Oh My Oh My Oh My - What have I gotten myself in for!

Well folks news flash .............

I have started my very own forum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am excited, nervous, excited, freaking out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Basically I have needed an outlet that is my own for a long time. I am a bit of a control freak and need something to really throw myself into. I Love the forums I am currently active in and can promise you that my launch is nothing other than I need something that I can be more involved in.
So without further ado I invite any crafter who is really serious about their work to come and join me.

I have big plans for the forum - I want sponsorship from retailers, I want to be able to offer forum members up as designers to said sponsor retailers - and most of all I want a place to hang out and have some crafting mayhem and fun. (With lots of prizes and challenges obviously!)

So please come along and say Hi and stick around for a few weeks whilst things are developed into hopefully something REALLY EXCITING.

And OMG I feel like I am giving an oscar speech - here is where you will find me
http://justbex.co.uk/phpBB2/index.php

Love Bex

Blog Candy Winner ...........

Is Steph.
Well done Steph - if you could email me your address via the blog link i will send you some strokable lovelyness of paper and ribbons etc to play with x

And ooh my there is something VERY exciting going to happen soon in Bex Craft Land so please do check back here. I promise not to keep you waiting for long - I am nearly ready to launch my new exciting venture that I hope you will want to join in with xx

Love Bex x

Blog Candy and SMILING

Aw you are all fabby
I am smiling at each and every comment xxx

Some fabby jokes and real life stories - so thankyou, I will actually compile the list in the morning now as I have a friend over and have just opened a very nice bottle of the finest red stuff - so game over shortly for me lol

So keep them coming and I will sort it out in the morning.

AND PAULA - you will get a blog candy just for the info on pylons. That has made my day totally xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Of course after 7 aborted sales due to the pylon I kind of know they must be bad (they don't value houses at zero lightheartedly) - and I do SORT of pity the cowboy that bought the "HOUSE FROM HELL" BUT as the said cowboy got it at a stupid price that has infuriated me daily since I sold it I can now put it to bed so to speak.
I am SO happy in my new life that money doesn't matter - but knowing that my house could have been worth zero forever helps xxxxx THANKYOU xxxxxx

And for any crafters reading this blog - be sure to bookmark it and check back as I will have an exciting announcement very soon - well I am excited by it anyway x
Love Bex (Off to drink red wine and have a fun Friday night) x
Whooooooooooo Hoooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blog Candy

Well as I have nothing exciting to report, and no amazing things to reveal I guess a reason to post will be BLOG CANDY. Cos crafters love it I guess .............

SO it is easy - leave me a comment that makes me smile and I will enter your name into a hat to be drawn Friday Night.

AND what is the blog candy - erm hey I am looking around at FAR too much stash so I reckon a Kit to do a LO.

There - that is an easy post from me for once!

And yes will post abroad ...........

Love Bex xxxxxx

Been playing

I have started to make a "Tiny" dent in sorting out all the photographs to scrap. And I mean tiny! However I have managed to do a couple of Layouts this week.

I sorted out my own sketch to work from (Inspired by my mate Sue who has been busy creating card templates) and here it is!

Nice and simple - Just like me! Of course any scrappers visiting here feel free to use it if you wish xx

And here are two Layouts I have completed.

The first is of my best mates Wedding - I will add the date when I remember when it was!!

The second are the pics I put up here recently of me and my childhood Buddy Si.

I hope you are all having a lovely Sunday - I'm engrossed in watching the London Marathon - these people are just INCREDIBLE. It is quite humbling actually x

Love n Hugs

Bex

Tantrum Tuesday

Honest I need to scream I think.
But I won't.

Interview went very well sadly and i am expecting to hear back probably tomorrow - and I am at bursting point of stress levels now. I cannot imagine travelling to London every day - It will be hell - But I also know I will accept as will be unable to refuse if offered it. So I am in a bad mood. I am trying to work out how to convince Bex pea size brain into going for the local, with craft time role ......... I'll keep working on it.

Aside from that little update I will not post a mega rambling as I am TOTALLY stressed out over something so tiny and silly that I should really walk away laughing.
But instead I will work myself up into a frenzy over it. Do any of you do this? Get in a right old state about something that REALLY doesn't matter? Jeez with all that goes on in the world I really need to get a grip. BUT I am still pissed off and stewing lol

Off now cos I may just rant and moan if I stay.
Will snap out of it I promise and be back in a couple of days when my head resembles more than the mush it currently is xxxxxx (Unless of course I human combust with all the stress levels I am experiencing right now x)

Love and hugs to all

Bex

Sunny Sunday!

Well the weather here is GLORIOUS!
I had a lovely long walk this afternoon with Maisie and got a bit lost which made it an even longer walk .........

Sorry - no crafty reveals today - Firstly I sort of failed with doing a LO each day last week - life got in the way - BUT I did 3 and I actually think that is a bit OK. (Yeah I only showed 2 as one is for Lin and not got permission to show here - I am sure when she receives it in the mail she may show it on her blog)

I have spent a stack of time sorting through photos - and I really don't know where to start to be honest.
My lounge is like a bombsite with albums and photos everywhere.

I have started on a LO tonight - anything to avoid actually planning for my interview tomorrow.
I am dreading it to be honest - walking into the Head Office of my old company - I mean who might I "bump into" I am in terror. Better get up early and do hair and make up.
Bought new trousers today for it cos new have the perfect crease in the front and I cannot be trying to achieve that at silly o clock.

Will let you know how it goes ............. gotta go now feel sick thinking about it - in fact do I even remember where Head Office is lol
Thanks for all your kind words on my previous post - having been a City Chick before I kind of know what I am letting myself in for if I get offered it and accept. Think I am on a mission to screw up the interview and have the decision made for me to be honest. I like my easy little life!

Love Bex xx

News?

Nah none i am afraid but thought I would blog to say so as it seems a few folks are visiting.

SO PLEASE shout out a hello! I do visit back - OK so not immediately but I do have a stint once a week where I inflict my madness on your blog! SO it would be interesting to see who is reading.

So I am off now from work till Tuesday - BLISS. I like a lazy life.
I have an interview on Monday - YEAH I KNOW I had one last week and have been offered a perfectly acceptable job - but this one has a BIG list of bonus points - and a big list of NO NO's so I will go on Monday to the West End and see if I get offered it and then will FINALLY settle.
Tough one though - One is local and I love my work mates, the other has much faster career prospect, much more money ............ but could it unleash the workaholic Bex once again? Dunno. Will have to see my gut reaction on Monday as to whether I COULD be a proper career girl again but still be MAD CRAFTING BEX - cos that is what really floats my boat right now x

So roll on 3 full days of PJ's and crafting - HEAVEN.
Hope all who are reading are having a good day x
Love Bex

Pencil Lines Sketch

OK So here is the LO I did last night.

VERY SIMPLE and really not how I normally scrap - But I kind of like it!

I actually completed this LO in about 45 minutes which is a HUGE result for me - But it is quite obviously taking the original sketch at very face value and not playing with it.

I got home tonight and was tempted to "Bex" it up but have resisted. Why?

Well a very talented scrapper recently posted a comment on a forum I am a member of that was very constructive and made me realise that sometimes a Layout is all about the photo.

So as this photo is divine I have left it well alone. The picture is my Grandma and my Dad. I will add journalling at some point.

Amidst the box of pictures I have brought here there is a beautiful album of pictures that literally chart my Dads life from birth to about nineteen. And every picture is dated. FANTASTIC. And I was shocked to hear from Dad that he did it - I thought my fabulous Grandma had done it. So hence not adding journalling right now - I need to spend time reviewing his album and working out how to keep the journalling in a similar style throughout. (perhaps - I may of course go mental as usual and fluff it all up with ribbons and buttons!)

So there you are!

You can see the original sketch for the challenge HERE and also you can drool over the fabulous entries from the Design Team. Think I may add this to my weekly list of challenges!

Thanks Girls.

Love Bex xx

My LO Challenge

OK SO I DID IT!
I am a little bit impressed with myself - tonight I got home from work, within 2 minutes got a call from my mate Sue informing me she would be round for coffee in an hour ........ I ran round like a nutter tidying up, then had coffee and a good old natter ...........
AND THEN I did a LO in less than an hour - which is unheard of for me - I spend hours faffing normally!!!!
SO I will take pictures of the LO tomorrow in daylight - but I have passed the first day of doing a LO - another one tomorrow evening I guess!
And as promised here is a pic of me and my "first love" to be scrapped soon. x


OK So for clarification he totally WAS my first love = he was my next door neighbour growing up and he allowed me to be a tomboy. We climbed trees, we copied the American wrestling routines, we played darts, snooker, rollerskated .......... you name it - we had FUN. AND through it all apart from pratcising kissing we were JUST mates - AWESOME.
And then finally when I was 16 we both got dressed up and pretended to be adults for an evening and I think we looked quite sweet xxxxxx (Again sorry it is a photo of a pic so bad quality)

We still made a cute couple though eh? You should see us both now!!!!!!

Love Bex

A New LO

Another good day today - This Bank Holiday has been fab!
I spent a lovely morning in PJ's sorting through a load more photos - and i have SO many Layouts to do my head is spinning with excitment. Such a shame i have to go back to work tomorrow.

I decided to do a fun page for my Nephews album.
A while back Em and Carol challenged us to do a Holiday LO so this is one on my list of "catch ups" that is now complete.
Paper is Cosmo Cricket, and copious amounts of glossy accents have been used which don't show up in the pic.
I haven't included any journalling yet as I plan to get my nephew to write some bits so I have made some tags that will slide in behind the photos so that he can add his own thoughts!

And for those of you who i promised to try to find a "young Rach smiling" pic. Well this one is pretty sweet eh? The photo is actually in good condition but my scanner is not out at the mo so this is a naff photo of it if that makes sense!
I do love that Mum dressed us the same at this age - and she also made quite a lot of our clothes. The only thing I remember being a pain was that as the youngest I seemed to wear the same outfit for about 4 years as they were passed down to me!
Ah well - I didn't turn out too bad so can't complain.

I am going to TRY to do a Layout every evening this week as a challenge - not sure how i will do as I tend to spend hours playing around BUT I did the page above pretty quickly so as long as I keep them simple I may be OK.

Will report back on progress

Hope you are all well and have had a lovely weekend

Bex xx

A Trip Down Memory Lane .........

I am feeling very weird - but happy weird.
Have spent a blissful 2 days with family doing really tourist stuff in Southend and it has been ace.
Today I ventured into the VERY hot loft at Dads and brought back a couple of HUGE boxes of photo albums .................
LOVELY memories and I have sat in the lounge with Maisie laughing and crying - but all happy stuff!
I Love that Mum was a scrapper in the making and put loads of pics in albums with lables etc.
REALLY got me though that all the pics that she never got round to putting in albums had instead been "filed" in envelopes with her writing on them.
I haven't looked through them all yet - but I have just been through an envelope entitled "MY GIRLS" ............... which struck a chord cos, well we were and we only called ourselves that after she had gone x
Bless - there are some corkers in there dating back YEARS!!!

AND weirdly this weekend I bumped into my childhood sweetheart - with a one year old kid in his arms. Me and Si go WAY back - we grew up next door to each other and were apparently destined to be together as we spent ALL our time together getting matching haircuts etc. Sweet x I haven't seen him for about 5 years believe it or not - a bit of a fall out over him being scared to introduce me to his "serious" girlfriend.
Well I can say now that I have met her ........ for the first time lol. And she was like "OH SO YOU ARE BEX" But then she cracked up laughing ......... and handed me the kid for a cuddle so obvioulsy all is well. We have now exchanged mobile numbers once again and plan to meet up very soon for a proper catch up which will be lovely.
So back to the photo talk ................ in this particular envelope is a VERY sweet pic of us at our first Ball = aged 16 (He hired a Tux and everything!) I will scan pics tomorrow and post for a laugh.
I hope Si isn't reading this cos well - he has piled on about 20 stone since then and I was SO SHOCKED I didn't recognise him!!!!!! Perhaps I will scrap the pics for him with a "you fat bastard" header .......... Bless him - he still has the same smile and gives the same hugs and he is obviously VERY happy which is ace.

So first installment of a trip down memory lane will be posted tomorrow with pics of my first proper black tie do - which will be scrapped at some point in time.
Oh - and YES of course I have plenty of "Rach" pics - BUT I will be a good sister and email them to her to let her reveal them on her own blog - cos we all know she is up for a laugh and will!

Enjoy BH Monday all
Love and Snugs
Bex

Bank Holidays - Love them x

So on a Bank Holiday High last night I went bowling with work.
Of course i did not bowl - because I can't - I have a problem with letting go of the ball and actually hate it so instead I had a couple of cold beers x And a lot of laughs!

Thanks for all your vibes about the interview - I have been offered a job and have "gone home for the weekend to think about it" lol
Like what I am thinking about I am not sure ....... It is an 8.30 - 5.30 job down the road - I come home at lunch time - it is not high pressure at all - in fact it is a very easy life.
I am thinking I will accept on Tuesday perhaps x

I've had a lovely day today. I woke up early and went on a mad Bleaching mission. Did all the kitchen cupboards and walls etc. Felt very virtuous.

My Local pub - which is VERY local - about 5 doors away - opened last night after a refurb and I have to say I have only been in there twice in 6 months. BUT they put vouchers through our doors for "Complimentary" drinks so it would have been rude to ignore them.

This afternoon about 6 of the cottages went on mass to the pub and we had a lovely afternoon lazing in the sunshine in the garden. It really was fantastic. I know all of my neighbours to talk to but to spend an afternoon just chilling and playing with their kids was ace and I am sure it has geared our little community up for a fantastic summer! (We sort of have a very open planned garden scheme so no hiding from each other!)

Now I am getting organised to go down to my Dads tomorrow to spend time with my family - which will be lovely.
Must remember to buy my nephew an Easter Egg tomorrow cos I guess he is expecting one

Have a lovely Easter weekend everyone - I am so far and am confident it will continue to be just perfect x

Love Bex

Wish Me Luck

OK SO a quick post from me

I have an interview tomorrow morning .................
AND I am actually feeling very unprepared - as always.
Am hoping "BEX" will be enough but I guess I will need to deliver a bit more ..............

Pants - not prepared - and intend on going to bed and sleeping now so will be unprepared tomorrow ...............

SO keep your fingers crossed for me please xxxxx It didn't go down to well today when i told the guy interviewing me that it is actually a right bastard thing to interview someone just before a 4 day weekend so they can cringe all weekend on what they said ............................. although he did laugh and say "You have worked here 6 months you should know I am a bastard" to which I replied "ERM been here 10 weeks actually ...................................." SO NOW I am thinking is it an insult or a compliment he thought I had been there 6 months!!!

Ah well - I am what I am - shall i sing that when I walk in the room do you think?
Perhaps not
Or shall I use the Rach technique of getting the "Bangers" on full view? Erm not sure I have them either!

Will let you know - and in the interim will no doubt moan xxx

Love Bex
xx

Ooh Monday again!

Ah you all know how I feel about Mondays!
BUT I decided this morning that as we have a 4 day working week this week it is actually Tuesday - and that helped. I still of course moaned at work .........
I think either I have slept mega weird, or I am sickening for something ......... my neck is mega sore and hurts lots so that was todays moan. Perhaps I am just getting the reminder that my posture is terrible!

So apart from that quick moan - life is good.
Had a lovely weekend with crafting, friends and a couple of cold beers - Bliss.
Today is beautiful sunshine and I am hoping it stays around for the Easter weekend.

I'm heading down to my Dads for a couple of days which will be nice. Sarah and Brian and my FAB nephew Liam will be there so a good time is guaranteed - along with too much red wine if things go as normal. (OH and then as usual Auntie Bex will be chosen to read Liam a bed time story when she is really way past the being able to read stage!) I think in fact that getting together at Dads is probably the only time I actually get merry - and then some! I guess we all work hard and we are very looked after and relaxed at Dads - so it usually ends up a late night - or early morning ................. Well apart from sarah who always seems to need to stagger to bed at about 11 with the excuse of Liam being up early .......... but then she sends him into Grandad anyway so I may mention that this weekend when she tries to go to bed!

Dad is putting on a feast of crispy Duck Saturday night which is also good news as he cooks it to perfection and unlike the measly pancake jobette at the Chinese - well us Fullers have half a duck each .......... Poor Quack Quacks!
I may just take Liam to feed the Ducks on Sunday to apologise x

Oh and of course this weekend I plan on going into the loft and bringing back ALL our childhood albums to start some serious scrapping - I'm quite excited about that alone to be honest! There must be a hundred or so albums including Grandparents etc ........ I may even need to buy some more paper I think to scrap them!

Right so enough rambling from me for another day - this is what you will get btw if i attempt a daily blog! OK I am off to sort out my ribbon drawer which is in a right old mess ...........
I may be gone some time .......... well at least till tomorrow!

Hugs to all
Love Bex xxxxx

Sunday Creativity!

Well I have had time today to play a bit .........

Clare on CBC Forum launched a challenge that I NEEDED to do.
Basically to use things that you haven't used for over a year. (And it fits well with my personal mission of using up old stuff!)

OK so I realise there is a VERY good reason why I haven't used glitter and accent beads! Messy Messy Messy.

I now have a glitter covered dog and a fair coating myself. The glitter has been returned to the drawer for probably more than a year to come x

So the first card uses paper I have had for about 2 years (Oopsy!) and the offending glitter along with some rather tacky Magic Motifs (I am SUCH a crafting snob!)

The second attempt uses a stamp that has never been used - no idea why - perhaps it is because I hate doing mens cards! Oh and I actually counted the pages of my 6x6 Motifica pad and nope - none used and I have had it for well over a year. BUT in my defence I do like it but have been using the 12 x 12 sheets.

Oh and I won't even show you the pigs ear I made using accent beads. It really would do what little street cred I have NO GOOD at all!

I hope those of you that went to the Albert Hall last night had a good time. The reviews today sound like it was a good un!

Right off to play again as I now think I am allowed to get out the new "nice lush stuff"

Basic grey Rub Ons here I come xxxx

Love N Hugs

Bex xx