother} and so resorted to pushing a few buttons and this nice man from the internet rushed them over... hahahaha.  Luckily, rabbits and togas are fairly easy to come by, not like Ratty here.  

 

Making a list, checking it twice...

...realising I have a BILLION things still to create, buy, make, etc etc before Christmas can even show up around here. You too? 

Why I'm making gift tags when I am very far away from actually getting most things bought, never mind wrapped, is beyond me. But its how I roll. {Somewhat haphazardly, in many directions at once, before 98% of it comes together} {One hopes}

You can see some of my fun tags on the Designer Digitals Blog today. Or, you can just admire a few of them right here :) 

pony pics...

{cheeky, with short legs...} {yes, both horse and rider}

 

 {super independent rider x 2}

 

 {cantering with no hands... aka flying} {truly awesome feeling}

 

 

reasons to be

cheerful busy.

Seriously - I know December has a fearsome reputation on the busy front but  wow. I'm already overwhelmed. 

There's a Christmas fete at one school {pack spending money for child 3}. Right at the time child 4 has a hospital appointment. nice timing. 
There's Roman market week also at school, which involves making a toga, and taking 'wares' to sell, like honey, olives and yards of ribbon. of course it does. 
This clashes with dress rehearsals for one christmas play - learn lines and take in 'Ratty' costume {wind in the willows}. Which happens to be just when the other school play needs bunny rabbit costume. {Daisy is an 'animal in the stable' for the Christmas nativity.... and you know, bunny rabbits were OFTEN seen hopping around the stable right?!}  
Not forgetting to fill in forms and send in ticket money.  
And fill in form stating that I cant be at the christmas decoration making morning but here is my money for that. And I cant be at the  christmas decoration making morning because I am the official photographer of Santa and his visit to the school! Setting up my pop up photo studio the night before. Santa is a pretty busy guy too, hence him arriving at a school during the morning one day. Which just happens to be the morning I booked my car into the garage for its service.... ahahaha.

And I'm not about to help walk children to the school carol service either, because there is another appointment booked on that day that I booked six months ago. Honestly - howcome I do nothing for days and then it all hits me at once?! 

I am also driving 80 miles on one day, followed by 80 miles the next day, to make a photo opportunity and a lunch. I want to do both, but I detest motorway driving big time...I do it but I feel my blood pressure hit the roof...its that 'mustnt be late for school' sick feeling, you know the one?
Daisy is accompanying me to said lunch {this should be fun} because her school is on strike on that day, but Mollie's is not. so I must get back to her school on time. 

I have a good friend visiting for a day, and I fear I may not be the best company as I collapse in the corner and snore...or convince her to come out with me and take part in a another chore or six.

Daisy has an eye hospital check up the same day as Mollie's school play performances, and then sadly the next day we have a funeral to go to. And then another performance of the school play that night... 
I have a photo shoot, and an outing just after that, followed by Daisy's birthday party {her birthday is Christmas day, so she gets a Party Day earlier} The party is short, going to be chaos, and a week earlier than we normally do it... oh and its two hours after HER school play. But hey. 

The following day I am out on a Christmas Do. {and may keel over} plus I really haven't got far with my Christmas shopping, I havent even THOUGHT about the advent gifts... the usual household stuff is obviously still going on, the girls have special days booked, and I have my creative commitments -that I love but have to squeeze in time for. I *think* I have a clear day about the 20th of December. When I'm scheduling in a lie down. 

PHEW!

deep breaths with me anyone? ;)

 

 

 

 

iPhoning this mornings walk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a little crazy golf...

 

 

 

In the wind, with some short tempers and interesting golf club techniques... ;)

another pair of layouts...

they just seem to come along in twos lately :)

two new layouts....