My 365 for June/July & more!

This is where it all started going pear-shaped...

We wished Mercy well & she set off on her merry way...for a month's leave...so not so much computer time anymore... just my profile calling me...

And more of the stuff at the side...piles of papers...scraps with website addresses jotted down, etc, my crazy creative mind at it's best...and worst...all the while the 2 youngest creating their next masterpieces...inspired by "Night at the Museum 2" - their holiday cinema outing with mum!

I wanted to scrapbook but my desk always looks like this in between creative sessions ... because...I hate cleaning it up after all that creative energy has been expended...and I need a bigger desk...yup, that big mat fits in & that's it - a bit like the space you get at a crop really...not enough...

And that's not been the only problem! Post operative fatigue (aka holiday laziness...) & flu (no, really, 3 times...) but mostly just washing, and ironing, and (did I mention?) washing...and ironing...

But then I asked your advice remember, and instituted this...it wasn't easy I tell ya...but it sure was worth it! And now she can iron AND smile, so things are improving every day!

And Jack is proving to be quite the chef...I even got a toasted cheese sandwich with bacon on the side & chutney in a SEPARATE bowl...my, my, the power of blackmail...reward money is DEFINITELY the best motivation!

And even the little peeps are doing their bit! Reilly & Cami are making their own beds - the top bunks - and it's no easy task I tell ya...

But, as you can see, my little (aka BIG) brood has finally risen to the challenge & decided mum really DOES mean business...all children being suitably bribed...or should I say compensated for their contribution!

The rule is to get it all done asap so there is still lotsa time for this...

And this...

Chelsea & I have been blinging up her crib...aided by the Claire's sale & this funky little jewellery holder in her favourite colour...electric blue...

Her mission appears to be to cover every square inch of her walls with posters of celebrities ... celebrity culture...funny old thing...I remember being EXACTLY the same as her, with posters of Duran Duran, Howard Jones & Morton Harkett from Aha! Oh, and Adam Ant...

Oh, and she gets the reject photos...which she mixes in with a bit of her own artwork...

Kinda like scrapbooking really...what is it with this Rob Pattinson thing???...I don't see it...

This one sits right above her desk, mounted on a large piece of black card, with photos of friends & other momentos all in the mix...

And here is her bedside table, how cute is that little alarm clock I found her at MP Home???!!!

Aaah...see Orly there...haven't seen him in anything for a while...and Lilly...like her but what's with all the swearing? Is it meant to be *cool Brittania* or is it just ingrained in British youth?

Here we go, above the bed & right around the other side..gotta scrap this...ooh, just spotted McDreamy & Jude...at least she has good taste...

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall the way around to the bathroom door...and HOW are the boots I found her at Sheet Street???!!! Yup, we've been having a right makeover we have...

And she has been downloading & printing these super-cute bumper stickers off Facebook (see Applications apparently)...at LAST...I've seen it's good for something...thinking titles for layouts...*mind spins*...

And even young Cam has jumped on the bandwagon & done a spot of decorating herself...Chelsea generously allowed her to decorate her cupboard...while she handled the other 99% of the room!

Meanwhile Jack shone his trophies...no ego problems there then...(some of those are back again a SECOND time around...)

And Reilly bid Ronaldo a sad (sniff...) goodbye...(notice the gap...gotta fill it with Valencia...)

And mum treated them to a new mat to keep the dirt out...strategically placed at the doorway to their room...amazing what you think about when YOU are the one doing the vacuuming LOL!

I could say I tidied my cupboard but the truth is it always looks like this...my year's of working as a Fashion Designer & sorting samples onto rails has me bound to this OCD for life...colour-coding, 1"inch apart - all hangers facing the same direction...

But I did treat myself to this little beauty and YES it will rust and NO I don't care...I will be bored with it by then...

Even these little babies have made a reappearance out of the drawer & onto the table-top (whaaaaaaaaaaaaat? It's a start....)

Because, finally, I bought myself a sewing table...and there is even space at the side to store some scrappy storage cases & give me a bit more desktop space at my scrappy desk - Woo Hoo!

And FINALLY Checkers got in the kitchen stools again...2 years later...so we managed to get another 2...BTW I could be an estate agent - my kitchen SO does NOT look as nice as that...

And do you really think I could resist a scrappy purchase or two (or three???) - LOOK at these babies...Fiskars no less...the Kings of cutting...right on my scrapdesk...right now...Threading Water & a Circle Border Punch, need I say more???!!!

And a little embellishment sort at long last...onto a little metal shelf I bought that stands on the side of my desk now...if I can't go out I gotta go up...

And all my bazzill finally colour-coded & in one place...oh happy day!

My latest project being sorting my prints by MANUFACTURER (my daughter thinks I'm insane...) because I think this will work so much better with my new online life...

So here is my other file storage box, still waiting to be decoupaged, divided alphabetically with foamcore/corrugated card...just until I have time to print some nice divider tabs & attach them to some plain cardstock instead...

One little girl celebrated a birthday...9 already! Look at that smile ;-D She helped me bake the cake...

And she enjoyed it soooooooo much that I bought her a packet of Barbie Cupcake Mix & she produced these...under the watchful eye of Head Chef Jack...

Reilly decided the middle of winter was as good a time as any to make some GIANT ice-lollies...

And Cami joined him...Lemos flavour (lemon & lime) & delicious apparently...

I was just delighted to see brother & sister interacting so well together...such happy friends...

I suggested they set up the "tent" in the back garden & enjoy a picnic out there...

But it took them soooooooooooo long to erect the "tent" that they took out 2 pillows & had a little lie-down instead... ;-D

This little man has been a busy boy - off to friends & playing golf...all the time with his rucksack on his back, complete with a fresh change of clothes "just in case"...that's Jack...

While this young lady has been sleeping & growing & blooming & blossoming...and straightening out those beautiful natural curls she so hates...

While this little girl has been "on the hunt" daily for her baby, who she usually finds curled up...

On Mercy's bed...knowing full-well that she can remain there undisturbed for another T.W.O. W.H.O.L.E. W.E.E.K.S !!!!!!