Wednesday 11 February 2009

The End

This is to be my final post on this blog. Somethings in life just have to come to a conclusion and I have long since past the frustrations of my family and my almost ex husband. I wish none of them any wrongs in life, in fact the ONLY think I wish for now is for Simon to be actively involved with Charley. For the purpose of the ending of this blog I also want to state that until recently I made an effort to text him approximately every week with either a pleading or an update regarding Charley. Now I do suspect they will not have been received in the manner which I sent them, but I am not responsible for that. All I care about is that my children are happy and whatever anyones ideas and opinions are of my life then so be it, I make my choices. Period.

Charley is one fantastic, intelligent, funny, loving and fun individual who will be starting full time school in September. He asks or mentions his dad EVERY day and I have ran out of things to say without lying to him or admitting that his father just isnt interested in him anymore. I dont want my son to grow up with any insecurity if I can help it, I have worked hard with him to be the kind of person he is. Wherever we go I OFTEN get compliments about him, his behaviour, his happy-ness (I like that, dont you?) and his eagerness to help. I feel so proud that he is my son. However, he has two parents and he has a right to receive time, effort and love from both. So I just hope and pray that at sometime in the future Simon puts aside HIS feelings, ideas and opinions and puts Charley's FIRST.

I'm past arguing or bitching with him or anyone, it just doesn't happen anymore with anyone. I have and love the quiet calm life. Yes I have my problems but nothing that I am not coping with in a much better way than I would have a year or two ago. Life moves on, and we should too.

So, this is the end of this blog. It is now being wrapped up to be part of the kids journaling that i've been working on. I know the people who were reading this blog that were responsible for me abandoning it have now found me on typepad, well thats ok, I dont mind because in all honesty if thats the only way they know how their son and family members are doing then so be it. Feel free to read all you like.

Just one last thing, I have no concerns what you think of my blog, Simon. Not that i'm being mean there, I just know we have different interests and likes in life, I have never trashed yours so the fact you have trashed mine is your issue not mine.

So goodbye Sunsets and Stars, and shift over typepad, i'm there to stay! ;)

Debs

Thursday 9 October 2008

Amusement

Every now and again I pop on here to check out the stats, I always smile when I see one come up from AWE....HI SIMON! :) Nice of you to make the effort to stop by, hoping to get something or other but not quite making contact with your son! Hanging up on him like that when all he wanted to do was talk to you was THE LOWEST thing any father could do!
But, you prove my case time and again! Poor Charley though, he actually WANTS to see you.
Anyway, enough for now, back on with real life! ;)

Oh, thanks for the computer generated birthday card for his birthday! Nice to see what little effort goes into being a father!!

Have a great day!! :)

Thursday 12 June 2008

Reopened

Due to the fact that this blog has now served it's full potential, I have decided to re-open it. Until such a time I have all the info off here it shall be open to anyone to peruse. However, sometime in the next few weeks it will be deleted forever!

My new blog is now up and running, most of the readers here (and I didn't realise just how many ''followers'' I had!) are over to the new one. The new blog is much better and caters for the kind of things I wanted so the stalkers and offenders I had here done me a favour, so a big thank you to them cos I dont think I would have made the move for a while yet.

So, if you dont have my new blog addy and you want it, just email me and we'll work it out! :)

Debsx

Friday 30 May 2008

Not quite good bye but...

this blog is coming to the end of its shelf life. I am working on another blog where the hosting company offers more of what i'm looking to do on it, but as its school half term we are spending most of our time out rather than in...and when we are in we are not stuck at the computer...which is a good thing right?! :)
so next week I shall be moving away from blogger for my personal blogging, the scrapbooking one will stay though and I shall lift the password when the other is live.
I see by my sitemeter tracker that I still have 3 particular visitors here...why do you bother? are you looking for some dirt to throw my way again? another punch in the face maybe? well your out of luck now, you wanna know something about me, do what your good at and make it all up...cos after all, you know whats in my head a whole lot better than I do right?
As the saying goes, you cant keep a good dog down...and none of YOU have what it takes to bring me down to YOUR pathetic levels...but nice try, it did work for about...2 days!! Ha!
Ok...away from my rant there...once i've done some stuff here I shall be sticking on the password here...so if you wanna read my waffle and ramble after that please read the post below and email me :)
Have a great day :)

Tuesday 27 May 2008

A few changes

I'm back to the blogging thing again! :D
In light of the last weeks events and the IP tracking undertaken by the police the four people involved in attempting to make my life hard is now confirmed and will be treated appropriately by the police and my solicitor. I dont care that the one person who called me a liar when I tried to explain this doesn't believe it. I think it's come as a big shock that I am actually standing up for myself! The crap thing is the people involved are the ones to be shameful of their actions, not me. My blame lies in allowing myself to be so submissive in recent years that I have become their emotional and mental doormat, so now i'm actually doing something about it they are angered even more...WELL THATS JUST TOUGH LUCK FOR YOU!
I will not be bullied or intimidated any longer. YOU NEED HELP...and that goes for S, H, K, E & L. Now the initials spell out the names of people who are involved, rather pitiful and shameful really especially as one was a member of my family. Some people have no shame, thats all I can say.
So, now I find myself with 2 choices, I can carry on as normal or I can allow them to win again and delete this blog...but I'm no quitter, i'm no loser and i'm no weak link to be walked over so I have decided to keep this blog, however it will be passworded as of Friday, as will any other blogs I own. I am happy to give the password to anyone that has an existing blog for me to verify who you are, a UKS player that I can check back on history of or someone that I have come to know either through this blog or any of the forums I frequent. Of course if I know you personally and I know you are not in anyway connected to the above people then I will give you the password without any blog or forum history. If I cant track you as a genuine person then I will not give out the password so if you are interested in keeping up with my waffle and scrapbooking stuff then after Friday please email me and give me any links you can so I know you are not impersonating the people initialled above.
If at any time that happens then it will be reported and action taken, so if one of the above people are having the idea of scamming me, forget it, you wont like my next legal action!
Its a sad day when so called family and close friends are so wrapped up in their controlling misery that they try to bring down others around them, especially ones that they have happily used in the past to get what they want..but I guess that is life.
I am not going to defend myself on here, I dont feel the need to and I certainly do NOT feel I have anything to apologise for, its just a crying shame that for so long I have defended such behaviour, but never did I believe it would turn on me so easily, nastily or untruthfully. All I can say is I hope you (the people initialled above) find some peace inside, cos knowing what I do of you all, you dont have any, but you are not bringing me down with you. Go get help, it'll do you a world of good, I know because in the past i've got help and it done wonders for me and my self esteem. Now its probably your turn.
So, this is the posting that is about to bring my blog back to life, though I will not be blogging again now till Friday when I put the password on here....after that its business as usual, and I have some fun stuff to share, loads of waffle to add and a lot of giggles to give you from the mad world of my home!!! :) Its all good stuff!!
One thing I have come to learn this last two weeks is this:

There are a variety of people in this world, some will dominate, some will lie, some will love you and some will be imposters, that does not mean we can justify them or follow suit, no matter how much they attempt to control us. We each have a right to be the best we can, no one is perfect or right all of the time, but everyone has the right to their own mistakes, their own opinions and life choices, but when it effects others negatively we have to take responsibility.
The biggest thing we can ever lose in this life is not money, our homes or even our friends and family, its ourselves. Without ourself there is nothing within or around us. So my advice to you is simple, dont give up trying to be fair, patient, loving and righteous, dont give up being the best example you can be, you never know who's watching, but dont be afraid to make mistakes. Just learn to correct them the best you can.
God is watching each and everyone of us, keeping us safe, guiding us and waiting for us to go to Him. Whatever your belief on that, thats fine, we can never truly justify evil actions, thoughts and deeds to Him...only to ourselves. Dont give up....keep going....I believe we can all be much better people if we get the right ingredients...just like cupcakes, get a wrong recipe and its not going to work.
Thats all from me now, I am off out today with Jd, Jay and Charley and its set to be a fantastic day by the mood of everyone right now!!! :)
Have a good one :)

Debsx

Wednesday 21 May 2008

Disappeared because...

No blogging for me this last week for a variety of reasons, the first one being the advice of my solicitor and the police who have advised to me withold my blogging life while they do what they need to do. I cant publically say what is happening for obvious reasons but if you read what I wrote a few posts down then you will have some idea what is going on. This is not a good situation and will not end till I show them I cannot and will not be bullied.

So life without blogging has been so frustrating for me! I couldn't even tell the people who check out the prompts on my other blog why...but lying to them isnt an option so I apologise here and now for the lack of apparent care. That is not the case.

I will be back to blog asap, for those of you have have emailed me thinking the eejits mentioned below have done something off the wall, no, i'm perfectly safe and getting on with my little life in the fast lane!! As soon as I get the go ahead I shall be back here and there'll be no stopping me! Me without a blog is like a car without a steering wheel!! :)

All the emails I have received will be responded to in the next few days, I am coming thro a few days of intense decorating, sorting and body painting....dont ask!! lol When the seas are calm I shall sit and write you a whole load of waffle back! :)

Oh, Lukabella...I have lost your email address, dunno how but its my kinda thang! :) Email me direct would ya hunny? Am really wantin to catch up with ya :)

Hugs to you all
Debsx

Monday 12 May 2008

The day goes like this....

The alarm goes off and I bury my head under the duvet, I was so not ready for waking up! Charley was up and down all night, he has a rash that looks like it could be chicken pox, he was hot and thirsty so he got a cool shower and a couple of drinks. I didn't bother looking at the clock when I finally settled down, I think I woulda cried! Lol
So getting up I did, read a chapter in the Book of Mormon and said my prayer which was constantly interupted by the dog wanting to play with my toes! Kirsten went to school on her bike with her friend so I got a few jobs done till Charley woke up. He has a doctors appointment later today to see if he does have chicken pox or if its just the heat so we'll see. He's as happy as tappy now though, playing on the trampoline and in his ball pool, must take some pictures before I forget. I eventually got the prompt up on my craft blog, later than planned due to one of my blonde moments but I got there eventually! Doh Go check it out and have some fun with it...its all just for fun but will get your imagination working wonders :)
Poor Chris (**waves**) text me in a bit of a flutter thinking my blogs have been spammed as i'd totally changed the course of the blog content when I added those good deals I found...bless him I think I totally confused him cos I hadn't previously mentioned I was going to do that and he's used to reading my waffle!! Lol Oh how he giggled!! :)
Its back to the grindstone for me today, I have classes to write up and 3 meetings to prepare for and tomorrow's prompt to fit in...oh I think i'd better feed the kids too!! Lol So this is short and sweet for now.
Hope you're enjoying the lovely sunshine again :)
Debsx

Good Deal #3

Look out Martin Lewis, Debs is after your job...I have another great deal for ya....

FREE PETROL

And...while you get free petrol you can also be getting money back! Go figure!!! :)

Debsx

Sunday 11 May 2008

Another good deal! :)

I thought I would share a bit of a good deal....this is getting to be a habit...think I been listening to Martin Lewis too much!! Hehe
This is for all you texters out there...or for the kid texters...O2 have a deal going...this is what its about:


Get up to 4 free O2 Pay and Go SIMs, and get free unlimited O2 to O2

calls and texts when you top up £15 a month. Share them around and

stay connected with your mates.

If you top up £10 a month you receive free unlimited texts O2 to O2!

And if all these free texts weren’t enough to satisfy your appetite then

how about calls for 25p a minute to any network and keep your

existing number!


However, there is more....


300 FREE UK texts a month when you top-up £10-£14 a month
500 FREE UK texts a month when you top-up £15-£29 a month
• UNLIMITED FREE UK texts a month when you top up £30 or
more a month.


The more you top-up, the bigger the Reward. Every three
months O2 will give you back 10% of the amount you top up with
O2 Rewards - so if it's £50 over three months, we'll give
you £5 free call time at the end. Just text REWARD to 50202 free


So if this is any use or interest to you....just click here and go get

em! :)


Debsx

Happy Sunday :)

Do you have this gorgeous sun where you are? I tell ya, i'm luvin it so much I feel like I could conquor the world! I know, I know thats very optimistic but my lil world is the only real domain I have and I know i'm making a difference...well, maybe a few decibels louder cos with the music being on I want to sing! For anyone that knows me will be shaking their heads about now cos they know I cannot sing for toffee, jaffa cakes or tea in China! But...I live in hope!! Lol
Church was lovely again today, everyone is so happy and hyped up on the sunshine. I got a lot of inspiration which i'm to ponder and pray about...a great way to find the truth about things...well non-manmade things anyway!
Jay is just putting the pool up for Charley now, the boy is so excited I've had to tell him three times to put his shorts on, he thinks its a bath!! Lol Bless him! His Bob toys are strewn over the front garden, Kirsten is laying on a blanket hoping for a tan and I'm working on getting dinner served sooner rather than later...good ole laptops eh?!! The poor dog is on a very long leash so he can roam the lower level of the manor and the front garden, but as he's still young I dont want him running off again...its far too hot to run the streets! He gives me the saddest eyes ever and I feel awful then for tying him up! Doh
The first blog prompt is up on my scrap blog tomorrow, I have chosen to do mine as a layout. It's all ready and waiting to be uploaded with the theme prompt. It's going to be a fun time for anyone that chooses to take part, cos i've used some of the ideas not only from my classes but from the Emotional Intelligence course I done last year...sound intense? It isn't, I have literally just adapted some of the phrases to suit everyday living. There's also inspiration from the Design Course I done too...the unfinished one cos my tutor suddenly died. I'm still waiting to find out when I can submit the other 7 assignments I've done, I really want this qualification and this course to be over without me having to go to regular college. I dont fancy the idea of childcare unless Charley is in regular nursery so i'm trying to get this course belted and sealed! Waffle? Oh yeah :) I can cos its my blog!! Hehe
Jay and I spent most of the day in the garden yesterday, clearing up all the debris from trees, sorting toys and jet washing down the paved area, he has finally got the lawn mower working so made a start on the neglected top part of the garden. I was stood up there, saw a frog hopping right by my feet and pegged it in the house! It was the shock more than the frog, but Jay stood and p'd himself laughing...I dread to think what the neighbours would have thought if they'd seen me!! Lol So I armoured up in wellies, 3/4 trousers and long, pink marigolds!! I hid the camera though...me's not that stupid!! Lol
Today we are eating dinner outside. I bought a new parasol which is so neat. It tilts and swivels and well just looks good! The sunshine makes living a whole lot happier dontcha think?
We are doing Family Home Evening tonight, cos tomorrow i'm out for a bit. Jay is joining us and has even prepared the lesson on Challenges. Very appropriate given a challenge I have right now!! Lol But it's all good learning stuff and I know it will empower us to make the right choices and understand why bad things happen to good people. There's a book by that title, have you read it? I recommend it, it's a great read for anyone that is interested in understanding life and the world we live in. I read it a while back and found a lot of simple theories that make sense of things that I hadn't given thought to previously.
Ok, time to serve dinner up and enjoy the glorious sunshine :)
Have a great day :)

Debsx

A special dedication

To the two people who are fixated on my life and think it is normal, acceptible and appropriate to dictate my life, threaten me, harrass me and try to make me feel how they feel. These two people are regular viewers on my blog, my tracker tells me so, no even an IP address blocker works cos I have a tracker that gets past blockers for the very reason I am blogging today.
This is my temporary official notice to the two people concerned to suggest that they remove the unhealthy fixation they have with me, my personal life and my online life, they have no reason to be interested and no reason to think they can threaten me or dictate to me.
So, after taking legal advice last night I have decided on three courses of action. The first one is this blog post. I cannot talk rationally to these people as they make demands and do not listen to someone else, the kind of conversations are intimidating, controling, accusing and most definitely suppressing. I will not tolerate this, I do not have to tolerate this and I am continuing with my promise to take legal action against these two people. It is not a once in a while thing, it is continuous with one person and the 2nd time with the other. All I can think is the first person isn't past the feelings stage yet, because unless he has spent hours on the internet looking for me, he must have me on his Yahoo IM...in fact I know he does because I frequently check out who has me listed as I use my Yahoo not only for chatting to friends and family but I also use it to chat to people in my classes.
Anyway, after the domination attempt yesterday, I sat in the back garden and I had to laugh. Why? because for this person to think they have ANY control over life events and/or me is totally hysterical. I mean, did that person not tear life apart so badly that he has a police record? He has set himself a long history of aggression, threats, domination, violence and other psychotic tendencies. I, however, have the right to feel and be safe. Even being over 100 miles away these people think they can do what they like and maybe they can, in their lives, they can lie as much as they want to, they can fool themselves as much as they need to and can do whatever they choose. I live a good life, settled, calm, happy, busy, imperfect but I am happy, I have gone out of my way to call a truce, he doesn't want to know. Instead its insult, accusation one after another to the point where now that i've just looked up a website I find they BOTH have psychotic tendencies and therefore I will most definitely be following through with my promise of legal action. This is not the first time, nor the 20th time for this situation to arise, but I am working on it being the last time.

So, a few words i've found that will inform the perpetrators of how much they need help, thats assuming they even admit they have a problem....

Harassment:
The Law
Protection from Harassment Act 1997
Main features of the Act

The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 introduces four new criminal offences:
harassment (section 2): summary only, six months' imprisonment and/or a level 5 fine;
fear of violence (section 4); either way, five years' imprisonment and/or a fine on indictment; as above summarily;
breach of civil injunction section 3(6); either way, same penalty as S.4 offence;
breach of restraining order section 5(5); either way, same penalty as S.4.
A new civil tort of harassment is created by Section 3.
All of the offences are arrestable; S.2 under S.24(2) of PACE, which is amended by S.2(3) of the Act; the remaining offences by virtue of their five year maximum penalty.
Under section 5, the Crown Court and the magistrates' court can make a restraining order on conviction, prohibiting the defendant from doing anything described in the order, for the purpose of protecting the victim from further harassment or fear of violence. This is one of the major benefits of the Act; .

Elements of Offences
Offence of Harassment - Section 2

The elements of the section 2 offences are:
a course of conduct;
which amounts to harassment of another;
which the defendant knows, or ought to know amounts to harassment of another.
The defendant ought to know if his course of conduct amounts to harassment if a reasonable person in possession of the same information would think the course of conduct amounted to harassment of the other.
Section 7 defines a course of conduct as involving conduct on at least two occasions. Harassment is not defined, but includes causing alarm or distress, and conduct is defined as including speech.
Section 7(3)A provides that:
Conduct by one person shall also be taken to be conduct by another if that other has aided, abetted, counselled or procured the conduct.
The knowledge and purpose of the person who aids, abets, counsels or procures conduct are what was contemplated or reasonably foreseeable at the time of the aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring and not when the conduct occurs.
The amendment at (a) above makes it clear that a campaign of collective harassment by 2 or more people can amount to a “course of conduct”. It also confirms that one person can pursue a course of conduct by committing one act personally and arranging for another person to commit another act.
The amendment at (b) above ensures that the knowledge and purpose of the person who aids, abets, counsels or procures conduct is judged at the time that the conduct was planned and not when it is carried out. This may assist a defendant to offer a defence of reasonableness if, at the time that he commissioned a subsequent act, he was unaware that the first act had caused distress to the complainant. Such a defence would not succeed if the defendant ought to have known that the act would cause distress at the time that the subsequent act was commissioned.
This section extends the definition of “conduct” and “course of conduct” for the purposes of sections 1 to 5 of the Act. It was inserted by section 44 Criminal Justice Act 2001 and came into force on 1 August 2001.

This is just a small part of this Act, however I feel it is enough to prove to the two people that what they are doing is illegal whether they believe it or not. This information can be found on the CPS website, feel free to go see for yourselves.

Sociopath:
PERSONALITY TRAITS:
1. SUPERFICIAL CHARM -- the tendency to be smooth, engaging, charming, and slick. Not in the least shy, self-conscious, or afraid to say anything. He never gets tongue-tied and has freed himself from the social conventions about taking turns in talking, for example.
2. GRANDIOSE SELF-WORTH -- a grossly inflated view of one's abilities and self-worth, self-assured, opinionated, cocky, a braggart. An arrogant guy who believes he is a superior human being.
3. NEED FOR STIMULATION (PRONENESS TO BOREDOM) -- an excessive need for novel, thrilling, and exciting stimulation; taking chances and doing things that are risky. Often has low self-discipline in carrying tasks through to completion because he gets bored easily.
4. PATHOLOGICAL LYING -- can be moderate or high; in moderate form, and will be shrewd, crafty, cunning, sly, and clever (in extreme form, he will be deceptive, deceitful, underhanded, unscrupulous, manipulative, and dishonest).
5. CONNING AND MANIPULATIVENESS -- the use of deceit and deception to cheat, con, or defraud others for personal gain; distinguished from Item #4 in the degree to which exploitation and callous ruthlessness is present, as reflected in a lack of concern for the feelings and suffering of one's victims.
6. LACK OF REMORSE OR GUILT -- a lack of feelings or concern for the losses, pain, and suffering of victims; a tendency to be unconcerned, dispassionate, coldhearted, and unempathic. This item is usually demonstrated by a disdain for one's victims.
7. SHALLOW AFFECT -- emotional poverty or a limited range or depth of feelings; interpersonal coldness in spite of signs of open gregariousness.
8. CALLOUSNESS and LACK OF EMPATHY -- a lack of feelings toward people in general; cold, contemptuous, inconsiderate, and tactless.
9. PARASITIC LIFESTYLE -- an intentional, manipulative, selfish, and exploitative financial dependence on others as reflected in a lack of motivation, low self-discipline, and inability to begin or complete responsibilities.
10. POOR BEHAVIORAL CONTROLS -- expressions of irritability, annoyance, impatience, threats, aggression, and verbal abuse; inadequate control of anger and temper; acting hastily.
11. PROMISCUOUS SEXUAL BEHAVIOR -- a variety of brief, superficial relations, numerous affairs, and an indiscriminate selection of sexual partners; the maintenance of several relationships at the same time; a history of attempts to sexually coerce others into sexual activity or taking great pride at discussing sexual exploits or conquests.
12. LACK OF REALISTIC, LONG-TERM GOALS -- an inability or persistent failure to develop and execute long-term plans and goals; a nomadic existence, aimless, lacking direction in life.
13. IMPULSIVITY -- the occurrence of behaviors that are unpremeditated and lack reflection or planning; inability to resist temptation, frustrations, and urges; a lack of deliberation without considering the consequences; foolhardy, rash, unpredictable, erratic, and reckless.
14. IRRESPONSIBILITY -- repeated failure to fulfill or honor obligations and commitments; such as not paying bills, defaulting on loans, performing sloppy work, being absent or late to work, failing to honor contractual agreements.
15. FAILURE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR OWN ACTIONS -- a failure to accept responsibility for one's actions reflected in low conscientiousness, an absence of dutifulness, antagonistic manipulation, denial of responsibility, and an effort to manipulate others through this denial.
16. MANY SHORT-TERM RELATIONSHIPS -- a lack of commitment to a long-term relationship reflected in inconsistent, undependable, and unreliable commitments in life, including marital.
17. JUVENILE DELINQUENCY -- behavior problems between the ages of 13-18; mostly behaviors that are crimes or clearly involve aspects of antagonism, exploitation, aggression, manipulation, or a callous, ruthless tough-mindedness.
18. CRIMINAL VERSATILITY -- A diversity of types of criminal offenses (regardless if the person has been arrested or convicted for them); taking great pride at getting away with crimes.
I actually feel sorry for these people, to think that one is with another and must be feeling so darned insecure and threatened that she has to take over a situation the way she does. He is obviously feeling what its like to be controlled in some way so I would have thought he would have understood that you cannot dictate how he does to people, life isn't like that! So, in summary we have an insecure person controlling a controller...oh my life how funny is that? Now knowing what I do about this one person I know that never in this lifetime will he admit to his feelings...but also knowing him as I do, he hasn't let go, he still has other feelings and he is not prepared to let them go or admit to them....sorry about that, I do not share those feelings, I haven't for a long time and I have moved on with my life, well moved on. So I suggest you start to do the same and go be happy, thats what life is about afterall right?

Well I think there is more than enough reading material for anyone there, this is not the kind of thing I would normally blog about but with the kind of attitude these people have and knowing how fixated they are on MY life and MY blogs then this is my friendly and informative way of saying this:

I have asked you a thousand times to say out of my life, there is only ONE reason for contact. I have been bullied and threatened by you both and your solicitor, it has to stop. I am and will be as flexible as possible for that reason. You are NOT my priority in my life and therefore I will NOT submit to your demands, threats or other inclinations towards bringing me down. I realise you both have a very low self esteem, I'm sorry about that, but I dont and therefore I will not allow you to bring me down. I suggest you get help, both of you before it gets worse for you both.

On that note, I am going in to my class now, this post was written on the suggestion of an influencial, legal person in my life somewhere and intended as a public warning of my intention to press charges. The result of which could quite likely take away the 'rights' the one person currently has. So please take note.

Goodbye to you both.

Saturday 10 May 2008

Very Quickly

Kodak have a special offer on till the 22 May where you can order 150 4 x 6 prints for just £10! Go check it out and get ready for some serious scrapping!! :D

Debsx

Friday 9 May 2008

Over there...

...on UkS is a post I posted (does that sound naff or is it me being a numpty again?), anyway, I posted in the Community about doing a prompt thing which can be scrapped, photo'd or blogged. Now the theory here is to just have some fun, its light hearted and hopefully inspirational in a few ways that will add to our own thinking thoughts, albums, photo collections or whatever we choose to do with it.

The prompts are what I use in some of the classes I teach in, I have a lil book where I jot down anything that I think of that I can do something with, different ways of looking at things or a broader scope on things around us. I dont claim to own the ideas, but they come to me from my own lil head so if anyone else has thought of them already, (I do not do telepathy, I couldnt afford the bill!!!) then I apologise in advance.

The first one will go up on Monday morning sometime. So come join us for a bit of fun! :) Here is My Scrap Blog

Debsx

Smack Blogs v Get a Flippin Grip on Yourself!

I have just spent an hour blog hopping through some friends blogs from overseas that I haven't visited for a while...and I have to say I am disturbed by some of the negativeness going on about fellow scrappers...just for pushing themself in the field! I mean, what is wrong with wanting to share your ideas, layouts, projects, talents? I've said this before and I'll say it again, if more people believed in themselves and less people put them down for it then scrapbooking would stay as it is intended to be, a chosen hobby and/or career.
I cant say this whole thing hasn't attributed to my own confidence, it most definitely has, but as I am getting A LOT of scrap attention in the real world that is very positive I am in no hurry to join in the cyber life and risk my growning good reputation. I know many of the people I teach read this blog, as do some of the kids and I do not want the kids to be afraid to build their talents and confidence and be put off by pathetic (seeming) jealousies and shy away from a wonderful, fulfilling hobby that not only gives them self worth but keeps them off the streets, helps them understand who they are, where they are going and all other such wonderful stuff. All this smack blogging is silly, its unneccesary and its a hypocrosy to those same people who claim to teach their children morals and good behaviour, so how can they then go and say what they say, annonymously at that?!! Sheesh I tell ya, it is totally unbelievable.

I am so grateful that my natural inclination is to praise first. If I dont like something I dont go public on it, its just down to my personal likes and dislikes, i'm sure there are people that dont like some of what I do either, and thats ok, the world is big enough to hold a whole range of styles, tastes and talents but its not big enough for yet another method of bitchfesting! Get with it I say!!

I'm not going to apologise for this rant, I feel very strongly about it, however I do not have any one person in mind when I think about it, its made up from many negative postings by a variety of people who I would not have thought would say such things much less publically! But, freedom of speech and all that, I guess its a growing trend in the scrapbooking world to be so bitchy about other people, and not only their work but them and their families too. This immediately brings to mind about the statement that our former Prophet, President Gordon B Hinckley said about families being under attack in our societies, if only he knew about comparatively small communities in the scrapbooking world, i'm confident he would have done the shock, horror gasp thing at its pettiness! Go figure!

So, I figured, as i'm in the process of working on a Design Team, maybe I should work on it being a Bitch Fest Design Team? Solely because I know it would get immediate and wildfire coverage on all the main forums, in all the popular blogs and therefore I would get FREE advertising and broader scope of publication!!! LMAO Oh boy, how sad is that?

My small but significant self would rather have the small life, low profile style if it means I work and play with decent, fun, imperfect scrappers enjoying their chosen hobby and wanting to make friends and enjoy others individuality in their lives, on and offline. To heck with fame, to heck with popularity and to heck with people who choose not to enjoy what they are doing and bitch about others. Give me the life I have any day, because I sleep at night knowing I have talked, emailed, commented and text with some darned good people doing the best they can and doing their bit to make the (scrapbooking) world a better place, and shame on those that drag it down.

On the off chance I get negative comments here, I shall NOT be deleting them. I am strong enough to have courage for my convictions...so smack away if its what your little heart desires...I know who I am, I like who I am and I am proud to stand up for what I belive is right! :)

Now to check over a project i've made...that i'm PROUD of!!! :D

Debsx

Wednesday 7 May 2008

The evening draws near...:)

I hate days that have surprises that just dont need to happen. First when I got back online after I cleverly dropped the router, I find it has been left with some kind of after effect disabilities, it drops me offline now and again, and strangely enough it seems to happen just as i'm about to hit 'send' 'save' or something equally imperative to what i'm doing!
Then I find that I have got matt paint instead of silk, so off I trot (not literally, I used my car!) to Focus to change it for the correct one, got there and found I had left the receipt at home. So feeling pretty ticked off I went home promising myself that i'm NOT going back and the darned painting can wait!
I failed.
I went back and got the right paint!
The up side is I got to listen to some fantastic and funny talks on my ipod from President Monson and Dallin H Oakes, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE those people! Feeling all happy and lively again I cruised home in my lil mini merc (which translates to the economical Peugot 206!) smiling and giggling at their humour, lump in my throat at their spiritual experiences and a skip in my heart as I feel the spirit tell me that what i'm hearing is true. All in all i'm happy. Good right?
Got home to find that the housing association had planned on some workers to do the facia boards and pipes today. I had no idea. Not a problem but they were parked right outside my house and that is a crime! I was good though, I didn't do my usual and give it lip service, I simply asked nicely if they'd let ME park outside MY house, the nice man moved his hefty truck and obliged this wobbling lil chick that probably looked like she was going to explode! :) Two cups of tea later and they stopped giving me the funny looks! :)
The day plodded on from there till I made a call. Then my mouth took off and my heart took a nose dive! One thing I hate is being gobbed off at when that person dont know what I'm talking about cos i'm speaking to someone else! I also dont take kindly to having things taken out of me for what others do, by all means have a rant, scream, shout but taking it out of me is just not on, especially by someone over half my age! Gosh my kids dont talk to me like that!! So I got mad and retaliated, putting the phone down I felt gutted. I feel betrayed and like I am being lied to and that hurts. But such is life, i'm sure it will all sort itself out in time.
If that wasn't enough I picked up the remote control to put the tv on for Charley and the flippin workmen have knocked the dish so Sky has to send someone out to sort it out, apparently I have to pay, so I promtly got on the phone to the housing association, asked what their policy is in such situations and before I had chance to tell them what I was going to do they said 'send me the invoice they send you and we'll take care of it'. Job done. Almost.
I planned on going for a bike ride with Kirsten tonight, after Charley went to bed, but even that was against me when I found my tires were flat cos since I had this new bike last year I haven't used it! And no, I dont have a bike pump! Well I do, just not the right connector end. (its one of those fancy condoodle fidgety faffle things that is only recognisablea s a pump by the fact you push it up and down!!!).
The final part to this whole sorry state of a day is we ran out of paint for the last part of the wall. Now how on earth does that work? I mean, its not like they do tester pots in matt AND silk is it?!! Doh (Only matt for those of you that dont know!! hehe) So I gotta buy 2.5L paint for about a cup full! I am not a happy bunny I can tell ya! In fact I feel like sitting down and crying my lil heart out right now.
But i'll be a big brave girl and go play with the big girls over on uks...lets see if I can't get into bother there too!! :(
At least I know i'm human if I can have a good rant and blog about it! :)
Oh, conversation in the car with Charley:

Charley: moooom?
Me: yes son
Charley: where's your friend?
Me: I don't know
Charley: your friend disappeared (referring to Sonia who came round yesterday)
Me: yeah I seem to do that
Charley: uh oh, we need to go backwards and find her!!
Me: we do huh?
Charley: yeah, cos you gotta keep him mummy! (note the her to him?!!!)

Oh how I giggled at his imagination and his use of a big word 'disappeared'!! Clever boy!

Ok, uks here I come!

Debs

The Domestic Goddess...

along with Garden Fairy, Decorator Pro and Chez Debbie! Yep, i'm into all sorts at the moment. The living is on the verge of being finished, I just have the cutting in to do then its all ready to go back together again...more boxes have been unpacked, sorted, dumped, given away and for sale. The upper level of the manor is sparkling so much I feel like Cindarella, I just need a ball to go to, the birds to come in and make me a pretty dress and the prince charming...Oh I have the prince charming already!! Hehe

Seriously, I'm knackered! My bones are not as young as they used to be, I ache in places I thought didn't having anything but wobble there, my muscles are tight and i'm desperately hoping I have burnt off a fair few pounds with it all!!

Its all looking good though, tomorrow I shall be attacking the remaining boxes in the shed, before I start more painting. It's seriously mad stuff here, but I like it, I survive on it, its who I am! :)

I dropped my router two days ago, dropped all 3' to the floor, landed smack on the arial. No internet. Shock Horror, Gasp, a few choice words and a deep sigh. Jay spent hours trying to reconfigure it, I spent almost an hour on the phone to Tiscali's support guy (who was really good and patient) then another half hour on the phone to Netgear. No-one could figure out what the problem was so I prepared myself to go buy another one. As I was turning off my laptop it suddenly, magically came on!! Was that another endurance test? I am continuously hearing the word patient in my life, I HATE that word! Some things I want NOW!!! :D But i'm back, and once i've put the router on the wall its not moving again, ever! :)

I have been offered to teach scrapbooking in three more communities, the plans I did have (which I haven't and wont be blogging about for a while yet) will go on hold for now, too much good stuf

Monday 5 May 2008

Peace

Browsing some blogs earlier I came across some fantastic needle craft stuff that I am itching to have a go at making, after reading 2/3 posts which was also a family blog too, I found I got lost in time cos when I looked up it was an hour and 10 minutes after I clicked there! Anyway, if you are into making little things with needles n fabrics, you are going to love this place. Anyway, going from link to link to link I came across another blog that started a trend on telling 10 things about how we do certain things in our home, so i'm going to have my say and share essential things that make our homes and us who we are...

1. We talk to each other with respect, even when we are frustrated.
2. We pray together at least twice a day as a family.
3. We dont make house rules, we make personal expectations.
4. We dont do name calling.
5. We make majority of family decisions together.
6. We each work on recognising when someone else needs a hug or a favour and help them out.
7. We talk about almost anything and everything, especially over a meal.
8. We try hard to make all things fun, even the fairy chores.
9. We are not focused on monetary things, but on personal growth and inner self to become better in the world around us.
10. We are always on the look out for new ways to grow spiritually.

I was so tempted to put some silly stuff in there, like 'The kids have learnt to peer over the laptop when they want my attention' or 'they will text me from another room to remind me to feed them'!! I'd like to say its not that bad but i'm afraid some days it is when i'm working flat out! Doh However, none of them are stick people...yet!! :)

Dont forget to check out the DESIGN TEAM CALL post, i've had a few emails so far ready to be checked out....its not going to be a weekly thing, instead a monthy thing that will alternate between designers...its about the fun side of blogging and crafting, not the pressure side!!

It's the good life :)

What's your perfect Sunday? Mine? Mine is easy, going to church and listening to the wonderful teachers we have, hearing other people share their experiences, passions and understandings and seeing all the babies is just a great start to any week for me. Afterwards, chatting in the hallway, giggling and catching up with who's doing what and how this wedding is going and that job is challenging is all part of our socialising and fellowshipping one another. It connects us to each other knowing that we aren't going to be burned at the brimstone for not being perfect, instead we find warm hearted, imperfect people who will give you a hug, an encouraging smile or show you how to laugh and the unlaughable. From newborn to 90 something, male and female, whoever you talk to they got something to say and are happy to share it. I just love Gloucester Ward! I found it difficult getting settled there for a while after being in a small Branch in Evesham for 4 years, but now, its all come together and I get out of my attendance a whole lot more than I could possibly give!
Oops slightly off the track again there! So, after church, Kirsten tells me what she's been doing in Primary and Sunday School, Charley shares his activities too and then I tell them something cool that I learnt, by the time we done the 2 mile drive home we are all full of the spirit and ready to carry on with our day in a reverant, loving and calm spirited way. On getting indoors, Kirsten will often get changed, Charley will take off his trousers (he much prefers strutting his stuff in just his pants!!) and i'm into my fluffy slippers and turning the oven on for dinner that was prepared the previous afternoon (ok most weeks anyway!!). Jay asks how church was and even though he is inactive (he was baptised the same time as I was 8 years ago) he patiently listens as I feel the spirit and talk for Gloucester! He grunts and nods in all the right places and does that Mr Bean 'huh' through his nose if i've gone right over his head with something, so after a giggle I explain and quietly thank Heavenly Father that he is listening afterall! :)
The kids pretty much do what they want while I finish up dinner, usually Kirsten is on the front garden with Charley and a couple of her friends. I have some talks on and get so pumped up with the spirit I feel like i'm going to just burst so I search through my phone book and see who I can phone and offload all this stuff to! Often though, good ole Jd fits the mark just perfectly, bless him!! :) He's so patient with me!!
After dinner its kind of anything goes that we want to do. Today we just lazed around, we were going to go over to Prinknash park or whatever its called, take the dog and the bikes and just go for a walk, but by the time everyone was ready it started drizzling and noone wanted to go!! Doh So we just talked, giggled, laughed and talked some more, randomly and probably about nothing intelligible either, but we had a good day! This evening when the kids settled, Jay done some chores for me and I sat here on my laptop writing up three lessons for the primary schools next week and planned out a range of things I needed to find time to do, prepare and achieve. I also wrote 5 letters to my pen-friends (the good ole fashioned handwritten-snail-mail style!), wrote a list of things I love about each one of my four kids and done mine and Charleys journal entry. How cool is that?!! Oh and I managed to download another 89 talks onto my ipod...man when I subscribed to the Lds talks I didnt realise just how much us Mormons liked to talk!! :) :) :) Just teasin, naturally its a range of speakers and they are great to listen to.
Jay and I sat and chilled for about 20 mins, just chatting and giggling over anything and everything, that was way cool. Kirsten and Jay had their regular heart to heart so I left them to it for a while. Kirsten and I had a girlie talk and giggle. Charley and Kirsten had a cuddle on the chair and watched Corduroy and then Jay got about 66 kisses off Charley but when I asked for one he said: 'not today mum'!!! Go figure!! :)
These are the gorgeous flowers I had sent to me on Friday...I keep looking at them and smiling, they are such a vivid red in real life, and they smell gorgeous each time I go near them or there's a gush of wind round the room. The photo is naff but thats ok, they are still gorgeous!!




Jaffa cakes: Ok, this is my reminder of how well I am doing by giving them up for a week or 7! I cant just eat one or two, I have to have the whole packet, thats 12 at a time! I even looked up and found a recipe of someone who knows how to make them! Now i'm going to try it out, just as soon as i've got my weight back to where I was 4 months ago! :) Great inspiration right? :)



Ok, all round great day here, feeling the spirit still, loving the unlovable and likin' the unlikable...so its all good stuff in the good life :)

Debsx

Sunday 4 May 2008

Little Chef, Little Books, Big Results

For the most part, the word of the week in our house is 'little', however even little can be big sometimes...according to what it is! This is how this week started out:
Charley asked Jay to do him some toast, so after a chunt and a chant cos I threw the minging toaster out he got up and done it the old fashioned way, under the grill. But Charley being Charley had a million other things for Jay to do and being the dutiful older brother, Jay wasn't too quick to say no. This is how a little meal happens with big style.....


A round of applause to Jaymie!! He will never live this one down!! :) On seeing the literal burnt offerings Charley and Kirsten decided to do some baking, only they wanted to do cupcakes but I didn't have the right cups. After much debate and my voice still going unheard I decided to let them prove me right instead of me proving them wrong...that the shape will not be like the one in the picture I printed off! But, give em their credit, they had fun, done a good job and even sort of tidied up after themselves! :)



This time it was I that almost done a Jaymie! A bemused Kirsten and a chuckling Charley, this is what the oven done! :) Kirsten made the pitiful joke something to the tune of 'pity you cant edit your cooking mum like you can a picture!' Does she REALLY want that PSP for her birthday?!!! Lol :)


Blow me down, if the dog didn't go get a look in too! The plate of cooling (failed) cupcakes was in his reach thanks to the lil guy...and one disappeared with a flash...so much so by the time I leapt the 10 steps to him this is what was left...


Too much going on, too much sun and too much laughing...my lil dude just couldn't keep up and cuddled up on the sofa...with the dogs smelly blanket!! :)

This evening, after a lovely day at Sonia's (**waves**) crop in Gloucester, I was so inspired by all the lovely projects and stuff the ladies had made that I sat at my desk, ignored the phone, email pings and the calls for mum and came up with this....it is to be a book for my mum to tell her all the things I want her to know that I wouldn't usually say to her. Just because she's the bestestest!! :)


This tiny book actually folds out to a 12 x 12 sheet of cardstock, counting both sides it has 22 folded squares that I am going to use to tell 22 facts of what I love about one of my kids...its for someone in particular and I aint saying who!! Hehe I wanted something that when it was read it was totally, 100% from me to that person, things only a mother would say or know.

It's really easy to make and ideal for something so personal. The ribbon is woven with 'A Mothers Love' repeated throughout in muted colours, so suits the theme perfectly. When i've added the journaling I will show ya and i'll include the instructions too incase you wanna have a go.

I'd like to say that's all the excitement in our house but it isnt! I have the Bosnia theme going on in our house. While Jay has been gutting, cleaning, chopping, strimming, digging and hosing the gardens I have been wading through box after box after box to sort stuff out that needs new homes. I took a lot of stuff to Sonia's crop today, a lot of which went rather speedily which pleased me to bits. Thanks Sonia for allowing me to do that and to have a great day with you all! :) The girls that go there are just the sweetest! :)

For the first time ever I ran out of double sided sticky tape, can you believe it? I mean, how can you run short, much less run out! Doh So off I went shopping, which I wasn't going to do till Monday but needs must! Tesco didn't have any (double sided tape, keep up!!) so Charley and I jetted over to Asda, they too hadn't got any. This was getting serious so on the verge of being prepared to pay in gold for one used roll of double sided sticky tape I text Sonia...I think she's so fed up of me today!! :) The gal saved the day! So I jetted over the other side of Gloucester, again (only the 4th time today!), had a bit of a chat n giggle then came home, oh that was after an insult here n there!! :D Gotta luv her! :) Thanks hun, your so cool :)

What I want to know is why do I have a rather large corner desk, much less stuff on it yet have the tiniest bit of workspace? I admit to being the messiest worker EVER no matter how hard I try, but bit by bit I can feel my space getting less, even to the point of my 12 x 12 sheet getting stuck or overlapping something or other. I admit however that once in a while I will get so frustrated that i'll lean forward and do the breast stroke, pushing everything out the way onto the floor! Kirsten looks at me, rolls her eyes and says 'and you say my room is disgusting?'. Oh the shame! NOT!!

I had 12 gorgeous red roses yesterday! :D How lucky am I? The card was simple, but deep, just my style! :D I want to photo them properly to remember them, I might even share too! :D I love flowers, all flowers are just the surest way to get me smiling and pondering. Ok, I've had too much fresh air, bite me!! :)

Today, I'm glad to say is the Sabbath, and I fully intend to steer clear of boxes and their contents, well apart from those that I trip over, and I intend to steer clear of anything that remotely reminds me of Sizzix, bread trays and wheels!! Ok I have to use the car to go to church but THATS IT!! I have declared to all kids that today is going to be a family day, even if it means we sit around all day (which i'm really, really hoping to do!!) cos this last week quality time went right out the window far, far away! :)

Ok, enough from me. I hope to be joining in HS:MS again next week, cos goodness knows, I dont have a clue what happened to this week!! :)

Have a great Sunday!

Debsx

Friday 2 May 2008

Stash 4 Sale & Design Team Call

I'm not even gonna bother to try and catch up, nor am I going to explain where I been...but I will say I have been NON STOP doing some pretty exciting stuff!

One of the things i've been doing is sorting out ALL my craft stash...and I mean ALL of it, which consists of approximately 30+ boxes larger than the Walkers crisps ones! Wowser!! Tomorrow (Saturday 3rd May) I shall be doing a so-called Mini Shop at Sonia's (**waves**) crop in Gloucester (if you are interested in Sonia's crop, email me and i'll give Sonia your email address to contact you). So far I have a ton of stuff that needs new homes, the prices are so low you will most definitely bag a bargain and after tomorow there is going to be yet MORE stuff at following crops! If I get time to do photos and lists on here I will do so, though to me a bargain is not a bargain if the postage kills it...but if thats ok with you, its ok with me! :)

Another thing I have been doing is working alongside a fellow crafter friend, Sharron, to set up a blog/craft Design Team. We are still working on sponsorships right now but we are also taking emails for anyone that is interested in joining us. What we are looking for:

An all rounder blogger - this does not mean you have to blog/comment every day but regularly as possible
A crafter - this includes scrapbooking, altered items, cards, knitting, patchworking...in fact anything that you can display, share and inspire with and for others
An online gallery - this can be on uks, docrafts, trimcraft, two peas, scrapbook.com etc

In your email please tell us:

Your full name
Location
How and when you got into your crafts
Your blog and gallery links
Why you want to join us and why you'd like to join us

ALL emails for the DT is to go to studio@sparkle-the-imagination.co.uk

We have not decided on a deadline date for this yet but we're looking for it to be around 14th May. As I mentioned we are still in talks for sponsorship so when that is completed we will then move on!

So come on and join us!

Debsx