Christmas cards

Nothing to show, but today I've made lots of Christmas cards, despite not feeling good. Those of you who know me know that I have vertrabae fractures as a result of severe osteoporosis and am finding life difficult, not that life has ever been easy because of a life-long upper back deformity causing pain and restriction, but, hey, God's grace enables me to do what I can and I've so grateful for that.

For the past two or three years I've sold cards to raise money for TEAR Fund and am planning to do so again in three weeks' time - anyone local reading this, please note that's Saturday 29 September from 10 - 12 in the morning and 2 - 4 in the afternoon.

Over the past few weeks I've made a fair number of packs of Christmas cards to sell cheaply, but I always do some better ones to sell individually at a higher cost - people tend to buy them for the 'specials' and perhaps have a relative put on (not the actual relative, you undertand!!).

So, bearing in mind that I have to be careful the amount of time I spend crafting because of my back, I bought the recent Anna Griffin TSV from QVC, thinking that at least I could make some quality cards quite quickly. There is an amazing amount of cardstock and paper included and I've managed to make cards other than those suggested by the kit - in fact I don't like doing them 'as per the leaflet' but prefer to use them to do my own thing.

In an ideal world I would prefer to make everything from scratch myself, particularly now that I have a craft robo, but unfortunately poor health means that it isn't an ideal situation and I still want to be able to have a supply of cards to raise money.

Now that I know that I've got quite a reasonable amount of stock, I can spend any other crafting time now doing my own thing, which is what I most enjoy.

Of course, all the cards I've made need inserts put it (these are all ready) and will need bagging and labelling - boring, but necessary - something I can do 'in between'.

Thank you, everyone, for your visits to my blog and for your comments, particularly the encouraging ones when I was feeling that perhaps I'd give up the crafting.

HS:MS SPS 3

Show us your self portraits guys!

Thought I'd show my new glasses (wear contact lenses, but trying to give them a rest when I can, so tend to wear glasses at home). Mind you, I've taken them off now, because they pinch the sides of my head and my nose - I'm obviously going to have to go back to have them adjusted - and they cost an arm and a leg!

HS:MS talk - another take

This is John (husband) talking to his computer. Because he's visually impaired he has to use Dragon software to communicate with his computer. He doesn't go much on it but manages to do minutes of his bowls club meeting and things like that (which I used to have to do for him before he got the speech-input software). He has taken to computing far better than either of us really expected.

HS:MS talk

To converse or communicate. Show us 'talk' in your space today.

Sorry, this involves Josey again! I didn't actually take this picture, so it's a big cheat really, but I can't resist showing it. It was the first time that Josey met Oscar - taken by the friend who adopted Oscar.



Today's HS:MS prompt is a good one, but a tough one. I might come back later with something that isn't a cheat, but at the moment I haven't a clue what, so I'll leave it at this for the time being.



Well, I didn't think I'd be back soon with a 'non-cheat' photo, but here it is - the thought suddenly came to me. Since buying my new main laptop I've been trying to sort out synchronising my little Ipaq with it - but, oh no, Vista didn't like doing it! Anyway, last night, having had to use Drive Magic to get a new driver for my new wireless keyboard, it seems to have sorted a few other things out and I can now synch the Ipaq with the laptop - so, hey, they are talking to one another. I'd like them to talk on bluetooth to avoid the need to plug in with usb, but that doesn't seem to be fully happening yet, but at least they are now 'talking' to each other!

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.