Robo blues and slide show success

Hooray, thanks to a kind person on the bloggers forum I have got the slide show back where and how I want it! In fact it looks better than before I think.

I have been trying to get Design Manager for Craft Robo working, but I had to reinstall everything after the PC problems and reformatting. This is the first time I have tried to use it, and everytime I opened a file I got a message saying a security device was missing, then it shut down!

So I thought I would use Robo Master and look on the Cutters disk for a 50 template to make a card but I kept getting error messages there too, it seems I have a faulty CD so I need a replacement or the files emailed to me, I would rather have a new CD so I won't have it in time. So I will either have to make a new template with Robo Master unless Graphtec can sort out DM for me, or I will have to do something else!

With all that going on and the fact I haven't been feeling well for a few days, especially yesterday, I haven't managed to get to making any cards yet, I will soon!

I was watching QVC and trying to work out if I wanted one of the kits for sale, but I have decided against it! I have so much stuff and have spent loads lately I really don't need it!

I got Craft Stamper Magazine today, it has a little Easter stamp with eggs and two cute ducks on it and I like the examples although I have hardly ever used the free stamps from the last 4 years, and never make the ones in the magazine but this time I think I might make them but I need the pearlescent card in the colours. You can buy a kit for £17 with some card, 3 souffle pens, Chippies chipboard flowers and hearts, and ink pads ribbon and brads! I have found the Chippies separately, want a set of the pens, have loads of ink pads but not sure I have all the colours of card in pearlescent!

Messy Crafter Award

I entered a challenge on the Card Making and Papercraft Forum, which was run by Margaret (lonely crafter) and her Mum. Thanks very much (I think) ladies This is the photo that won it for me! The second photo is another view of the room at the same time.

The room is possibly slightly tidier now, as I bought new drawers but not a lot! This photo was taken in the middle of a tidying up exercise, or an attempt at it!

This is a later photo, I will take some more of how it is now!

Auction for Ellie finishing soon!

Please go and bid on this gorgeous bag which the lovely and talented Deanne has put up for auction to raise funds for little Ellie Wiseman to go to America to see if there is something that can be done for her.


Bag for auction for Ellie's Trust.

Deekatz blog, where you can bid on the bag

Mother's day and dinosaur

Two photos, one is my Mother's day vase of flowers with Piglet toy. The other is the Good Boy dinosaur toy which I repaired, it now has three legs, no tail and no eyes! Within minutes of getting it back Alfie had ripped a hole in another leg and was pulling out the stuffing!

I tried to get another one to replace it, it has lasted for weeks, but they were out of stock. I went back as they told me the toys would be in Monday, but by Tuesday they still hadn't arrived. We went to Pets at Home, Sootie loves seeing the rabbits! Tried to find a dinosaur but there were none, but we found some talking undersea creatures, and they were buy one get one free!

So we bought two, Alfie carried one to the car but buy the time we got home 5 minutes later he had ripped a hole in the turtle's "shell" and pulled out the sound box and the stuffing! The other one is still in one piece so far!

I am going to attempt to make a tough toy with the sound box in now! We did see some very tough toys, they said they were "battle tested" but they didn't make the noise that attracts Alfie to them, he doesn't like no noise, or squeekers but music, talking, roaring - he has to have it and kill it!

I had a parcel of ---- you guessed it --- stamps! I also got scissors and chalk marker pens! According to the label on the package I should have paid over £12, £4 of which was VAT and £8 was a handling fee, but the postie just left it in the box!

I might get some stamping done this weekend - I hope so!

I have some help from two places on the slide show so I hope to fix that soon too!

I am putting a card photo in so I can link it to a blog challenge, it is on my slide show already.

Bit of bother

I am having a bit of bother with the slide show, first when I added some extra photos the size changed to something smaller than I set. Then I ended up with two small slide shows, then I got the size back but can't seem to put the slide show back where it was!

Fantastic! I don't know if this will be better tomorrow, or if I am stuck with this as now the size is as I wanted but half of the frame is hidden behind the side elements!

I know it is very annoying though! I tried to save the size back to the small size but now it wants to stay big and half hidden!

Any suggestions welcome!

Make My Day Award received

I got an award from Tassie, thanks so much that is really nice and thanks to Debbie I have been able to upload it! This is the first award I have received on my blog, how exciting!

Link to Tassie's Blog

I have duly awarded 5 other bloggers as follows:

Here are the rules: 1) Write a post with links to 5 blogs you find of interest and that inspire you. 2) Acknowledge the post of the award giver. 3) Display the logo "You Make My Day" 4) Tell the award winners that they have won by commenting on their blogs with the news.


So I am going to give this award to the following bloggers:


1. Deanne who as well as being inspirational is auctioning a special bag for a very special little girl who is very ill (see number 5 also) http://deezkatz.blogspot.com/


2. Joanne "Bubbles" http://bubbles72blog.blogspot.com/


3. Anice who is now famous and known as Funkyhand http://www.funkyhand.blogspot.com/


4. Cheryl - Mum on the Run http://mum-on-the-run.blogspot.com/


5. And last but definately not least, the most inspiration woman I have come across and her amazing little girl Ellie: Kirstie Whiteman: http://limegreenbogiegirl.blogspot.com/

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!