So far.................

I have found out all the 2 million or so codes for the doors into the health centre................... and

• met my manager Sheila who is really lovely, calls a spade a spade and is very approachable,
• logged myself onto my computer and got some emails..............oooh
• learnt how to make the coffee............hahaha
• taken a few photos!!!!!
• played with some toddlers today at group with our nursery nurses,
• spoken to a social worker
• met some of the gps
• been on a couple of visits with Jill the other health visitor at the moment
• driven over 160 miles since Monday am!!!!!!!!
• been for lunch with the health visitors from the other practice at Horse World.............awwww cute horses.
• had 2 days of induction and another study day tomorrow.............boring
• had to try and book child protection training, Solihull training, domestic abuse training, adult/child resuscitation training and aload of others,
• sung nursery ryhmes at group...................

and that's just in the past 4 days or so. The week has flown by so far but so far all ok and loving it although extremely tired.
Here are a few pics from the birthday girl's party.................

.....................me in my posh frock,
Dietmar, Lil Sis, mum, dad and me....................
pretty bunting, more on that another time!..................

mum with a massive bottle of champagne from her Cousin Carol in France, this is hysterical cos she looks half-cut but hardly drinks!!!!

I love this picture, my lil sister was organising us to take pictures with the timer. Basically u set up the timer on ur camera, place it on the ground, stand in a circle with ur arms around each other and when ur ready set the timer. Pretty cool photo if I say so myself.

Party prep part 1

Today, we had the final push of party prep for mum's 70th birthday celebrations on Sunday. The forecast is good so hopefully we will be able to play in the gardne as a house full of 40 people will be tight!!! My dad and I went to Asda in Bridgwater to buy the drinks for the party this morning. I cannot tell you how helpful the staff were in there, Caz and Sam whoworked in the wine department excelled themselves giving us advise and choices. They even helped with the calculations. We got a g8 deal for our wine and beers and brought it all home. Only trouble was my poor dad has become so befuddled he's got all emotional and started crying in the aisles. I felt so awful for him and there wasn't a cafe for him to sit quietly and have a coffe to calm down. Anyway, it's done and safely stored away.
Next item on the adgenda for me was to meet with Jake, a family friend and amazing floral designer. He has his own shop in Glastonbury called Abundiflora. We had discussed a floral arrangement which mum and I had seen of his in the local church flower festival last Saturday but unfortunaltey the huge cocktail glass was hired and had been sent back. So it will be smaller but no the less spectacular. This is the cocktail glss arranbgement Jake did..............
Stunning isn't it? The inside of the glass was lined with orange slices and it smelt divine. Jake is really clever and has some really inspiring ideas. Today he was showing me some really imaginative bridal bouquets he is hoping to get some clients to have, they were really one of a kind.
Next here is the completed birthday card I made for my mum.


It is using a stencil I bought from the Bath and West show by Anna Marie Designs. Mum saw it and so I sneakily bought the staircase template. It is relatively easy to make. I used A3 card stock, tried to get 12 x 24 card but the craft shop didn't have it. I used a pice of butterfly paper to decorate the inner card and then added some stickers and paper roses on to the staircase itself. The sentiment is by Coco Chanel and from a sticker set by Bazzill. Just need to find a big envelope.


I finally finished the scarf, tassels and all so that just needs wrapping and the other bits will be done tomorrow. On the list is another trip to Glastonbury to fill some helium balloons and to make 60 vanilla cupcakes and ice them with butter cream in pink! I've made a chocolate cake today as my helpers from upstairs may need sustenance.
In other news, here are my beautiful roses from Alan.................

They are such vibrant colours, really me. I am going to 2 days of Induction to Bristol on Monday and Tuesday and then to my new base on Wednesday to meet all the team again, the other health centre staff and my new manager. Loads to do and learn but it will be exciting.

Hairbows and invites.

Silly me.................yesterday I said I couldnt find the photos of me wearing my hairbow from Rachel, well that's cos they were still on my camera, doh!!!!! Anyway here is the pic of me wearing said beautiful hairband which is in red...........
I was worried whether it would stay in as I have naturally curly hair but Rachel gave me an extra long tie and it stays in no problems. Want another one now in an alternative colour.
I have also been crafting today and yesterday to finish my mum's 70th birthday party invites. Now to say it's all been abit fraught is to understand my mother. When she was 50 we arranged a surprise party and she loathed the fact that we sent her away for a few days before so we could arrange it all. She loved it in the end but anyway it was not something we thought we'd repeat. For her 60th we had a garden party which she loved and again went down very well, we didnt send her away this time so maybe that helped. Now this year she is 70. Quite why she is so odd I dont know but we checked whether she'd like a party, drew up the guest list, I said I was going to make the invites and checked she liked the colour ribbon and everything, so she cant say it's a surprise. Now all of a sudden she's gone all funny again and so I'm unsure how this is really going down. Whether she really doesnt want to be 70 I cant figure out but I've made the invites and my sister is checking today with dad to ensure all is ok as I have to send them out tomorrow. Anyway here are the invites and the flock of pretty butterflies I have made to go on them............


So these are the flock of butterflies. I used 2 different punches and have 1 butterfly in fuchsia mirricard and 1 in silver pealescent paper. They are stuck on top and then 2 pearls added alon the centre as pearl is my mum's birthstone.

Here is a closeup.

The card itself is fairly simple. I bought plain white cards and sprayed them with silver Spray and sparkle by Crafter's companuion. It's really good and doesn't shed.
I had a photo of my mum when she was about 2 and so resized it on Photoshop and added a vintage frame. then printed them out and mounted them on fuschia miricard. Next I wrote the invitiation on Windows and printed these out on pearlescent paper and cut them to fit as inserts to the cards. Finally I added a narrow fuschia ribbin at the spine to finish it off. Finally I will add the butterfly to each invite.

So here is the finished product..............................
Let's just hope they actually get sent otherwise they'll be abit useless.......................

Busy!!!!

................so at last this week I had 4 days of work at a local college teaching Childcare and Education. I had 3 different groups who were mainly doing assignment support so alot of my work was around supporting them to get the correct information into the essays and answering questions. A few students had finished so then it was a case of finding them something new and challenging to do. It was interesting to be back in the work environment and use my brain again but very tiring. I felt wacked out yesterday but feeling more myself today. I really enjoyed being out and socialising with people and learning new skills, I always find I learn something new whatever I am doing. I got home on Thursday evening and there is a possibility of them extending my contract I think the week after next as this week they have OFSTED.
So I have been reading all ur blogs and trying to comment but please forgive me for not being as fullon as usual. I have started reading all Shimelle's new class pages and seen alot of beautiful work over on the forum, I loved Humel's princess page today. It is stunning. I haven't begun doing actual opages myself as I have been making my mum's Mother's present which is page for her scrapbook. I have some gorgeous old photos of her and wanted to do a page which was not too OTT but said abit about her. She trained as a seamstress and made her own wedding dress. If you ask her what she was doing when JFK died she was cutting out the pieces. It's a beautiful piece of workmanship. We used to get it out when we were little. She handcovered loads of buttons and made all the button loops. When we were little, she made all our clothes and as we got older and moved away curtains, blinds and cushion covers. She even made me a shot green taffetta ballgown when I was at nursing school which was all boned. It was gorgeous.
So here is the page..................

I used a new sheet of Basic Grey paper because it had the seamstresses dummy on it but a pretty one. I picked out alot of blue form the pictures because of the sky and the blue dress and she is wearing a blue cameo in the bottom pic.


I had some lace and a ribbon with inches marked so that was sewing related as is the sewing machine chipboard sticker I found in my stash. I used blue pearls and a couple of blue brads to attached the journalling paper. The stitched roses match the roses in the garden.
Here is a closup of the corner................

This is the journalling, I wanted it to tell a story but ask some questions.

Here is the card I also made using stamps and colouring pens.................

Anyway to all my blog friends who are mums hope u have a fabulous day tomorrow, can't wait to hear about the plans ur children have for u. Me, I am going to my lil sis for roast and mum and dad are coming too. Should be lovely.