I know this is a crafting blog, but ...

Today has been one of those days. A couple of weeks ago (or more) I ordered some bedding from M & S online (because neither John or I can carry much and shopping is a hassle). Anyway, we were eventually told that a part of the order had been despatched and given a tracing number - about five days later when I looked it said it had been delivered - gave the time and date - we were in at the time and there had been no sign of the parcel. Email about it was ignored, so rang this morning - one of those calls that took ages and ended with cancellation - won't go into details, but not satisfactory - apparently we are going to receive some vouchers to compensate, but as it was a fairly sizeable order and there was 20% discount at the time (which no longer applies if we go locally to buy the items) we doubt we'll be covered for the 'loss'. Oh well, worse things happpen ...

When we had our spare room fitted out recently we didn't include a keyboard shelf (I have a main laptop) but I've found that the worktop height is just right for crafting, but just that bit too high for using the laptop. So someone came a week or two ago to measure up and this morning someone came to fit the keyboard shelf. Hey ho, the measurements were wrong and the shelf wasn't wide enough - so another one's got to be made ...

We had to go into Bromley this afternoon - necessary trip to the bank etc - and decided to buy a wireless keyboard ready for when I get my keyboard shelf. Got the keyboard and mouse set, but it didn't say it was Vista compatible. Plugged in, loaded software etc - the mouse worked but not the keyboard. It wouldn't fully accept the keyboard software, so I looked up on the internet for a Vista driver and in the end paid to join Drive Magic in an attempt to get it sorted. Having done all the necessary (having had trouble with getting the registration to accept the code I'd be given because I'd taken an I for a 1) I restarted etc ... and found that the keyboard still wouldn't work. Tried a few other things and concluded I'd have to take it back and choose another one. Then I decided to check the batteries that had come with it, thinking perhaps they were dud ... and found that I'd put one of them in the wrong way!!!!!

I suppose it's not surprising that I feel frazzled - partly because my back is painful and the stronger painkillers are making me feel quite odd (I know I am anyway!) - so no crafting today (well a bit of sticking on Christmas cards this morning, but nothing much), so nothing to show.

If you've come to look at this I'll be very surprised if you've got this far - if you have then you deserve a medal!

I'm hoping that normal service will be resumed tomorrow (although normal is never that normal nowadays).

And when the keyboard shelf has been fitted I'll have a tidy up and show some pictures of my new room which is a great place for crafting.

HS:MS feast

A large meal or a plentiful supply, show us 'feast' in your space today.

The delivery of Joseys food today came just at the right time. ' ... a plentiful supply' is right! It will keep her going for some time. It's not a very good photo because I couldn't expect her to pose for long!

HS:MS hold

To grasp, carry or support with your hands. Find 'hold' in your space.

As soon as I saw what the prompt is today, I knew the photo I would use. It's a bit of a cheat, because I didn't take it today, but a few weeks ago when my stepson, d-i-l and family visited. It's one of my favourite pictures. I might come back later with a 'hold' photo taken today.


I just looked back and found the LO that I did with this photo for a 'chinese whispers' challenge on Crafts by Carolyn's:

Ever felt like giving up?

Well, when I went to bed last night that's how I felt. I felt as if I might give up crafting. I have to post Net's Just Bex CJ today and, although I had the idea and had done the trees on the robo (thanks to ErikaP on UKScrappers for the template), I hadn't actually done the DLO (confession!) and it needs to go in the post.

I've worked on it this morning and I must say that the ideas came together in the end and I am quite pleased with what's been achieved, so perhaps I'm not going to give up this crafting lark after all!

Net's theme for the CJ was 'If I ruled the world ...' (not in the heavy sense of sorting out world peace etc, but in a 'crafty' sense). This is what I came up with:

The cloud paper is velvet which gives a lovely contrast with the textured paper used for the grass.

Paper 'n' Lace CJ

Here are some slightly better pictures of the CJ DLO I did yesterday:

HS:MS thoughtful

Absorbed in or involving thought. Show us 'thoughtful' in your space today. * a tricky one today...one to challenge you and make you 'think' ;)

I make no apologies that it's Josey again! I sometimes wonder what she's thinking (or whether she's thinking at all!):

Paper 'n' Lace CJs

I've done a DLO in Jo 's (Bagpuss) CJ entitled: 'Who I am'. It's not a good photo, particularly as some of the bits used are on mirror card - for instance at the top of the left page is 'daughter' (I might try and get some better photos in the morning before the CJ goes in the post):

The next CJ DLO is for Sonia's, entitled 'swans':

HS:MS fall

To move downwards rapidly. Show us 'fall' in your space today.

Couldn't manage Niagara Falls, so thought this would have to do instead:

Blog candy from Chris

This is the wonderful selection of blog candy that I received from Chris:

Thank you so much!!

HS:MS S.O.S. 2

Show it off Sunday....Let's see!!!!!

I'm showing two, because I couldn't choose between them. They were taken earlier this year in our garden - our daughter-in-law with her oldest daughter, Dani:

HS:MS Self Portrait Saturday (the second)

Here I am again! And 'what you see is what you get'!! This was taken earlier, just after showering and washing my hair:

Even more challenges

July challenge 2: jewellery scrapbook LO: 'Your challenge is to buy a piece of jewellery/badge/keyring etc and incorporate this into a scrapbook layout.'

These are earrings from Primark:

And here is the LO of John's mum and dad's wedding (sorry about the flash - couldn't wait till morning!):




July challenge 8: double take: 'We need you to have double of something on your LO please and as this is a double challenge we need a card too ..... you get double points for this one.' I did a card for this and have been holding on until I do the LO, but that hasn't happened yet - might even get it done soon! Here is the card (the wordfing on the left panel is 'You're a great Friend' - there's such a sheen on it that it can't be seen with the flash):

One more

Friday night 20 July: bargain bucket: 'In my fave scrapbooking mag, they make a LO each month but have to stick to a £5 budget, I've decided that we can do better than that. I challenge you to make a LO spending no more than £1 (adhesives, pens ect are not included in the budget).' I decided to do a 12 x 6 halfmap. The background is card that came as part of the packaging of a lovely birthday present that included scented padded coathangers - good quality card that was just crying out to be used. The pictures are from a brochure from Natwest to tell me about 'YourPoints'. The stickers were part of a couple of sheets from Poundland (I would think they were about one tenth of the amount of stickers - therefore the whole LO cost me about 10p!!):

More JB challenges

August 10 Friday night challenge: nice and simple: '
Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 7:12 pm Post subject: AUGUST 10th - Friday Night Challenge - Nice and Simple!

OK folks I think you deserve something REALLY simple. A little open play time! OK maybe it is because I am simple! SO I am challenging you to use something that you have not used before on a card! EASY PEASY! It can be a technique, new papers, Die Cuts that are gathering dust, a Stamp that has never been used .......... Ribbons that have only ever been stroked and not cut ........ You really have free license with this one.'

I used new papers from the English Paper Company 'airy fairy' and a big brad and rub on from HOTP (hadn't used these before):


August 17 Friday nigh challenge: not a square: 'we want you to create a LO with a shaped photo - NOT a square or a rectangle.' I tried to do this on the robo, but it wouldn't recognise the registration marks - perhaps I need to walk before I can run - so in the end I cut out the jigsaw pieces by hand:

July challenge 9: just for laffs!!: 'With all this strange weather lately, lets have a challenge that make us all giggle. Lets all make either a Layout or a Card that makes you laugh.' I hope this one raises a bit of a laff!!

Inside:

Friday night challenge 6 July: letters: 'Think of a word...maybe your name or initials..then either use wooden blanks from somewhere like http://www.woodenletters.co.uk/ or chipboard letters maybe you can cut some out or robo them you decide and then TART them up.'

This is for my mum (her name is Vicky):

August challenge 15: all stitched up: 'Your Challenge should you chose to accept it is to create a card or a layout using stitching...this can either be hand or machine but NO doodles!'

I used my new little sewing machine from Superdrug - only cost £5.99 - wasn't too adventurous though with the stitching:

A close up, just to prove there is stitching there:

July challenge 10: how charming: 'Here's a nice straightforward challenge for you - make a card of any kind, using a charm.' It's only a little charm, but it's there!:

July challenge 13: when we were very young: 'This challenge is to scrap yourself as a young child or baby - yep, we want to see those cute photos of you when you woz ickle! Any style, any size, just scrap away and have fun.' This is me a long time ago (so long ago that it wasn't really a coloured photo but painted somehow over the black and white - not sure what they did):


August challenge 10: pick a card: 'any card............ and then make a card with it'. The picture seemed to lend itself to this:

HS:MS chew

To bite and grind with the teeth. Find 'chew' in your space today.

As a John's guide dog, Josey isn't allowed treats, but she has the occasional rawhide chew (which has no calorific value and helps keep her teeth healthy). So she was allowed to have one this morning so I could get some photos! I found it quite difficult though because she tends to want to devour it without an audience. But here she is:

Today's challenge cards

Some more cards for JB challenges - also adding to stock.

August challenge 8: I love my ...: 'For this challenge just simply tell us what you love...cards or LO's please.' For this I did one of my Papermania decoupage cards and added the 'I' and 'love' on the heart on the jeans, with 'Crafting buddies' so that it says 'I love crafting buddies' - and inside: 'and I'm glad you're one of them':

August challenge 18: traditional twist: 'We all know that the traditional Christmas colours are red and green...your challenge is to funk up the traditional, giving it a modern look.' I'll make a few of these ready for the packs for my sale. The main paper used is from an English Paper Company pack:

August challenge 14: word play: 'Your challenge is to play around with a word and to incorporate into a card or scrapbook layout...for example here I have change "Unique" into "You-nique".' I've had this stamped image ages (did loads of them when the stamp was circulated as part of a stamping project) and have now found a use for it:

Another JB challenge card

August challenge 11: labelz: 'I love Labels, you can find some really nice ones attached to clothes these days. Bright colours, fabric ones, ones with ribbons, some with mini safety pins, buttons.......I collect mine and thought it would be a fun challenge to see what labels we can all find and use. This challenge can be LO's or cards. I've used a label of a pair off next jeans for mine...Yours doesn't have to be off an item of clothing, but it's not to be a handmade tag or label.'

I have to admit that I usually throw labels away (will look at them differently from now on), so the only one I could find was on a new pair of trousers got for John - a small tag that says 'tailoring' (I'm sorry that you can't really see it on the photo - its done with a raised embossing that shows up well irl - honestly!) The tie is a brad. So here's the card I made last night.

New Salt Challenge: Water

The new challenge launched this morning on Salt is 'Water, Water, Everywhere'.

It was Esther's turn to set the challenge. This is what she wrote:

'Thank you to all once again who joined in the last challenge of 'Life to the Full'. We do our best to visit your blogs and look at your wonderful creations.
This is a little daunting setting a challenge, but indeed very exciting too! Without further ado the challenge for the next 2 weeks is simply...

'WATER'

Water is such an important element in our lives, we can't live without it, just like our Lord and Saviour! It appears in so many places in the Bible, more than I realised. Here are a few examples to get you thinking, Noah and the flood, Jesus' 1st miracle; water into wine, calming of the sea, walking on water, baptisms, fishing, washing/cleansing, rivers, pools etc. Use this inspiration in your next project, and don't forget to leave us with details so we can take a peak. Thanks.'

Please take a look at Salt

and see what others in the team have done.

We'd love to see your contribution too.

HS:MS dish

A shallow bowl or radio antenna. Find 'dish' in your space.

I couldn't choose between the two. The first one is used for grapes (but is usually tucked at the back of the cabinet - rarely used).


The second dish is one of a pair (sadly the other got broken), given to me years ago by a dear friend.

JB challenges

Today I've been making cards to improve my stock levels ready for having my sale for TEAR Fund. So I've tackled quite a few of the challenges on Just Bex.

August challenge 19: slip 'n' slide: 'Your challenge is to make a card featuring a slide mount - any colour, any size, decorated in any way you wish.'

This card is cut away on the top right corner:

Open:

August challenge 16: tropical turquoise and pretty pink: 'Your challenge is to create a card or a layout using a turquoise and pink colour scheme.' This is another card cut on the right top corner:

Open:

August challenge 20: fun with felt: 'Felt is a big trend in papercrafting at the moment, and felt flowers are very popular - so this challenge is to make a card using felt for something other than flowers!'. Well, I used a flower on each of the next two cards, but I also used another felt embellie on each:

August challenge 17: gorgeous gingham: 'Your challenge should you choose to accept it is to produce a card incorporating gingham this can be card, paper or ribbon...it`s up to you.' These are two quick children's cards:

August challenge 12: easy as 1, 2, 3: 'we need you to make a CARD or a LO with BIG NUMBERS.' I hope the '60' is big enough!

August template 1: three squares: 'a template for the card makers you know you can do WHAT YOU LIKE!! have fun.' This is a sample for some of my Christmas card packs. I rubber stamped quite a few of these squares a week or so ago, but until now hadn't started to actually use them on cards. This is the template:
And here is my card:

August challenge 9: 'button it': 'Cards, LO's or whatever you want for this challenge as long as you use buttons.' I've had these two yellow buttons for quite a long time and thought it was about time to find a use for them:

August challenge 13: 'carry on corrugating': 'Your challenge is to make a card using...............corrigated card.' I enjoyed doing this card - it's a bit different:

Friday night challenge 24 August: monogram madness: 'Your challenge is to make a card and include a monogram of any size.'