New cards

Here are the cards I made, nothing special, just using up the freebies from the magazine with a bit of stamping, peel offs, papers, or chipboard letters!

The fabric hat is from Card Market who had some card making stuff once but I haven't seen it since!

I got a box in the post today which looked promising but was only the dog shampoo!

I had a package of papers and bits I ordered from the Crafty Carrot Sale and there was a free reel of DST in it. Seems to be the month for freebies!

Ebay - good and bad sellers/buyers

There are some very good sellers on Ebay, they send stuff well packed, don't overcharge for postage, communicate well, and you get exactly what you expected in the condition you expected.

There are even better sellers who wrap stuff beautifully, and send you free little gifts for shopping with them and are so nice. Most of these are in the USA I have found.

Then there are sellers who overcharge on postage, but the rest is alright. Some take forever to send your goods. One I have ordered from stated that it took 4 weeks from payment to order the stamps, so they won't get to the U.K. for 6 weeks, which I suppose isn't bad if you don't mind the wait but if you think about it they have your cash, which they are probably earning interest on for weeks before they pay for your goods and I don't think is strictly within the Ebay rules.

I have ordered from one of these sellers, they are berating me for ordering so much which they say they will have to split into two, as I will pay tax if not, and this is normally charged extra (about £2.50) but on this occasion they won't charge! I told them 4 weeks ago I wasn't worried about the amount, I have rarely been charged for tax, and if I was it wasn't going to matter as it would even out over all purchases to very little. They said they can't mark it as a gift as that is illegal - I didn't ask them to.
I don't think I will be going back to them!

Today I recieved a package of 4 stamps I ordered from the wasabi625 who I have added to my links. The postage was as charged, the stamps were wrapped lovingly in polka dot fibre type paper fabric, stuck round with tape, and there were two pots of mica powder, and an envelope containing two foam stamps, two mini clear stamp sets, an acrylic block and a labrador with a Stars and Stripes flag in it's mouth. I only paid for the 4 wood backed stamps! My previous order with Wasabi625 was for one stamp, they sent a small one free! How generous is that!

Then there are sellers best avoided, I once bought a set of paddle punches from a USA seller who I noticed afterwards had terrible feedback, and I worried I wouldn't get anything, so when I finally got the set of paddle punches, and it was a different set to the one ordered I was so relieved to get it, and I didn't have that set either, that I didn't complain!

Another seller in the UK from whom I bought two items, and I left really good feedback for one item and neutral for the other mainly because I asked if I could change it for a more expensive item and I didn't hear back, so said communications could be better. That seller sent me threatening emails, and called me the most awful names, said she would make sure they spoiled my 100% feedback, which they did by leaving two negative comments. This is very unfair as I paid promptly and the one neutral feedback has no effect on their score but many sellers wait until they get feed back and only leave you good feedback if you give it!

On buyer once bought a camera that cost £1.50, postage was £3.50 and complained it didn't work with their PC, and wanted a full refund and if I wanted it back they wanted me to pay postage so I just refunded and wrote it off as a bad experience!

Other buyers have complained their goods haven't arrived, I always send them recorded so there is no question - it either got there or not! The last person to ask where it was changed their story and said they had just gone home and "found" two envelopes one of which was the item, this was after I responded that someone at their address had signed for it two days ago!

I have had things not turn up, and the seller each time has replaced it, in some cases it was recorded and others not.

So I have decided today to start adding exceptionally good sellers in my experience to my blog by way of recommendation. They deserve it, but I hope this doesn't put the prices up!

Made some cards!

Don't faint, I actually managed to make a few cards and I mended my work trousers that have sat here for ages waiting for a few stitches!

I haven't quite finished the cards and they are just using the handbag and shoe chipboard shapes that came free with a magazine and more circles!

Now they are used I am looking at blooms and hats!

I was on my own today, but I had a mini crisis when the electricity went off but not the lights or cooker! It took a while to realise that then a while later and a few phone calls to work out the RCD switch needed switching, all came back on but when I plugged in my steam cleaner it went again!

Apart from that I haven't done much, filled up the bird feeders, bit of housework, cooked myself some organic chicken with veg and rice pasta, and now it is time for bed!

Goodnight all!

Oh just to say I was going to leave some comments on Max's blog and another but blogger kept timing out! Will do it when I can.

I went to the craft shop and....

I only bought a Do Crafts magazine! I found out I didn't miss the demo - it is next month! Also the tote has gone, so I can stop agonising over whether I should buy because it was nearly half price despite not liking the colour.

I am decorating my shoulder tote instead!

Not a lot of crafting going on apart from decorating the tote, I hope to do some tomorrow as I will be on my own all day.

Mother's day competition entry

First I would like to say thanks for all the lovely comments you have been leaving about my cards, I appreciate it!

Here is the card I made for a competition on the Crafts Beautiful forum which was to make a card using at least three things from the Lets Make Cards kit. You could use other stash but it couldn't be a card that was in the magazine.

I used the gorgeous ribbon and chipboard sentiments that were in the LMC kit this month and are clearly by Junkitz, and I combined this with some Junkitz paper I had that went really well. I also used the "for my Mum" from the kit, and the sequin flowers to which I added gems, and I used the vellum packaging which I stitched onto the card, the backing paper was stitched on too, not very well though.

I stamped the flowers using a Stampendous Perfectly Clear set called Retro Flower Border. I used Marvy Wet look pens again to colour the stamps and then heat embossed with clear powder.

Inside the the love tag (which I cut from card that matched the LMC card blank, using a wooden Accucut die and my Zipemate as the Wizard cut the fold too - it is too fierce), I cut some LMC pretty paper and added another printed sentiment from the kit. I added a love tag using my Making Memories Ribbon tagger.

I didn't win the competition!

Unbelievable!

I just had to post on this! I was driving to the Post Office to get that parcel (and it seems to be something for my son and not the stamps at all, or the new Cropadile), and in my rear view mirror I spotted a man driving a pale blue BMW who was ......... wait for it...........no not on his phone................he was shaving!

Sorry Alan and Barry - you had to go!

At a craft show I visted recently in Exeter I watched part of a show that Alan and Barry were performing. I signed something to go in a prize draw and my Hubby did (well actually I filled out his), and I left him there to wait for the draw.

We didn't win the big prize, but got a couple of cards with envelopes and acetate butterflies. In the next couple of days I started getting emails from Alan and Barry. Not so bad, but they arrived three or four times a day!

I got to the stage where I was so fed up with them I was deleting them without reading them, so I decided I had to unsubscribe - sorry guys but it was overkill!

I had a package of goodies arrive today - you guessed it - stamps! Three sets of Woodware clear stamps.

There is a package at the Post Office, and I think I have upset them over the Parcel Safe and locking of Parcel Safe! My son may be partly to blame for this, he has been unlocking the box then twisting the lock so it is not possible to lock the box! Sorry post people if this was the case!

I wonder what the parcel could be - could it be - more stamps???? It could as I am expecting three different lots of stamps from the USA! What on earth is wrong with me???? I can't stop buying them!

Not only that I am still watching other stamps - I am trying not to buy them!

Its' so cold!

The frog spawn is frozen into the ice on the pond! I hope we will still get some baby frogs!

As my eldest son and his girlfriend were here visiting for the weekend, we had a nice family meal today with my youngest son and his girlfriend and my parents, at the Indian restaurant that used to be a village pub in Southwick on the A361 near Trowbridge. They have a special offer on Sunday lunch and evenings and Monday evenings, choose any starter, main, rice and side dish with Nan bread from the menu for just under £11. If you want king prawns or duck it is £2 extra but they didn't charge extra for my king prawn shaslik.

I took a photo of the waiter known as Jac and the restaurant.











Here is a link to the Bath restaurant, you can see the lovely menu which is the same for Southwick.








Good news on the roaring dinosaur toy too, it is still in one piece, although it has nibbled bits with holes forming! It is made by Good Boy and was £3.99 in Tesco, and is much better value for money than the nearly £5 trobone playing mouse by Rosewood which lasted only hours! I have no idea why this is underlined and I can't see where to take it off!

Another Mother's day card

I haven't printed an insert for this card yet, but here is another Mother's day card using the Papercrafts Inspirations free chipboard embellishements, with a Papermania bloom and brad, stamped sentiment using a Stampendous Perfectly Clear set of words, and the polka dot paper is actually pink card that I made holey with my eyelet setter! I couldn't find any pink and black paper or ribbon so I made up my own solution!

The central circle has pink eyelets all the way round and a heart gem too. The circles were in a pack of some free stash I got.

If I don't make any more that will do for the two Mums! Any more will be a bonus and can be sold to raise some charity money.

There is Do Crafts demo in town tomorrow that I hope to get to, I have missed the last two demos - one Do Crafts and another due to other commitments or not feeling well. I normally buy the goodie bag, I got one after the event last time but it was a smaller bag than normal but cheaper. This time I don't think they are doing the goodie bag, there is a different offer which I might buy!

St Valentine's day or heartstrings

I stayed up late to make a card for hubby, bit late but better than never! It nearly was never as I didn't know if I should bother.

I used two of my new stamps which I bought as a set although they are different makes they go so well together!

Then I tied a Ratatouille DVD in some tissue paper tied with elastic string with a heart threaded on, to match the card!

He was really chuffed but hadn't got anything for me, romance is dead I thought - well I thought that a long time ago, but when I got home and went to change there were 6 red roses in the bedroom!

I coloured the stamp with Marvy wet look pens and was very impressed that after the time it took to do that they still stamped perfectly and the image heat embossed beautifully too. I think I will buy some more pen sets! Then I coloured the hearts with Sakura Gel pens. The sentiment is All Night Media and the hearts on strings is Inkadinkado. The card is metallic red.

Barbeque in February in England!!!!!

Bet the neighbours thought we were mad, but it was such glorious sunshine! It was frosty in the morning though, and although the food was cooked outside on the BBQ the guests ate indoors!

I did do some tidying of my craft room, I started it at 11 pm last night - as you do! You could see the rug and get to the cupboard but I had to let my little niece clear the spare chair onto the floor so she could sit and make a card so it looks nearly as bad as it did before - here I go again!

I made a mother's day card, I think she wanted me to give it to her and maybe I should have but it is the only one I have made so far, and I let her make any card she wanted (with a little help) and she chose to make a Valentine's card (not sure if she has an 8 year old boyfriend to give it to!). She told me yellow was her Mum's favourite colour, but I am not inclined to give my soon to be ex SIL anything nice!

Here is the photo, I took loads and every one was wonky!

I had to get into my craft room with my niece for some peace and quiet, all the chattering of a room full of my relatives (not being specific here) does my head in!

Then the visitors started leaving, and littlest niece went off with some bits and pieces, some were free on magazines and some were from my stash, so she can make a Mother's day card if she wants to.

My little niece is frightened of the dogs when she first comes in as they make such a noise barking and looking fierce, so we have devised a system whereby she picks up a bag of biscuits hung on the front door handle and then "makes friends" again with the dogs.
This went a bit wrong as the gang went shopping for BBQ food and I heard crunching and found the dog had the bag which he had chewed through and got to the biscuits!

Day off

I had the day off today. The carpet fitters were coming in the afternoon to fit the carpet we decided to replace after the flood.

So I thought I would get loads of cards made, my craft room tidied and lots of other things - ha!

I got the clippers out and trimmed the dogs first, then did some washing up. Then the phone rang, the carpet fitters wanted to know if they could come early - there were three of them and they took a long time and great care over fitting the carpet (probably because I had voiced concerns when we went to the carpet seller having had a badly fitted carpet from there before!) So I couldn't get to my craft room until they had gone.

But then I had to give DH a lift to work, and drive my son's car home which was a bit hairy as I haven't driven it before, and I popped into the supermarket to get some bits. By the time I got back it was nearly time to cook the dinner I had decided to cook as a special (healthy) treat as normally my DH goes for convenience food for him and my son, to save me cooking and because I am home later than they want to eat!

So here I am having not made a card, or tidied my craft room, but I did buy a storage crate when shopping that I thought the Zipemate would go into, but I didn't take the handle into account! I have two options, unscrew the handle which I tried without a lot of sucess, or store it in the crate on its side. I am considering doing the second but I don't want to damage it!

So the crate is sat on my craft chair and the Zipemate is sat on my workspace.

Bedtime is approaching fast and I can't see me getting many cards or much tidying done in the minutes left!

Ah well - tomorrow is another day!


I forgot to mention I had another rubber stamp arrive a couple of days ago, it is a Stampabilities stamp of a baby rabbit in a nappy yawning and it is called - wait for it - Yaaaawn. I saw it and fell for it and I think I paid a premium price if you include the postage from the USA!

Still more stamps to come, mostly Hero Arts but I have ordered two sets of Technique Tuesday clear stamps, Loves me Loves me Not, and Loves me Still which fit together. I fell in love with the first set when I saw a card using it on the front of my Craft Stamper magazine and have searched for it, only finding the large set, but finally finding the small set which fits with the second set. I don't know which size the Craft Stamper card used, but the small set seemed fairly big.

The stamp sets consists of separate decorated petals and flower centres that you can mix and match as required. I am really looking forward to getting the sets, but I may have to buy the large set too!

By the way I have speeded up the slide show as I was getting bored waiting, let me know if it is too fast! The other effects didn't fit with the frame - I tried them all!

Dog tales continued

Alfie doesn't like taking pills, and he is very clever at pretending he has swallowed them then spitting them out into his beard, or on the floor.
I tried the first one wrapped in a piece of ham, but he knew and managed to unwrap it in his mouth eat the ham and spit out the tablet.

Same thing would happen with cheese so I just have to get it as far back on his tongue as I can and hold his mouth shut while stroking his throat!

Tonight I tried chucking the tablet in and then giving him a biscuit straight away. He clenched his teeth and would not swallow, or chew the biscuit but in the end he had to start chewing - I think the tablet went where it should, but I haven't searched the settee yet!

Yesterday at the vets we met two other Miniature Schnauzers which may have been Alfie's siblings as they came from the same place and were about the same age! Alfie was pleased to meet them, funny thing is he normally tries to beat up any other dog - well not really but to give the impression he will but Schnauzers always recognise other Schnauzers!

We used to have one that was extremely nervous of other dogs, except Schnauzers!

Sooty dog was naughty in the vets, he gets very excited with the smells and left a little puddle inside, I thought I had stopped him but hubby says otherwise, but at least he didn't try christening the other people waiting - it has been known!

Dog tales

First here is a new card, using my Hero Arts pastel flowers set, and another Hero Arts set that I hadn't used but is lovely, printing a "ribbon" with 6 different greetings to choose from.

I stamped this in Versamagic chalk ink which is lovely and soft.











Alfie dog cut his paw pad, we think on the carpet gripper when the carpet was up after the mini flood!

So we took him to the vets just in case, and she said they can't stitch it, just good old soaking in salt water but have some antibiotics in case. Then she decided to glue it together and suggested he should where a sock and a little bootie made from a drip bag, that the vets supplied, threaded through with a bandage to tie it.

I tried it out on him, and he managed to get it off in lightening time, tried again - same thing. Hubby tried to take him for a walk but was back very soon with the bootie in hand!

I have bought Alfie another toy, this time a dinosaur that roars, and he loves it. It will be interesting to see if it lasts longer than the last one as it is a different make!

I had a package of stamps arrive from the USA. Two dolly mamas, one New York glamourous woman with lap dog, one oriental lady and one of two cranes all big stamps and they cost me about £25 including postage, not bad!

I've been tagged!

This is a new experience! I guess it had to happen eventually.

I have been tagged, and what I have to do now apparently is publish the rules, tell you 7 things about myself that you didn't know and tag 7 other people and link their blogs!

Given that for some reason unknown to me when I had PC problems and I backed up and imported my bookmarks again afterwards the craft blog folder was totally empty! So I have spent hours trawling through forums looking for my buddies to tag!

I also used links on Cass's blog for some and that is when I found I had previously been tagged by Silver Custard but I didn't know - so apologies for that!

I am trying to watch a stamping DVD which I have not been concentrating on a bit while looking for BLOG buddies to tag! Also the presenter is a little serious for my liking - maybe that is why it was reduced!

I believe I have to add the links then let the tagged victims know I did it! I have collected a few now, so here goes:

Here are the rules:

Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog. Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog, we all want to know them. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog

1. I used to be in the church choir when I was at school
   
2. I used to sell Tupperware at Tupperware parties
   
3. I used to sell Avon products door to door
   
4. I am a qualified accountant
   
5. I learnt to crochet at the age of 11
   
6. I have a novelty sock fetish, have many pairs with animals on them or flowers
   
7. I own "cough cough" lots of rubber stamps but haven't used most of them (then you probably already know that) and still keep buying more!
   

You've been Tagged:

Tales from the Craft Box
Stampin' Up! London Gal
Angels Crafty Creativity
Caro - crafts and life
Chunterings......
E.C.P.
Rattytattys Paper Raving Blog
Crafts by Louly

Apologies if you don't like tagging, or if I missed you this time!

To buy a craft tote or not?

Last week when I popped into the local craft shop they had Papermania totes in both colours reduced to £29.99, and I looked and thought where would I put it, and do I really want one - would I use it?
I have recently joined a scrapping crop but haven't really been properly apart from dropping in to say hello as I was feeling too tired to stay, and they were all sitting there making lovely things and all seemed to have the wheeled totes!

So maybe I need one for the crop, I haven't done scrapbooking but I have bought a few scrapbooks and although I have a tote with a shoulder strap the A4 plus Tuff boxes fit perfectly so I don't know if 12" x 12" would fit. I will try but then it could be heavy to carry with scrapbooks and tools, and I only have to go down the road and will probably be dropping in after Pilates so will be driving anyway.

Today I decided to go back and get a tote but they only had the brown and pink one, I asked if there was a lilac one but they said no. Said they had sold two lilac ones today, I said you only had two last week so you can't have done - oh no we had some in the passageway!

I didn't buy it, I don't know why but I don't think I could bring myself to love the brown and pink combination, maybe pink and brown would have been alright.

I would love a black and red, pink and grey, spotty one if you are reading Do Crafts! I wonder if you are about to bring out new colours and that is why everyone has offers but I haven't found another for £29.99, apart from Arty Miss who are selling at £49.99 but you get a free mini tote worth £19.99.

So now I have to ask myself if I want to spend £50 on a tote, that might be in the way and get used little! Or if I could get to the Cheltenham show - would anyone be selling them that cheap?

I need to win one!

I did buy something - well it is rude not to! I bought two mini corner stamp sets, I don't think I have any like it already.

Tomorrow I might go and see Sweeney Todd at the cinema, I haven't done the housework (what's new), which really needs doing but I would love to see Sweeney Todd!