Looking for a class in the New Year?

Then look no further than Kirsty's aka Miss Smith at a Journal of Curious Things.  Here's what she is offering...

Telling tales is a brand new scrapbooking class all about telling stories and sharing memories.  Through a series of prompts and audio recordings, we’ll be looking at how we convey our stories through our journaling, pictures and design.  I believe that capturing our memories is one of the most fundamental aspects of scrapbooking and that the way we do this is personal and unique to each of us.  Telling Tales explores the different ways we can communicate our stories while doing what we love: scrapbooking!

To read more and sign up for the class starting on 28th Jan then go to her blog here.

Its all in aid of a brilliant cause too.  Hope to see you joining in :)

RAK - go check it out!

Lou Collins is offering a fab bundle of stash booty all for just a few clicks if the mouse to share her blog :)

Go and have a look at http://prettypaperandchipboard.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/time-for-rak.html

and you could win this little lot....

Well?  What are you waiting for?

10 things on the 10th

It's that time of the month again, except I am a couple of days late!  This time I am posting ten dinner recipes that I have tried and tested (and loved!) and now form part of our family favourites.  I hope there is one in there somewhere that you would like to try...

1. Lorraine Pascale's slow roast leg of lamb - perfect for a lazy Sunday

http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/food/ic/prog_16x9_448/clip/p00xz74j_640_360.jpg

2. Gordon Ramsay -  Pasta with pancetta, leek and mushrooms; a quick, tasty supper after a busy working day.

                         

http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/gordon-ramsay/pasta-with-pancetta-leek-and-mushrooms-recipe

3. Good Food - Rosemary roast chops & potatoes; my (very fussy and almost vegetarian) son loves this!

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/10763/rosemary-roast-chops-and-potatoes

4. Jamie Oliver's "Jools' pregnant pasta" - quick, easy and tasty

http://www.redonline.co.uk/food/recipes/jools-oliver-s-pregnant-pasta

5. Jamie's roast chicken...

www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CFIQFjAE&url=http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/JAMIE-OLIVERS-ROASTED-CHICKEN-1265412&ei=vOafUPqYKuqM0AWs64HYCw&usg=AFQjCNGt6bvWwIWZSnXynh5pyO3uRfDICw

6. For something a little special....Pan fried sea bass with a three pepper stir fry

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/panfriedbasswithathr_67270

7. Couldn't do a list of recipe's without including some Delia!  This is a firm favourite in our house and livens up what I would class as "boring" vegetables! Oven Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli with Garlic and Coriander

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/party-food/accompaniment/oven-roasted-cauliflower-and-broccoli-with-garlic-and-coriander.html

8. And another Delia favourite - Braised Red Cabbage

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/party-food/accompaniment/traditional-braised-red-cabbage-with-apples.html

9.  Beef Carbonnade - this isn't the recipe I use (that is my Mum's tried and tested one!) but this is pretty close!   A real tasty, warming winter stew

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1236/carbonnade-flamande

10.  M&S - Dine in for £10.  When all else fails... what more could you ask for?

UKS Weekly Challenge

This week it's my UKS team's turn to host the Weekly Challenge....

Welcome to the Dizzy Dots second weekly challenge.

We now have 2 of our team in warm climates, Dubai and Malaysia, whilst the rest of us are in a much cooler climate in the UK 

We are so dizzy  that we couldn't decide upon which sketch so have given you a choice of 3 sketches fromhttp://www.pagemaps.com/12x12.htm

Since Christmas is only 2 weeks away  and we are all getting very busy, we have made this challenge easy for everyone this week.

1. use sketch 1 ,2, or 3 for 10pts (Please say which sketch you have used)
2. use warm colours or cool colours for 10pts
3 some new stash for 10pts. (Tell us what stash you used)


I chose to scrap some photos of when our friend and his son came to stay in July.  Thomas has Cerebral Palsy and at 6 can only speak about 5 words.  I was so proud of Alex and Josh and they way they adapted to interacting with him.  They kept him entertained all weekend and played so well together.

I used Sarah's Cards June Kit which was on the shelf unopened and is full of lovely Fancy Pants "Be You" paper which is just gorgeous!

There is still time to join in with the challenge over on UKS if you have time to scrap this week :)

I am a little behind with blogging at the moment so back later with some JYC pages and my November month in numbers!

Hello Monday...

Hello a day off to organise photos and emails (Whatever happened to these two little monkeys?)

Hello ladies' evening at the kids' old school

Hello a night out with Chris Moyles (I so miss his Breakfast Show...my mornings have just not been the same since...)

Hello a 3 day week

Hello shopping and make over fun with a friend

Hello 2nd week of "I'm a celebrity..."!!!

Hello Monday

Hello early shifts all week

Hello a trip to IKEA!

Hello sharing our photos from our weekend trip to Wales...

Hello a final bit of Christmas shopping with my parents

Hello a bottle of Harveys Bristol Cream...Mmmmm

Hello bedroom clear outs for the kids!

What are you saying hello to in your week?  Check out Lisa's blog for more...

My month in numbers - October

Is that October gone already?  I swear the days and weeks are flying quicker these days.  October was a great month - lots of sunny days to get out and lots of rainy ones to hide indoors and snuggle up in front of the fire with a glass of rouge.

So my numbers this month included the vast amount of 14 adults, 14 children and 4 dogs in 2 barns for a weekend in Wales.  Below are the 7 "matriachs" of the 7 families that went, along with 3 of the dogs and 1 random child. It was a blissful weekend full of wine, women and song....literally!...plus a few men, a bunch of noisy kids and some long walks.


Barn 1:

Barn 2:

We took the Kids to see their 1st Bond film at the cinema. We saw the 10.30 showing and enjoyed all 143 minutes of it!  I have now put Daniel Craig on my Christmas list :)

We all went to see Newton Faulkner and sat in Row EE 4-6. The seats were perfect with a clear view of the stage.  It was Josh's first indoor gig and Newton did not disappoint!


Josh grew 2cm in about a week. This is a momentous achievement and I have blogged before about his height challenges! So at the weekend we bought him new jeans that don't argue with the top of his shoes.

My lovely in-laws celebrated 50 years of wedded bliss and we went out for a lovely pub meal to celebrate as they didn't want a huge fuss.

 Alex cleared out her Build A Bear items ready to make room for a desk in her bedroom and so far has made £68 on eBay!!  I am now searching the house for things I can sell too.  Josh has also listed his BAB items and we look forward to his total this weekend when his listings end...

Finally we carved 3 pumpkins to decorate the front of the house tonight.  My attempt is below.  I think the last of the "trick or treaters" have been and I have a Scream like ghost and a strange black hooded figure currently drinking hot chocolate in my conservatory whilst Alex has decided to do the sensible thing and just go to Guides!

Hope October was good for you too.  You can see lots of other Months in Numbers and find out how to join in over at Julie's blog

And I am closing this post whilst chuckling to myself as I've just realised I've been eating a packet of Galaxy counters whilst typing this post.... counters...Month in Numbers... Get it?  Oh well, it made me smile!







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