WOYWW #218

I can't believe it is Wednesday already, and I detected the smell and feel of Autumn not only last night but this morning and it is still like it. I am cold! What happened to the heatwave that was supposed to stay until September? Not that I wanted it that hot for that long, and the garden would have been totally frazzled by then.

Anyway it is that day again, that day that those who want to share their crafty spaces messes with the world. This was all started by Julia Dunnit of The Stamping Ground, and you can join in too!

 First the birds, I have been trying to sneak up on the little flock of sparrows and other little birds that all descend on my feeder when I am looking out of the kitchen window, and the conservatory window which is beyond the kitchen. So I have tried to grab a photo, I set up the camera with long lens, on the right settings and kept it in the kitchen - then when the little birds arrived I snuck out and - every time they saw me! This was the most I could capture in one shot, and I know it is a bit out of focus! I have one with a sparrow flying in too but only two birds.

 The only bird that doesn't fly away is the lovey collared dovey!

 So here is the desk, from this end, baby book that I made ages ago and I am finally making a box for it, having decided that I can't make an envelope big enough. Then the black on red images are done with an oriental stamp that I bought years ago after falling in love with it when it was used in a magazine tutorial. I think they did their's black embossed on black and cut out some of the background, which was gorgeous and I will try. This is the first time the stamp has seen ink, I was putting some other stamps away, it was in the same box and I decided I would use it, yes I would, and I did! Also next to that are some panels ready to make into cards, some Hero Arts newsprint balloons, and a Dustin Pike image and Spyder Lyn Image to make Christmas cards. Then those die cut frames, I haven't decided what to make with them yet. Then some embossed card, I am so cross, I can't use my A4 Crafts Too embossing folder in the eBosser and don't have another machine big enough, I did sucessfully use my first ever Spellbinders M Bosser, and was very happy with it so have bought a few more - guess what - the second folder won't go through, the eBosser spits it out again - grrrrr! The only consolation is that they will fit the Big Shot so I guess I will be getting that out even more. General mess in the background and Really Useful box full of images coloured or waiting to be coloured, and some die cuts and images ready to use.

From the other end, you can see more of the Christmas images, and that chameleon which I need to finish the zoo book with. Some stamps I am using or going to use, and some that need putting away if I can find the box they came from, and some new ones that need a space to go. There is a blank stepper card that I  creased in the wrong place that I am thinking I can cover the side panels with card panels first of all to fix the problem and not waste the card blank.

I wonder if it is better to be last over at WOYWW, first is great but will never happen, middle - hmmm, don't get that many comments! I noticed that I get over 100 views and maybe 12 comments. So please see the note below if you can't comment.

Just a note to say if you want to comment on this post you need to go to "home" and scroll down to the post and then press "comment", I have reported this issue yet again to blogger.

WOYWW

 I am joining inWOYWW at the Stamping Ground.

Doesn't look much different to the last time I showed you! Piles of stamps on one side as I was looking for certain stamps to sell, and some to use and then I think ooo I must use such and such, then they stay until they fall off the table or I can't bear it any longer! Max is in the middle waiting for me to come up with a colour combo I like, and some gorgeous Meljan Lyn images to the side also waiting hopefully to be coloured. 

I have my Spellbinders in DVD jewel cases lined with magnetic pvc, but I have run out of those now and due to winning several assorted dies and buying a few small dies which I was worried about losing somewhere I decided to buy an Artbin die storage satchel. This is nice and sturdy but a lot smaller than I thought it would be. You couldn't fit a set of Grand Nestabilities in but it is good for the smaller ones. It has 3 sheets of magnetic pvc, all are full now. It will fit 20 according to the blurb. So I am going to work out if it is cheaper to buy some sheets that I can cut to size or the refills. 

The other 3 marker trays arrived so I have sorted all my Promarkers and Trias out now, and there is room for more. I won some too, but there were a couple of duplicates in the set. I have taken out all new duplicates and put them in the packaging, and all the used ones and put them in a Tria tin until I need them. I added Promarker dots to the ends of the pens, these are available from Letraset and are in packs of two sets of ready coloured dots, two sets of uncoloured dots with the pen names on them and a few plain ones. I used the uncoloured ones and coloured them myself, not decided if that is the best option yet.

I find that the trays move out of place a bit too easily for my liking, I wonder if the half size Marker Satchel is more stable? There are different clips for this one and the smaller ones. At least I can put the pens out of the way when not in use and keep them clean and tidy!

Update: Enfys is giving away a set of Flexmarkers on 12th April, I am telling you because you can see I need them so I don't expect you to go win them!

Ballet shoes

Something totally different to my last post, I got a couple of half price dies and this is the result of my first play with them. I used the Spellbinders Mirror Mirror die and Memory Box Lady Dancing which I didn't realise was seperate dress and shoes and lady (I hope I don't lose the tiny shoes die, kept losing one shoe which just wouldn't stay stuck on), freebie paper stamped with a greeting and Crafty Ribbons polka dot chiffon ribbon.

Post

Look what the postie brought this morning, apart from Card Making and Papercraft mag.

Lots of lovely ribbons and tassels from Crafty Ribbons, and some Sizzix Framelits stamp sets from The Craft Bag (which is the new web site for the Crafty Devils). The sets have Hero Arts cling stamps with matching dies.
I had a credit note with the Crafty Devils for something that was discontinued which I could put towards something on the new web site, and I put it towards these sets and it is the best price I have seen even before I used the credit note. Happy Me!
 

Customer service is dead, well partly!

Not just craft goodies! First my 3 in 1 rice cooker bowl suddenly didn't fit right, it was out of shape. I searched for a replacement bowl, it was £27. The rice cooker is nearly 3 years old and a brand new 4 in 1 model is £50.

I was going to order it online at £50 from John Lewis, but I had an Argos voucher and some Nectar points and though Argos were charging just under £55 for the rice cooker we set off to get one from the nearest branch that was still open, a 30 minute journey.

It was 15 minutes until closing time which is why I guess an assistant rushed over to see if we needed help - I mean that doesn't happen in Argos!

We found the code then ummed and ahhed about getting a new phone too. I should say at this point that although Argos were charging more they were giving £5 back for spending over £50 and £10 if you spent over £100. When we finally got the phone sorted (ours has been playing up for ages and the display had vanished yet again), and got to the miserable woman on the till, she tilled it up and it was a few pence under £100. I said we could buy something little to make it up - no it is too late "I pressed send" she said.

Customer service is dead! If she was helpful she would have suggested we did just that, but no she wasn't going to undo this and let us get our extra £5 voucher.

I did get £35 off in points and vouchers though.

I have been getting stamps, in ones and twos, I have a load on order from the USA that I expect any day now, and I got a job lot of Cuttlebug die sets which I hope I don't pay tax on.

I am debating if I should buy a Making Memories Tag Maker punch set, I have the tag maker set and I hate hand cutting, I thought it would do that when it makes the tag but no - they make a seperate and more costly punch set!

If I get it at around £83 from the USA would I actually use it? I could try and train the Robo to cut my shapes, I tried Spellbinder dies before but it was never quite right.

What would I rather spend £83 on I have to ask myself, new boots, The Slice, clothes....... more Big Shot dies............