Shhh don't tell my son.....

I sneaked these photos onto my son's PC, I hope he doesn't notice!

My first two Valentine's cards using the free stamp set with Card Making and Papercrafts, birds coloured with Prismacolor pencils which I read you could colour on dark card with so I wanted to try it, brown paper effect card blank, Nick Bantock red and brown ink, birds in Brilliance ink white with clear embossing powder. Nestabilities used to cut scalloped shapes, and finally ribbon and on the second card two beads.

Below is the Bookatrix card I made for MIL's 80th, don't laugh I had three badly burnt fingers bandaged with big bandages at the time, it wasn't easy to do!

Beware B&Q bamboo toilet seats

The highlight of my weekend has been shopping for toilet (john, dunny, loo) seats, and we found a lovely looking bamboo seat (made in China where they know a lot about bamboo) which we thought would be perfect.

I noticed the lid was different to normal but thought it was the design, so carpenter hubby fitted the seat and it looked nice.

Now I noticed something strange when I sat on it, it wasn't comfortable (too much detail?), but in the morning I had a good look at it and the whole thing was upside down. The curved edges were all on the bottom (of the seat, which you can tell is not good), and the edges were on the top.

In addition to this it looked like the hole was perfectly drilled in what should have been the lid. So I rang B&Q and was told to bring it in for exchange if they had one that was right, but I knew the display one was the same.

Help desk sent me to kitchens where I explained all over again to a bemused salesman, and when I showed him the display one he had to agree it was not right. So he opened every box, all the same, rang another store - same.

As we left clutching our refund he was emptying the shelves!

Now we are toilet seatless in the ensuite, will have to try and remember later on in the dark to go use the other bathroom.

Changing the subject completely I have actually made a card this evening, a Valentine's card. I used the lovely free stamp set I got with Card Making and Papercrafts and I might see if I can sneak it onto my son's PC so I can show you but not tonight.

Blog Award

I have only just come across this on Bumblebee Rhonda's blog. I have been awarded a blog award, thank you so much Rhonda.

This is a bit late due to my computer being broken still and not downloading emails as usual, so I must have missed this somewhere along the line.

The rules for this award:
1. The winner can put the logo on his/her blog.
2. Link the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of the people you've nominated

Now I need to nominate 7 others - or is it too late as it says 2008?

1. Tassy

2. Linda

3. Fiona

4. Deanne

5. Tracey for her challenge work

6. Debbie

7. Michelle - check out the donkeys

Beautiful blog candy from a talented lady

The very talented Ewonne, who has recently been featured on Inspirational blog, has some truly beautiful blog candy up for grabs until the 25th Jan.

It is well worth visiting Ewonne's blog to see her wonderful creations.

I used to be indecisive - but now I can't make up my mind

It has taken me a month to choose my new upgrade mobile phone, so the computer stands no chance! I keep going onto sites and configuring a PC, don't need a screen etc, and they always end up around £1,000 and that is not with much on site support if any.

I think I will have to stop picking things I really won't use - I mean what use is a bluetooth recorder when I don't have a player and can you actually buy bluetooth blank disks? I quite like the fancy cases and the blue neon light and matching blue fans.

Lets just hope I like the phone as it is an 18th month contract though they have reduced it from £15 per month to £10 per month (plus VAT which they neglect to mention) which took it to about £17 per month will now be about £11.50 which I think is good even if I don't get any signal in the valley on the way to work which is where the car is bound to break down if it is going to, then I will have to walk up hill for a mile or two before I can ring for help, or go in the pub! (In fact the signal isn't great at home either.). This is for loads of anytime any network minutes and texts, which I never use many of (could be due to duff signal) so they are happy to lop loads of money off the bill to keep me.

While searching endlessly for reviews and reading and re-reading them I looked at a review of my current phone and to my amazement found that there is a little round mirror next to the camera flash which is to look in so you can take self portraits. I had to try it but the results were so awful I deleted them, starting with 5 chins, then scary woman!

There is also the matter of the last two bills, I rang and picked the I want to leave option when I got a bill for the full £27 with no discount. I apparently had reached the end of my contract but they hadn't warned me, in fact I had a text saying I was on the best contract! So a guy called Kevin said he would refund me the discount upgrade me to the new contract and phone and gave me a list of choices. I had his extension to ring back and if he wasn't there leave a message and he would ring me. I did this but he didn't ring. So by this time the next full price bill arrived. I finally made the decision on the phone now I am worrying I should have picked the other one of the two I narrowed it down to.

I asked the woman I spoke to today, as Kevin was once more not there, what about the refund I was promised, now I have two bills - she sounded sort of choked but agreed to it! Phone is on its way, should be here by Monday.

Once I get my new PC I will be back to loading photos and blogging properly, and visiting all the forums again and sorting out the candy!

I was gob smacked to find on each configuration of a PC you can pay extra to get them to build it quicker! What a cheek, another £30 to £50 to build something you are about to pay up to £1,000 for, and if you would like the cables tidied and fixed you can pay extra for that too.

I had a nice surprise parcel turn up today, some lovely sale goodies from Stamps.co.uk that I had forgotten I had ordered. Lovely brads, vellum, a punch, a snowboarder stamp to make my son's next birthday card next Dec, some tie brads, some Chinese coins and some Christmas light embellishments. Lovely. I also had a PB stamp arrive, to add the the stamp mountain. I need more Tuff boxes now.

I have got the numbers for the wedding invites we need to make so I can get the card, I have ordered a sample pack and a few sheets of card and envelopes from Inspire Me Papers, and I am looking at Craft Creations as they have the card that has been picked from my stash. I am looking for very pale green vellum for inserts, but I have found pale green card so maybe we can reverse the design and have green card and cream inserts. Will see what it looks like and maybe do some sample cards.

I am off to the craft show in Exeter this month so might find something there but I am not holding out a lot of hope as I often don't find what I want in the card department at shows now. This is one of my birthday treats, a few nights in a hotel, visit the show and visit the donkey sanctuary on the way home and see my new adopted donkey Timothy, also a Chrimbo pressie! Hope DH has lined up DS to dog sit, he doesn't always think of asking!

Does anyone know if 23cm width satin ribbon is likely to go though a punched hole without it being huge? I don't think so, we may have to arrive at a compromise here! Chiffon ribbon would do it, or narrower ribbon or the holes may be out and another method might have to be used, not sure what at this point in time.

Yesterday while shopping in Sainsburys I spotted a pair of sparkly denim jeans half price, one left in hopefully my size. I bought them and they fit so I wore them to work today, leaving glitter all over my office chair. When my hubby saw them he asked if I had been cardmaking (well I often end up accidently with the same effect).

I have a whole load of Debenhams sale jeans and trousers and skirts to try on tomorrow to see if any fits my fat bod, and what to send back. I ordered two different sizes of each thing where they had it in case one fits better, hopefully I will get some new work trousers out of it at least and not have to send everything back which would be very depressing. All the tops I liked were out of stock or at least in my size.

Blog candy

Wow, look at this great blog candy. Find it here at Ewonne's blog.

Back to normal now

Well what passes for normal. The trimmings are all down, the visitors are gone, and it is back to work tomorrow. Shame I was incapacitated for a lot of the holidays so didn't do all I wanted to do, it is still sitting here looking at me!

We have a decision on the wedding invites now so I just need to know the numbers and get some vellum samples.

I also need to either order a new PC or see if I can get the old one fixed, until then I am restricted and can't load photos, or do what I want. I need to get Robo going for one thing, and it won't work on this PC for sure, or a new one until I get Graphtec to sort it out. When the PC was "fixed" about a year ago it took ages to get Robo working again.

Blog candy extended

Katerina has extended her blog candy which is to celebrate her 10th Anniversary. The more posts the more she will add to the candy to be won. Hop on over here to find out more.

I will be posting some blog candy as soon as I get my PC working or a new one, and not have to use my Son's.