Tooting! Email issues and a Dare!

So it appears my email was eating some of my mail. If you have tried to email me recently (like the last month!) and I haven't responded its probably due to the email monster! Hopefully Bob has sorted all this out, initial tests indicate full email capabilities! Dang email!

So onto the toots - Sunday I got an email asking me if I'd like to be a freelance designer for scrappy chick! Heck yeah! Stay tuned for more info on this! Today I got a private message requesting FIVE layouts for augusts ScrapStreet ezine! Freakin FIVE! Holy cow! The pm was because Dora had emailed and I hadn't recieved the email (see email probs above!). Thankfully I am a member of scrapstreet forums!

Updating to add my first Effer dare (see link in side bar!). Finally getting round to actually scrapping for FUN! Wow imagine thatSo for this layout - do you see the SEI paper? no? Its the circle paper! I made it from the leftovers of the kaboom circle alpha's, and its already self adhesive! The black circles are just awesome (they look great on red too!).

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Update: Hindsight layout published on the Simple Scrapbooks Inspirations gallery August 2006

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Sunday scribblings - hotel stories

I've always loved to travel, its part of my astrological make up being a typical sagitarrian. The first time I stayed in a hotel I was 16 or 17, on a college art trip to London. The hotel wasn't swanky it was a typical student hotel... cheap. The hotel was called "The Regent Palace Hotel" and I remember it sounded so regal and luxurious. A far cry from the truth! The BEST thing about it was it was situated right in the centre of piccadily circus! Just an awesome location. I remember we had to share a room, but for the life of me I can't remember the name of the girl I shared with! I think her name was Alison? (remember my previous Sunday scribbling about me being called Dory from finding Nemo? now you see why!). As I remember the rooms didn't even have private bathrooms! There were communial bathrooms on each floor. The whole thing was organised by college, we'd taken the train down, and had a full itinerary of art galleries and museums. It was my first time in London. A huge city compared to Derby where I'd grown up, and I loved it. I just loved the hustle and bustle of a big city, the galleries, the museums, the shops, the people.

When I returned home I knew I had to come again. And I did, many times with Jen. We started a tradition of going every spring for the sales. We stayed at the same hotel (did I mention it was cheap?). We did the whole tourist thing, the shops, the nightlife. We'd even seen some celebrities!

In the mid 1990's Jen went to London with Mik, and told me the sad news. The Regent palace hotel was no more! It was now an insurance company or something. I was actually quite sad to hear this. It was like that whole chapter of my life was closed. The two of us never went back to London.

In 2001 Bob and I had to go to the US embassy in London to apply for our visa's. We passed through Piccadily and I caught sight of what used to be the hotel. Same building but now it was some insurance company. Just seeing the hotel brought back lots of memories of Jen and I having our girls week each spring. The buffet breakfast; Jen and her migraines and her being violently sick on the back staircase; the IRA terrorist attacks, that seemed to thwart our plans at some point each year; seeing our first musical. I just dug out some photo's from those trips, something I really should scrapbook soon! Looking back at the photo's I think my love of nature photography started here. I realise I have more photo's from the zoo and parks than I do of the buildings! I even have the electronic room keys still. I'm sure somewhere I have brochures from places we went whilst staying in London. I'm glad I have photo's and memorabilia from this trip, its a part of my life I don't want to forget.

And here I am trying to add a photo to this but blogger is not co-operating! Grrrr blogger!

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Sharing more...

Okay! Well Sky is home, and doing well! They shaved her butt, and she has to go back in 2 weeks for the stitches to be taken out. She's still on antibiotics, and crazy as ever! So just sharing some layouts done recently:-
This one "totally retro" is based on a sketch from CCAS. Dontcha love the pacman? Used the SEI kaboom line again. Loving the primary colors lately!

Celebrate - Funky fourth of July page challenge at TTS. Used the celebrations kit from Shelby designs. Plus some shabby princess. The celebrate title is by Dawn McD at TTS! Awesome job Dawn!
Today is the upload day for digital sponsors at TTS. Julys sponsor was Ztampf. I picked the digital deia kit. Loved the stitched flowers and buttons in the kit.

And my most recent layout is this one, just for fun. Its also for a challenge at CCAS. Basic and more technique based than my usual layouts, but fun!

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Hump day!

So Wednesday is apparantly know as hump day. I guess thats appropriate getting over the midweek and all but this week its different. This week Bob was off cos of the holiday and just went back to work today. Sky is at the vets having surgery. And I am at home with River, who is as lonely as me. Life would be so much easier with one dog, but when you have two you realize you could never just have one! I have to call this afternoon to see when we can pick her up.

I also got my book order from amazon today! Thanks amazon I needed the pick me up today! I now have in my hands Cathy Zeilske "Clean and Simple sequel", and Tracy Whites "photography for scrapbookers". Yummy! Just browsing through CZs book and WOW! loving it! So with reference to my usual forray into major mojo after reading these kinda of books expect me to be quiet for a day or two while I digest them, again and again, then expect either quiet mad scrapbooking, or me sharing LOTS of projects!!!

Oh I also have Ali Edwards book coming soon! I am SO looking forward to that one!!!

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June round up

Monthly round up from Katies blog

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?

Magazines: Simple Scrapbooks, Creating keepsakes, scrapbook answers and scrapbook etc. Books I just recapped on Cathy Zeilske clean and simple whilst waiting for the sequel to arrive!

What movies and/or tv shows did I watch this month?
Movies - Hmmm as I remember I watched "Studio 54" one night. I actually quite enjoyed it, I think it was more the flashback 80's than the acting or anything. TV shows - watching Hex, American chopper and thats about it. Inbetween seasons right now.

What special days did I celebrate and how?

Special days - I don't think there were any! We did use the pool for the first time this year! And have been using it alot since.

What illnesses or health concerns did I have in June?

None thankfully other than wicked season allergies.

What fun things did I do with my friends and/or family?

Pool fun :) We had a dinner out with Andy and Jackie, that was fun. Not done a whole lot with a sick doggy.

What new foods, recipes or restaurants did I try in June?

We revisited the Greek place, although the service was slow the food was good! Tried choc chip granola bars from trader joes, which were nice.

What special or unusual purchases did I make?

I don't think I did! I ordered some books which should come next week.

What were this month’s disappointments?

I can't really think of any. I know I didn't get calls back for ST but I didn't submit anything new. Just been too busy in May and June.

What were my accomplishments this month?
I got a page picked up by scrapstreet e-zine for the July issue. And I got it picked out the gallery so they solicited me! First time that's happened! Also possibly some good things happening in the future which I can't talk about yet :)

Anything else noteworthy to record about June?

First design team uploads for treasure to scrap. Playing with digital and paper for July uploads

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Sharing layouts done with SEI Kaboom line! At first I wasn't sure I liked it, but y'know what? I don't! I LOVE IT! Love the fun comic look to it. Especially the stars paper! and the big circles! Its a great line! Very fun!

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Update: Vroom layout published in Ready Set Create Ezine Aug/Sept 2006

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Sunday scribblings - two peas in a pod

Well its Friday afternoon, I've just gotten out of the shower after having a nice afternoon swim in the pool. I casually browse through some sites and check to see if the Sunday Scribblings topic is up - and it is! And what a topic! Two Peas in a pod! I went to read some of the entries and notice how a few are startlingly similar to my own story! A story of friendship gone awry. Friendship lost.

My friendship with J spanned nearly 20 years. If I'm honest (and I will be) I think the last 5 of those were strained. Where did it go foul? I think it was a lot of things combined. Firstly after school we both pursued different paths. Different colleges, different courses, different lives, but we still kept our weekly girls night out. The big change really came when we went on vacation together to Kos. A girls vacation. Things really changed for both of us when we took that trip! But BIG changes happened when we got back! I reconciled with Bob, and my career as an aerobics instructor took off! J ended her relationship of 10 years and started University. The visits became more strained, more lack lustre, things had changed between us, something unspoken.

Two years later Bob and I got married. The nights out grew few and far between, we were both working, I had a husband, and she had University. Our priorities were different, I was settling down, and she was now starting to go out and party.

In 2001 Bob and I moved to the States, before we left we saw J one last time. I think part of me knew it would probably be the last time. Promises of coming over to see us, and keeping in touch. I wrote every couple of weeks initially, getting the occassional letter back, then the letters just stopped coming. I never gave up though, I kept trying, sending letters to her parents incase she'd moved. I found out 2 years ago she'd been through some tough times with a guy, and I phoned her parents. Eventually we got together on the phone, she promised to write and stay in touch but she never did. She had my phone numbers, address, emails, websites but never did contact me. I feel rejected, I miss the girls nights out we used to have, the friendship. Mostly I just miss having my best friend.

I made this album in April/May this year to document our friendship.

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