As some of you may or may not know... After splitting from my ex husband I was forced to sign on for jobseekers allowance so I could get some help with the mortgage so me and my boy could stay in our house . I had pretty much hit rock bottom. Going to that place was not the highlight of my life at 36...I am very grateful for the help.  But the stigma that came along with it I was not prepared for. When you are lumped in with a catagory of people who are deemed lazy, chavs and even have people resenting my son having free school dinners it destroys your soul and made me feel ashamed for asking and receiving help. How many memes and statuses did I see on my time line telling me their taxes paid for me to get by. ( thankyou)  cheating the system etc etc..then watching mp's claim thousands in expenses...Watching the rich rob the poor.. Trust me.. Living on benefits is NOT Easy!
Today I signed off. I worked my arse off to build my business so I can support me and aidy without the struggle.  It took me a year... I thought it would take 2. I have never been lazy. I have a part time job,  full time mum and run a business....and i loved my son enough to not be too proud to ask for help. Eventually in the future I plan to create opportunities for people in my situation to not to have to take the first cleaning job they find and follow their dreams also.
 I guess why I'm writing this status is to make people aware of how their judgments and critism can make a real person forced into that situation feel,  even if you are referring to those who you think are too lazy for work.....how can you tell the difference? Everyones personal circumstances are different.
 You never know where life can take you. Your whole world can change in an instant and you may be the one that ends up being judged. It's a long drop from a high horse.  Stay humble.

Freebie!!

Hello!

Just thought Id stop by and share a digital creation I have made for you to use and share.. It came to me yesterday after reading a few posts by crafter's about the way some people disregard the amount of care that goes into a handmade product x

Hope you like it...

Annie xx

p.s here's a link to my facebook page album of digital art freebies for you to share  

CLICK HERE 

4 seasons Blocks Giveaway!

  Hello!

So just to let you know I'm having a giveaway over on my facebook page as a thank you for all who have supported me and doubled my figures from the day I relaunched in January x

Please pop over there and Like the page and comment on the pic for an entry in the giveaway xx 

Have a great weekend friends 

Good Luck to all who enter xx

Annie x

Personalised Blocks

Hello.....

As promised here are the Personalised blocks....

These are £15 for a set of 3x 4.5 cm wooden blocks and I design each of the 18 sides individually
You can have quotes, pictures, fave words....affirmations like these commissioned blocks...

This set I made for a lovely lady who wanted to give a gift to the Mother of her gorgeous newborn Grandson....there were tears when given...and tears from me when told about it!! yes I am super emotional!

I just am blown away from the support that I've been given by everyone who have supported my return to crafting...the amount of orders have in all honestly overwhelmed me!!! And I put Love and care into each product I make so to know they are received so well just makes my heart smile x

If you'd like to place a order then feel free to email me at annmarie_vaughan@yahoo.co.uk

Right off to sort my Junkyard/football pitch back into a garden....trying to find a balance between somewhere to sit and relax in the summer and being a football pitch for an  8yr old boy is gonna be a real test!

Enjoy your Day x

Annie x

Newly Designed Blocks..

Hello!

Well excuse my delay in showcasing my new designs...but a stomach virus, Easter holidays and an overwhelming number of orders have slowed me down somewhat!!  

So Enough excuses here are the new 4 seasons blocks...I have tried to keep them similar to the old ones but with all faces completely my own designs using free vintage images

SPRING

(of course I had to sneak a birdcage in there!)

SUMMER

AUTUMN

WINTER

LIVE LAUGH LOVE

HOME SWEET HOME

This set is £9.99 for 3 blocks....on wooden 4.5cm cubes

If you would like a set feel free to email me on annmarie_vaughan@yahoo.co.uk

I'll be back with a personalised set of blocks to showcase!!

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

Annie x

A catch up...

  Hello, 

Well Ive been missing from blogland a little while now....3 years to be exact....I suppose I should catch you up on a few things!

I turned my back on crafting for a little while...I just lost the heart for it....simple as that really....It became a struggle and I decided to have a little break from it which actually turned out to be longer than expected!!

I became a respite carer for my friends little boy whom Ive known from birth...he has Williams syndrome hes nearly 9 yrs old and caring for him makes me a better person....then into my life...along came another little boy on the school run in his buggy with his mummy...much younger but with the same beautiful elfin features and big broad smile Id seen before....before you know it I'm caring for 2 little boys with Williams!! Ive been caring for them nearly 2 years now and they light up my life I love them like they're my own...They were sent to me to make me smile x

My own Little man Aidy is nearly 9 now! still gorgeous and still drives me nuts but wouldn't swap him for the world!! ha ha

this is him on the right with Justin the Eldest boy I care for.

Then there's me....I went through a bit of a transformation due to health reasons...(I have the Diabetes gene chasing me) I lost 4.5 stones with Paul Mckennas book I can make you thin....going from a size 24-26 to a size 18....I'll never be a skinny Minnie...but I'm happy 

I also celebrated 10 years of marriage September 2012......

...and celebrate 20 years of  being a couple this November x 

My Childhood sweetheart xx

So that's a few updates....now onto the business,.....Why did I decide to come back to crafting?

Well I was starting to miss it..but thought I could live without it.....but then little things kept happening.. Little signs...making a present for a friends baby shower and my friend being so touched with what I made for her princess it made me really emotional...and the new friends I had made since not even knowing I could craft full stop was eye opening, that used to be one of the first thing they associated with 'Annie'!!

Then one day me and Aidy were talking about a subject they were discussing at school...( what gifts has God given us) he turned around to me and asked me outright....Mum why don't you craft anymore? I tried to fob him off in all honesty...because I just couldn't answer the question......then the smarty pants came up with well your gift is that you make everything nice.....that's when it spiralled!!

I had left my Fb business page open and abandoned to be honest and decided one evening in January to post a test message to see if anyone was still there?......The response I got was astounding...so many encouraging comments asking if I'm coming back to crafting etc.......then a good talking to from my nearest and dearest friends encouraging me not to waste my skills was the final straw!!!!! I had no more reasons not to!!

I relaunched in January with just over 400 likers and now a short while later i have over 700 likers and had an AMAZING response!!! 

Unfortunately my old hard drive with all my old designs such as the 4 seasons blocks  has been corrupted so I took it as an opportunity to start from scratch! New logo new designs new beginnings!!!

Back soon

Annie x

Waiting to go to new homes...

...are some of my new design 4 seasons blocks...

All packaged up and ready to go!! 

On release of the new design I offered the first 5 people  who ordered a set from my Facebook page to have a side personalised with their own words and pictures.....they sold in the first 5 minutes!! Was quite a shock for me!!! will come back with the pictures of the new designs x

Hope you all enjoyed the Easter break

x Annie x

Wishing you all....

...A very Happy Easter...or if you are non religous..happy chocolate munching long weekend to you.

Leaving you with a picture of my Newly Designed 4 Seasons blocks.....

With hope that we might actually see Springtime weather here in England sometime soon!!!

Hope to be back soon...getting back into this blogging lark... ;-)

Annie 

x

Can you believe....

...its been sooo long since my last blog entry?
Hope you're all smiling...seeya soon ...maybe?
Annie x

Belated wishes

Hope you all  had a lovely holiday season.....I have unfortunatly a poorly computer and have not figured out how to mobile blog from my blackberry yet???? All advice greatly appreciated!!!
BIG LOVE to ALL of uXXXX
Annie xxxx

Needless to say......

......I'm LOVING this Advent swap.....NOM NOM!!! xxxx

Thanks Tracy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

My advent swap!!!

Hello!!

AS you all are I can imagine, life is pretty hectic and something has to give and I'm afraid its always my blogging time that ends up taking the brunt....sorry....

But...I did have time to sign up for La laas Advent swap!! I was partnered with Tracy from Mad about Bags and When this Massive parcel arrived on my doorstep my parcel started to feel very inadequate!!!!!

 Tracy did such an amazing job of transforming this shelf into an advent dream!!!

Not only was each little parcel decorated so beautifully but inside every little section was too!!!!

 

 These are the first 5 days worth of parcels......so pretty!!!

 WOWWEEE!!! First day was a gorgeous pink & sparkly Lip balm...perfect for winter chapped lips! Then these gorgeous pretties, a birdcage Dec and a pink & sparkly nail polish Which I cannot get enough of!!!!

Tracy definitely did her research on me!!!!!

Well as Tracy's Mad about bags I did a bag 'flavoured' advent calendar as such where she could do a lucky dip .......

 

......or read the clues on the the labels as to what took her fancy according to her mood each day x x

 She has done such a great job of blogging about each of her pressies as she opens them, which makes it all the more special to me....so a BIG HUGE THANK YOU TRACY!! I love this swap and really enjoying it lots....You can read them all HERE.....please go there for a visit..it really is a lovely blog x x

Thank you also for your lovely comments and support to my brave friend Talyena who donated her hair to be made into wigs for children who have lost their hair due to Cancer or terminal illnesses.

Will be back to post some pics of her big day x x

Until next time, off to open number 6.....

Annie x 

Could you do it......????

Hello!!
Well please excuse my rather longer than anticipated absence, its that time of year again where personal orders take over and along with a few personal issues...getting to the computer for some blog therapy hasn't been easy!
Thanks to you all for your comments and well wished for the safety of my Mother in Law, she has been evacuated from the Church they were originally sent to as there was more rainfall and storms, some of the pics we got sent were unbelievable. Just want to get her back here but in all honesty she doesn't want to leave her home behind x x

Well while I'm awaiting some news that may affect my new year I want to tell you all about my Friend...Talyena.

She has decided to donate her virtually waist long hair to a charity called The Little Princess Trust which is a charity that  provides real hair wigs to children suffering hair loss due to cancer treatment.

Here is a Beautiful picture of her with her hair Straightened....when I combed it it fell all the way to her waist......

she is doing such a selfless thing and I couldn't do it personally, its such a huge sacrifice and yes Hair does grow but it took the best part of 15 years to get this long!
The official head shaving will be taking place in front of a crowd in the Mall in Luton Next Saturday 27th November at 1.00 pm, so if you are close then please feel free to come down to give her some moral support x x
This is her Page if you would like to donate a couple of pounds...every penny counts x
Thanks for your support and for reading, will be back soon x x
Annie x

Have a Blessed Weekend

Hello!
Please keep in mind all those people who have been affected by the hurricane in the Carribean Islands including My Mother In Law and Family in St Lucia.....Some of who will have had their home taken away by the devastation. Some of who are Missing and those who have lost their lives. No running water and no Electricity, means life is pretty devastating right now.
The Landslide from the mountains behind them has meant Mud has swallowed entire storeys of houses...The Family home in Fond St Jacques has mud all the way to the balcony of the 1st floor.

Sending strength and Love to all over there who will be having tough times ahead of them x
I'm taking the time to look around me this weekend to be thankful for all my blessings......

Will leave you with a video that I hope will bring a smile to your face....my lil man performing his bestest Michael Jackson moves!!!

JUST FOR THE RECORD...he does not get his moves from me!!!!!!!x x x x
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND xxxxx

Celebrations and New product!

Hello!!

Well a little catch up here!

My Lil mans surprise birthday celebrations went rather swimmingly for a very last minute affair!! It was lovely to see his little face when he saw his friends waiting there when he got back from watching his first football match with his Daddy!

 Then we have Sundays Halloween happenings.....setting the scene.....

 This was our Dinner today...West Indian style Pumpkin soup, Sticky Maple Sausages, crispy bacon, Brie and Crusty Tiger bread!!

 After a spot of trick or treating at the neighbours we came back and watched Roald Dahls 'The witches!! Loved the movie...needless to say Aidy woke a few times with bad dreams....maybe a bit much for him!!!

Then another celebration not for me this time but a friend whose Mother was celebrating her 50th and wanted something special......

These will be appearing in the blogshop soon...Personalised blocks...makes a great gift x 

Until next time x x

Annie x

RIGHT THATS IT!!!!!

Hello!!
Well your lovely comments on my 'SCARY' Picture not only made me blush lots ut also inspire me to go a little further...so without further ado....

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!
MWAH HAH AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Annie x

Scary Faces & Last chances!!

Hello!!
Just a quickie to show you my scary face!!!!!
At the mo on Picnik.com you can edit your photo with a whole host of scary halloween themed effects!!! This is the result....think I would make a GREAT Mrs Cullen!!!!

Also I will be closing the Giveaway a little earlier than planned and will draw a name tomorrow x x
Thanks to all who have entered and followed!! CLICK HERE TO VISIT!!
GOOD LUCK!!!
Happy Halloween!!
Annie x

One Perfect Autumn Sunday....

Hello!
Well its half term already...how did that come around so quick???? With my lil 6 yr old hanging with me in the day I'll not get much computer time...so....
...As I said Recently I owe you some back posts!!! Heres one of a most perfect sunday with some of my besties after a sunday roast. It was Cool and crisp with the sun blaring down on us!!! Bliss!!
I'll let the pics do the talking...

 Hope you've enjoyed this Autumn....Halloween will be upon us before we know it!!
back soon x Annie xx
P.s dont forget to Enter our mini Giveaway on the blogshop!!! Closing soon! x

Birdcage Veil fascinator Giveaway!!!

Hello!!
Just a quick one before I pop into Town to let you know if you havnt seen it already that we are giving away in the BLOGSHOP the Handmade Vintage style Birdcage Fascinator used in the Vintage, Thrifted & Refashioned shoot with this Fab Dress!!

Still swooning over this dress...keeping my business head on though and not being tempted!!!

So this can be worn with the veil to the back or front and instantly vamps up any little black dress!!
So CLICK HERE to visit the Giveaway!!
Good Luck and Thanks for your support x x x
Annie x