10 things about ...... just me!

After checking out my favouritest blogs this week, I came across this FAB idea by the ever lovely Emma Collins... click on Em's name to go to the page..

Basically, post 10 things about yourself for your blog readers.. so here goes me!

1. I started my blog - on a whim - in May 2007, and the name has changed quite a few times as I have a tendency to change my mind ... lol. So, I purchased my .co.uk link so I didn't forget where I was looking! I love blogging, when I have chance, but this year I am aiming to blog a little bit more often than I had been late last year! I also want to be a bit more chatty and interactive, so if you have any ideas - let me know! (mmm.. this one's failing drastically as it's taken me about four days so far to do this post...!)

2. I began my working life as a hairdresser. I did my apprenticeship with a lovely lady called Jean over in Chesterfield. I then moved to Doncaster and did hairdressing, Marks and Spencers clothes machinist, lots of cleaning jobs, working in a chippy, became a qualified (with letters after my name!!) photographer, then got offered my job as a demonstrator with Docrafts and the rest, they say, is history. I love what I do, it's the best job in the world, but I'm never totally happy with what I make. However, I always say that when I do get to that position, then I'll probably stop doing it because the challenge isn't there anymore.

3. I married my lovely hubby way back in 1987... and this year we are celebrating our Silver Anniversary. We have three wonderful children, but after my second in 1990, I had really bad Post Natal Depression (and it was really bad!) but I survived it. I still have the bad days even now, but I pull myself out of it and tell myself that I really have nothing to feel bad about. I also find that cleaning and crafting help those bad days.Cleaning?? Really....?? Well, it works for me!

4. Two out of three of our beautiful wooflets are rescue spaniels. As you may guess, we have three spaniels. Two springers - Holly and Scooby, and a cocky cocker - Truly. Our alsation had just died and after just six weeks, Holly was bought on the spot when my son and I saw her (much to the hubby's disgruntlement! lol). It was just lovely to hold a puppy in my arms and losing Asti was still raw, so it didn't take much convincing! Scooby came to live with us six months later. He was 18 months old at the time and his owners didn't want him anymore for various reasons, so he'd been put into rescue. Truly came to us six months after this after arriving in England from Ireland. She'd had a bad start in life, and even now, years later, she is still pretty much the oddball she ever was and has a few 'problems' shall we say..... I will do a post about each of them very soon so you get to know them a little better!

5. I have been a 'cuddly' size for years.. but 2012 is the year this is not the case!! After telling myself for years that being a slightly larger than average ( !! ) size is okay, and I'm fit but fat, and I don't mind being big.. all the usual things! ... now I can see that it simply isn't true. For years I told myself that other people who had lost lots of weight didn't know what they were on about, and how could you feel different.. it was a load of tosh.. and I was DEFINATELY happy how I was. They're just saying it was what I thought. But no. I do feel better, and I realise that I wasn't happy how I was and it was exhausting just trying to stay jolly! I am currently around 7 stone lighter than what I was in July 2011, and I still have a way to go. But I'll get there!

6. My name is Jo Austin and I'm a procrastinator! How bad does that sound?! But yes, confession time - and this is definately one of my failings. I tell myself that I am trying to be organised, but in reality it's procrastination. Again, 2012 is the year this is happening no more! I am being mega organised with the help of the Day Timer blog, and my favouritest filofax blog.

7. Organisation isn't one of my strongest points. (what .. you mean I have a strong point???) I try to be, and on occasions I succeed.. but with the development of mobile phones with calendars, reminders and organisers, surely I'm getting better? Well, simply. Nope! After trying most forms of techniques to keep me on the straight and narrow, I still come down to my trusty A5 filofax. I've tried various sizes of diaries, but this one suits me better. I scribble, doodle, make notes, do reminders, sort out my day, plan my month, check the bills... all in one place! I love my filofax, but I love the philofaxy blog even more!

8. I am not just a cardmaker. I dabble with scrapbooking - albeit not all that successfully - and other crafts. I also take photographs (lots!) after becoming a qualified photographer and also teaching the subject. But I also like to draw, and paint, and play around on Photoshop. I've always been quite artsy, always keeping my hands busy with something, be it crochet, knitting or cross stitch. So I guess it was inevitable that I would start cardmaking at some point. Cutting, sticking and colouring in is great fun!

9. I love people. All my life I've done jobs where people are the main focus, and I love observing their ways, how they interact, seeing what makes them tick... and I find it quite amusing sometimes. I often find myself saying 'I'm glad I'm not like that'.. or 'I wish I was more like that'.. but generally, I'm just me. Like it or lump it.

10. Blimey.. number 10 has been hard to get to!! There are so many things about me that not alot of people know, and I quite like it like that. I have been told many times I have a brick wall, my own little bubble.. but you know what? I like my bubble! It's safe, warm and welcoming (most of the time!!). And yes, it's complicated, confusing, funny, awkward, sarcastic... but that's just me!