Sorted? I don't think so!

Fe hoped Mr Cazzy had sorted my washing machine problem, I thought he had - he said he had.

So I put the washing on, left it, thought it was going a long time but didn't take too much notice and didn't check it when I went to bed.

This morning Mr Cazzy said "the washing machine is still on", took a look and it was still on main wash. Fearing something else had gone wrong, and not looking at the coin trap I got it to rinse and spin and got that lot of washing out. Then noticed there was even more water on the floor, and everything was very soggy. Looked at the coin trap and saw Mr Cazzy didn't have a clue and had it on wrong still.

I tried again, got him to try again, rang Dyson (they are great by the way and there every day, other companies take note - this is great customer service). The lady I spoke to advised me how to do it, and to use washing up liquid if it was a bit hard to turn, so Mr Cazzy did but got it everywhere so now the thing is too slippery to turn and I ended up rinsing it off.

Was imagining an engineer visit where the engineer would come in and easily do this silly task causing much embarassment all round by wimpy Cazzy and Mr Cazzy, but I asked my son if he could have a go and while I was in the shower he managed it - hooray but by then I had realised that the first load hadn't actually washed properly so would have to be done again, and then all the soggy stuff.

Then realised that Mr Cazzy had taken the dirty sheet pile as being clean and put it back on the bed, so he had to strip the bed again. He did manage to save a bit of face by getting the washing line to stay up, it is faulty and won't stay up on the first two notches, I can't get it any higher. So at least the washing is on the line. Now where is the invoice for the line? It has a 5 year warranty, surely we haven't had it 5 years, maybe Lakeland will have it on record.

We had planned to go out today, but I said no chance with all this soggy washing to sort out, and the water had seeped under the wall and soaked the hall carpet, and I have just used the carpet shampooer to suck up nearly a full tank of dirty water - I am imagining all sorts of damage to the adjoining laminate floor in my craft room now.

FLOOD - HELP

Oh all right, big puddle then!

How did this occur you may ask - well it is like this:

Got up late, the menfolk had gone hunting and gathering early to South Wales so I went back to sleep. Got up, had breakfast, got online to see if won BIA (see below) didn't win BIA, chatted to other son on MSN, then thought I better get showered and dressed by which time it was midday.

Dragged the washing basket down to begin washing, filled the washing machine but then decided I wanted to empty the coin trap first.

The reason? When in Torquay a couple of weeks or so ago I bought a swimming costume with a detachable strap. Hadn't swum for years and my old cossie was at home and probably a wee bit too small. So treated myself to stylish tummy flattening one that I liked. I used it once in the hotel swimming pool, got home and the strap was missing! I rang the hotel - twice. They didn't have it. Searched the car 4 times, nothing. Searched all the bags, in the legs of trousers washed etc, nothing.

So off to M&S to enquire if I could get a replacement strap for my now useless £25 cossie, asked on lingerie, they said we have bra staps that might do but they aren't waterproof, go ask on fashion they are bound to have some that have become separated from cossies.

Asked the girl on fashion, no we don't have any you would be better asking lingerie! Explained I had, and asked if I could order a spare strap. Girl said we can only order what we sell and we don't sell spare straps, try a sports shop.

So back to lingerie where they found me some fetching clear plastic straps that might do and gave them to me free.

The point of this story is that I then became convinced I DID have the strap when we got home and had put it in the washing machine which must have eaten it, and the coin trap door was looking suspiciously black.

Now I went off to the kitchen to get a screwdriver to open the coin trap, got distracted and started brushing the floor, then decided I should eat something so cooked so rice pasta. Did I get the screwdriver, no ended up on computer again, then back to kitchen, but an hour later I got the screwdrivers and began trying to get the coin trap door off.

My washing machine is a Dyson, and is brilliant but the coin trap is not easy to get off, and I lost the special tool long ago but Dyson told me a spoon handle would do - having tried that before and ending up with bent spoons I went for the screwdriver option. First you have to get the little centre bit to come out so the water inside drains off slowly, did that. Then you have to somehow lift a catch that allows the door to be unscrewed and that proved to be very difficult. Finally I got the door off and I found:

• One large black button
• One part of a black cable clip
• Two pound coins
• Some yukky grey stuff
• A waterproof plaster

So still no strap, and after getting the door back on and starting the machine I went to make a cup of peppermint tea. Something told me to check the machine and the floor is soaking, and all the dirty clothes, and the machine is flashing up a warning message about a problem with the water coming in! I don't think I have screwed the coin trap door back on enough but I can't budge it any more so will have to wait for a strong man to arrive home! Also if I ever get the washing done my rotary line won't stay up so I have to hang it in the conservatory!

BIA story. I made an offer on a slightly used BIA, which was being listed on Ebay for the second time, seller made a counter offer which I really should have accepted but sadly when I went to do so it had expired, so stupidly I put in another best offer for £2 less than the seller's offer, but £6 more than my original and heard nothing, then the item expired unsold.
I expected the seller to contact me and offer again, as I had sent a message, but nothing.
Next thing I know the seller relisted at 99p and straight away had offers going up to £51. I thought it ended yesterday and put in an offer £2 higher than the offer the seller made to me, having worked out it was well worth it but I just missed the end, and got outbid by £2.
I am not that bothered as I know I can get all of it brand new for £10 more than I offered with postage, and if it went for £2 more than than I would have had to offer more again, so apart from the wire cutters which I don't need I can get the BIA, bag, bar, three sets or 4 of wires all for £81 with free postage, which I may well do!

Blue blooms

I recently bought some Coordinations Black Magic card and I have wanted to try this for ages. I ran the card with a blue back through the Big Shot with a Cuttlebug embossing folder then sanded the raised parts to reveal the blue beneath. I have mounted it on blue card, then a black blank, punched it with a Martha Steward Lattice Arch punch, added ribbon, three blooms and 6 brads as per the ABC challenge blog list. Greeting embossed in clear ink (Papermania Stamp set from the Daisy and Dandelion range), and some pastel blue embossing powder.

Gorgeous thank you card from Bev

Thank you Bev.

Bev, Loopyloo on Crafts Beautiful forum, recently won the blog candy of red and black ribbons I was giving away. She sent me this gorgeous card made from some of the ribbon she won, isn't it wonderful!

Toodles and Binks blog candy

Hop on over to Toodles and Binks blog for a chance to win blog candy, but you need to do it tonight!

K is for keep it simple

On the ABC challenge blog that is. So I set about making a couple of cards using a stamp, one colour of ink, three colours of card and a peel off - simple.

I don't often do peel offs nowadays but that was the simplest thing to do.
The second card has the flower stamped twice on the panel and the second one cut out and layered on the first, this was to hide a smudge and to vary the design. The same stamp was used all over the card blank before creasing and folding.

I have actually posted the candy to the winners today at last. I had today off and chose the worst possible time to drive to the Post Office as the schools were all emptying for the day. Ah well it is done, I also had to pick up some supplies because my son decided that I could cook him a pie from his childhood but I cooked the wrong one apparently. I can't remember the other one, but it was finished off despite that.
I too have won blog candy from Donna (see blog candy section for link) and I am not sure what I am getting, but thanks for picking me out Donna.

...and the winner is.....

Esme! Congratulations Esme the crafting vet you have won the first of the second little candy prizes. I will post both yours and Dawn's prizes off soon, had to reprint Dawn's address as I know I did it but cannot find it anywhere.

I am off to Shepton Mallet Show this afternoon, with Mum! I am driving and not sure how I will get on as it is a bit further than my legs feel comfortable with normally so I may have call for rescuers to come get us and drive my car back, unless Mum fancies driving my car (very slowly and carefully).

So I might just spend some more dosh on more stash, seems rude not to really. Will be posting more candy soon.

Cooeee I'm back!

Only one more day to enter the blog candy below, and so far I have drawn Dawn from the followers to win the second candy, now I am back I will get that posted off to Dawn.

Holiday was nice, the weather was fab. It was a little ruined at the beginning by my developing a big spot right in the middle of my nose, it was so painful and I felt everyone was staring and I looked like a rhinoceros! I spent days slapping on the spot stuff in an effort to cover it up and maybe get rid, but eventually it sort of subsided, is still there as a big spot but at least the pain has gone and my whole nose was red but is back to normal, sorry if this is too much information.

We got to Torquay after dropping into the Donkey Sanctuary for lunch and to see a few donkeys, and after a rest in the hotel we went to the theatre to see Sylvia, which was really funny and was about an adopted dog causing marital strife in New York but the dog was played by a girl.

Then we went for an Indian meal in Bombay Express which is a beautifully decorated restuarant that does great food.

I got hold of two free cinema tickets to State of Play on Sunday morning in Paignton, and it was a really gripping movie, well anything with Dame Helen Mirran is bound to be good, and she plays a hard newspaper editor in this story of intrique which thrills right the way through.

Then we bought a few things to have a "picnic" in the hotel room. We later ate at a Chinese restaurant in Torquay that was recommended to us by the hotel and which we would probably never have found otherwise though it was in the eating guide booklet.

Yesterday we visited Trago Mills, and I bought "cough" a few little bits though I hadn't thought I wanted anything. I bought two packs of pick and mix card, two packs of Black Magic card (expensive but I figured it was probably cheaper than anywhere else and I have wanted to try it for ages), couple of paint brushes, a wheel of gems, a card of gems, two packs of felt borders, and I bought one of the Daisy and Dandelion sets - Pickles the elephant.

I really wanted some of the others as they were £3.79 a set, but there were none out. I asked the lady who was restocking the shelves, there wasn't much there really, but she had a trolley full of boxes, more in the warehouse and said the pickles stamps were in the first box but she had no idea when she would get to the rest. I hung around and checked back a couple of times but no joy sadly.

I also bought a glass cutting mat, people are raving about these and it was just over £6 so I thought I would try it.

To compensate for not getting the stamp sets I wanted I bought a Papermania one with dotty flowers, I can't remember if I have it already though.

On the way back we were going to pop in the very big Asda in Newton Abbot, but when we found you had to pay to park and £1 for an hour we didn't bother, but went to the big M&S on the way back to Torquay (which is next to the big Sainsburys, what heaven) and as well as our lunch we spent £100 on clothes as I hadn't expected the weather to really be as warm and my jeans and new sweatshirts were a tad warm, and I packed an awful skirt I bought from Sainsburys which seems to have streched rediculously and I think will be going back - I had to hold it up with a belt and with the two badly chosen T shirts I felt I looked like a refugee from the jumble sale - so after spending I felt a lot better in my cotton cargo pants and new tops. The only problem was that I picked up another pair in a different colour and they were too tight! I took them back today and tried on another pair, and two other colours and only the light green fitted.

I also bought a swimming cossie and actually went for a swim in the hotel swimming pool this morning though I nearly didn't as it has been a long time and I was really nervous.

Yesterday evening we visited Brixton and No 15 restaurant, which serves really great fish and steak dishes as well as rack of lamb, and I think vegetarian options. It is very small and therefore worth booking. As you walk up the stairs to the restaurant you pass the kitchen and can see cooking in progress.

I was tempted by the soup of the day but really didn't think I could manage that as well.

We had been planning to stay tonight too, and revisit Trago for a few things, but some things cropped up so we couldn't really stay.

We did visit the donkeys again and had lunch in the restaurant there, they do a great jacket potato with chedder cheese, huge meal each and pot of tea each for £13 total. We cuddled a few more donkeys, but no loose change this time as we delivered it the first time, then back home.

Desert Island 40th (C4 size card)

One of my work colleages was 40, she was going to a tropical island to celebrate with her partner, and leaving her son with her parents.

This is a big card at C4 finished size, the die cut palm tree is Accucut and is a big die, the sign is Sizzix as is the sun, cloud and the 40. I used glitter card for the sand, vellum for the waves, brass charm boats, fish eyelets, and ribbon for the towel, buttons and some Dove Craft flip flops.

Appropriate as we are off to Torquay, will it look like this tomorrow?

Don't forget to enter my blog candy while I am away.

Blog candy winner - followers draw

I printed off the list with photos of all 22 followers at the time of posting about the candy, and I cut them up into strips. They were folded and popped in a handy tub. Did you know you can even find out when a follower joined in this view?

Then I shut my eyes and picked, just peeking so I could take the photo - no other volunteers still up tonight I'm afraid!

and the winner is........dum diddy dum dum dum......

The lovely Dawn!

Which is good because I won candy from Dawn ages ago, so now she gets some back.

Now I have to tell you that I am going away to the seaside Saturday, won't be back until Tuesday or Wednesday evening depending how we get on, so if you enter my other candy draw your comments won't appear until I get back.

Now I just need Dawn to confirm that she would like this candy (see the candy post for what it is - NOT THE BIG SHOT), if not I will draw again. If yes I need your address Dawn, you can post it as a comment and I won't publish it. (I'm sorry I did have it but no idea where).

Eeek, quickie candy alert

Lorraine over at Craft Coo is offering a surprise quickie candy but you have to comment by midnight tonight - it is Easter Monday candy!

2nd little blog candy times two - NOW CLOSED

Now closed, you will not be able to add comments.

Here at last is my second little blog candy. There are two candys on offer, the first is for anyone but you must:

1. be a crafter,

2, post a link on your blog or spread the word on a forum and tell me which forum and your forum name,

3. show me something you have made using something shiny, foil, paper, card, embossing, glitter etc.

Candy 1 for anyone to enter is by Glue Dots and is doublesided sticky motif packs with some foil and flock. I really don't use these and have acquired a lot of them so they need to go to a good home.

Candy 2 is same sort of thing but by LP Creative and is for my existing followers only (to say thank you for following me), no new followers will be included in this draw (though any who join before the next followers only draw would be included in any later follower's draws).

Candy 1 - you have until Wednesday 22nd April to do all of the above to be entered in the draw.

Candy 2 - I will draw this in the next day or two and contact the winner.

Happy Easter

This is the only Easter card I have managed so far, though I have been making fat pages. This one is for the Penny Black challenge, and I hope I am in time. I decided to try excluding part of the image from the Nestability cut, which wasn't totally sucessful when you look really closely - I need to find that blog with all the instructions on!

I coloured the bunny with Marvy brush markers, he is stamped and heat embossed black, and I wanted the bow to stand out.

The DCWV sentiment went perfectly with the DCWV paper, but sadly the card should have been bigger for me to put it on straight across as I would have liked, so I angled it and added a couple of sticker eggs from the same sticker pad.

I hope you all have a happy Easter break.

Magical birthday card

This was the card that I made for my Father's birthday to go with all the Harry Potter books that I gave him.
The stamp is by Stamptivity, the words are by Rubbadubbadoo.

Beautiful 2

I added some gems to this card, I thought it needed a little bling but I couldn't add them before because they weren't in the recipe!

Blog candy winner

Here are the blog candy candidates:

Bev
Flee
Kristina
Wulfwen

Now the draw, drum roll and the judges:

The 4 names are cut and folded and placed in a square on the floor:

And the winner is: BEV who is Loopylou40 on Crafts Beautiful forum.

Sorry, not drawn blog candy

I haven't had time tonight, will try tomorrow peeps and let you know who wins.

PCJ Easter Fat page swap

I can't get on to PCJ it has been down for maintenance for two days, I know that Sadie, Paula and Gaye are in the swap, I have their pages and addresses and mine are ready to go to them. I know Flee is in the swap but I don't have her address, and I can't remember who else. If anyone wants to enlighten me I would be grateful. As I moderate all comments I won't publish any personal info yousend me via comments.

Edited to say I now have CFCs page and address thanks, I think just Flee to go but I could be wrong, Flee - what is your address?

Challenge card for the CB party

I used some papers that Tassy sent me as the background, and some 7 gypsies paper to punch out flowers. Stamped image by Whiff of Joy, two stickers by Crafty club, the word beautiful is on the paper and I sat Melinda on it. I didn't win, but I have a nice card in my stash now.

Me in masquarade mask for Crafts Beautiful online party

You can download the template to make various masks from the Crafts Beautiful download section. Mine is cut from pearlescent lilac card, stamped with Stampendous swirls in Stazon, adorned with gem eyebrows and tears, feathers and tied with sheer ribbon with a bead on each side.