What can YOU do with a Twinings tea box?!

James received a really generous gift last week of 52 magazines from the Lord of the Rings series, complete with metal figurines to paint and extensive instructions about how to build different sections of scenery.

Enter Mum!

Since Friday night, I have been a Blue Peter hostess, constructing a river, complete with sand banks, grassy knolls and realistic waves/current in the water. I have also been responsible for the building, with balsa wood, of an Archers tower (which isn't in the photo) and my 'piece de resistance' - the Rohan villagers house, constructed from a Twinings (CEylon) tea box, balsa wood, masking tape, copious amounts of PVA glue, texture paste (for the thatched roof) and paint.

Corin built the brige.

yes, its pleasing to know that I have some uses. I must go now as I have been summoned to do the detailing on a Rohan rider's flag.

NB Tonight I started backing up all of the photos that are on my PC. I have a backup system which incorporates 2 external harddrives, but I don't trust anything like that, so I am transferring onto DVD as we speak. 62GB of images...15 DVDs...I'm going to be up all night at this rate.

PS - Anyone know why I might be getting the most excruciating, intermittent stabbing pain just below and to the right of my belly button? Its stopped now, but whilst I have been writing this it's doubled me over a few times. And don't anybody tell me its a fart waiting to come out!