Our weekend with Thomas (the Tank Engine)

Amazing...I totally teared up. Now we are home snuggled in with the sniffles. I hope you are having a good week.

Oh, and my ATCs are ALMOST done, to all those I owe a card :)

ATC SWAP! ATC SWAP!!

My friend, Paula is hosting a Halloween/Thanksgiving ATC swap. Here is the link to find out more info. The deadline for mailing them to her is OCT 24!!

http://pclouse.blogspot.com/2008/10/atc-swap-and-funky-finds.html

Here is one of Paula's creations:

I personally can't wait. This is my first big swap.

Visit from Courtney

Sorry I haven't posted much this week. We had our friend, Courtney, in for a visit. We ran around all weekend, ending with a horrible trip to Ikea where everyone else in London had decided to go all on the same day. It was like Wal Mart at Christmas...

I did find these cool lights that are battery powered, though. You can put them anywhere.
I am loving the fall weather and hoping that we find a reason to dress up for Halloween. Still not sure if they trick-or-treat around here. What are you going to be for Halloween? (or your little ones?)

Art in Season Store!

Check this out:
http://www.artinseason.com/

My friend, Paula just opened her online shop!! She has the most wonderful altered art items themed for Halloween and autumn. I particular LOVE the "Love Potion #9 Wand" and all of the black glitter on the Halloween Paper Mache Houses.

Stop by and see!

London Scrap Conference-Peel Offs ARE cute!

I have written about peel offs in this post and many commented about how they can't imagine using this UK product, that I personally hadn't seen before I moved here. Here are few videos of some beautiful creations made with these weird little stickers.

A special thanks to my new friends, Kay and Suezie for sharing their creativity with us!

Also, I plan on hosting an ATC swap soon....I met some great ladies here who are excited to exchange with American crafters and their cards were lovely.

Needless to say, I had a great time.

Scrabble Tile Pendants

Have you heard of these?

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5757075

Very cool.

There are quite a variety on etsy.com and sooo cute.

Here's the "how-to":

http://www.squidoo.com/scrabbletiles#module9559760

Calgon Take Me Away

(For those UK readers, there was this commercial for bubble bath called Calgon...)

Some days, I look at Tate in awe, and I enjoy the routine of our day. Ya know... the crafts, the park, going to the shops with him as he pulls the little shopping cart behind him and happily sings on his way home whilst in the buggy.

Today is not one of those days.

It is mainly my fault, since last night at about 10p, I discovered the new season of "The Hills" was accessible on youtube. Yea.........I stayed up way to late (and yes I am total nerd for my "Hills" addiction).

Oh and did I mention it is "no-nap" day? On Tuesdays, the Waldorf playgroup is at 1:30p, which is right in the middle of nap time. We love it so much, we sacrifice the nap but holy long day, batman! I know, I know, there are women out there with a whole house full of babies that are laughing at me and cursing me as they read, but whatever...I am tired.

And then Tate just handed me my to-do list with all the boxes checked, with his name written all over it and said "Here Babycakes!" *reluctant, but much needed smile*

Embossing Old School

Finally Creating Again,

Baby Felt Pumpkins.
What are they for? I am not sure yet, but I was inspired by a friend who had baby felt hearts in a tray on her coffee table with shiny confetti and stones with words about love placed around candles. Actually, I made these to send to her if I can ever get them away from Tate.

And Marble Shaving Cream Painting.
This was really a kids project, but I was looking for the how-to on the internet, and I read you can used it for book covers, scrapbooking, etc. It was really fun.

Here's how to do it http://www.wikihow.com/Paint-Marbled-Paper-Using-Shaving-Cream

I used crayola paints, but I suggest food coloring or a larger quantity of cheap old school (water-based) paint that has been watered down a bit.

Now that we have a routine, I have been planning an activity for Tate in the afternoons. This is our list for this week:
1. Shaving Cream Painting
2. File Folder Scrapbooking--visit office supply store for inspiration. SCRAP with office supplies.
3. Make Your Own Word Search
4. Crayon Cakes
5. Fingerprint Tree




Yes, I was on the internet late on Sunday night....

Home Tour!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IMbZMsnwLk

If you want to see parts 2-4, I'll add your email to the private list on youtube. Please excuse the lack of cleaning, Paul being half naked, and me being in my pajamas.

Fall 08 *Inspired* by...

Goddess Guide-- This is a cool tip guide about fashion, food, places to go, things to buy. Mostly it is centered around places and things in London, Paris and New York, but with the internet most items to buy from the guide are accessible to all. Also, it is written to look like an old school scrapbook with lots of art and comments in the margins.

Chartreuse Green and Deep Chocolate Brown

Men in Suits, with umbrellas, saying stuff like "Good Day" and "Cheerio", ok maybe not "Cheerio", but they look they should say it.

"The Party Planner" by David Tutera--makes me want to have a party...He shows the perfect attention-to-detail visions like The Secret Garden Tea Party with gorgeously fragrant flowers, sparkling glittery butterflies everywhere, and elegant tulle hanging with the garden as a backdrop.

Those Dang Chic Moms I see everywhere. I really need to step up my game!

A few London photos!

On the tube. Tate and a friend. Our favorite seat in the house.
Teatime!

Now that essentials are unpacked...

TIME TO ORGANIZE the scrapbook/art room/office!!

The room is amazing, with a spot for Paul, one for Tate and lots and lots of shelves for me. I am looking for cute (preferably COLORFUL) baskets that make the room look like of those craft rooms in the magazines. Right now, it is a mismatch of rubbermaid containers and other plastic tubs...like a "before" photo of a room makeover.

Suggestions of a place to get cute organizational stuff? via online order? or in London?

Paul was online camera shopping last night, so I am hopeful we will have photos soon.


Now I leave you with a photo of a paper craft supply that is used often here in the UK called "Peel Offs". They look like very boring stickers from 1990s scrapbooking, but I am amazed and inspired at the creations that some folks have made with them.

http://www.peel-offs.com/

Castles in Germany, Blocked at the Library

Yep--the library blocked my blog the last few weeks because they had new filters in place, and apparently "cupcakes and coffee" somehow must relate to a porn site or questionable material or something! No, really--I had to send an email to the web administrator to get back on and since our internet will not be hooked up until SEPTEMBER 9th!!!! I had to do something.

Good news=we have our stuff and life is good now. Mainly because there are toys.

We just returned from our friends Clayton Cole and Kati's wedding in Germany..in a castle! I t was pretty much one of the coolest weddings I have ever been to. I hopefully will post pics soon, though Paul lost the camera, but I have hope that it will be found.

I miss you all and can't wait to post photos instead of all this boring writing :)

Not to whine but....

*no internet
*still no camera cord
*no furniture in unfurnished house
*no toys (in an empty house)
*the same clothes from the suitcase for the last 2 months

I'm all for rolling with the punches, but I think I may have reached my limit...

I will return emails and lots of blog posts once we have a home :)
love to you all, cat

Still no photos...

Still here... just no internet at my new house.
That, and we still have not received any of our belongings. Yup--we are still living out of our suitcases and sleeping on an air mattress. We hope to have a phone and internet in 2 weeks :)

I cannot wait to scrapbook! I will post photos as soon as I can since the cord is with our shipped items that have yet to arrive.

I'm not going to lie: this has been the hardest move EVER.

Things I love about London

1. Fish and Chips. YUM
2. Covent Garden--shopping, performers, YES for tourists, but still very fun.
3. Summer--it stays light out VERY late. Like when we turn in for the night (around 9pm), it is still very light out.
4. Strongbow Cider.
5. The weather feels like San Francisco.
6. New Chocolate Bars to try.
7. Flowers-everyone buys them for their homes.
8. Lots of people from EVERYWHERE (and LOTS of different kinds of fashion)
9. Parks--Kensington Gardens in particular
10. Street Musicians (in Tube stops and Covent Gardens)--Really good and all types of music.

Oh yea and WE MOVE IT TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wee Hee!!!!!!!!

mamma mia!

Loved it! Loved it!

I saw the musical a few years back, and went to the movie last night. FEEL GOOD, MUSICAL FUN!!!

A few things about my first British movie experience:
1. 9.50 for a movie ticket(THAT's $19.00 without popcorn!!!)
2. Movies don't start on time (6:55 for a 6:30 movie). I didn't care--I love previews.
3. When the credits roll, no one moves. They actually sit there and watch them. I was in the middle row and had to pee, so yea, I just had to wait.
4. They had stylish bar with alcohol across from candy and popcorn.

Scrapbooking and baking posts will return soon!

I HAVE INTERNET!

It is exciting, and I feel like a rich woman...Paul got the cord to the computer and now I have unlimited free internet!!

Still no photos yet. Did I mention that the USAF may have lost at least one of our shipments of stuff?

But the tea is soooooo good.

I still might be moving the blog...Google won't let me log in, since my username and email are different. I'll keep you posted.

The best part of my day??? I FOUND A SCRAPBOOK STORE!!!!

BLADE RUBBER STAMPS
www.bladerubber.co.uk
Bloomsbury; London, UK WC1A 2JL

It sounds like it is just for rubber stamps, but definitely it is not. They have a great selection of many, many brands to include (my favorites) 7gypsies and Holy Cow. The woman in the store was extremely helpful and had that "Ooo, I love to create and talk about it" vibe that I love in a scrapbook store.