Had me fooled there for a moment...

The sun came out yesterday,  there was blue sky and fluffy white clouds, yet the forecaster insisted that it was going to rain - well she got that wrong.  It stayed fine all day,  then came morning and... yep grey clouds, windy, cold...  so back to normal. 

The weather put me off doing anything, or going anywhere.  Was half contemplating paying a visit to Cardcraftplus in Preston,  but I knew that if I went there I'd end up spending far too much money.   So stayed put and did some crafting.  I have been trying to get into the Xmas card mood, but it isn't really happening.   I managed about 4 cards, none of which I'm that happy with,  think I need something to inspire me.   Think I'll do some scrapbooking tomorrow,  see how that shapes up.  Also have an odd urge to make jewelry,  which is odd since I am not a jewelry type person,  well aside from my rings and chain, but I don't go for dangly stuff or anything OTT.  We'll see.  

Think I am in one of my half here and half somewhere else moods,  not sure where I want to be or what I want to do.  Itchy feet syndrome. 

I did enjoy making the card above,  my kinda card,  totally daft and irreverent.   I love using my promarkers,  can't see me going back to my brush markers at all.   Now there's a thought, got a few Xmas stamps that would really benefit from the promarker treatment. 

Have a lovely bank holiday.

More grey stuff, will it ever go away?

Just one grey day after another,  yesterday and today have at least been dry.  Should have had my pre op on Tuesday, but the letter never arrived, then the secretary failed to ring me back to say she'd rebooked it for 1.30, she got back to me at 3pm,  poor love really had had a bad day.  She apologised profusely for all the cock ups.   So it is now organised for next Tuesday,  dunno why they need to all the stuff again,  just need the mrsa swabs taking.   Oh well, just over a week to go!  

For some reason my craft juices have returned,  had a very crafty few days.  Tho yesterday I decided to sort out the garden,  plants were looking very tatty and just about at the end.    So picked up some winter pansies,  just need something else to go in the other planter.  It was also craft day on QVC,  but nothing took my fancy,  either too twee or too fancy.  Did like the toppers in the TSV, but not the card stock,  I like my white or cream cards.   But did stick it out till the end.   CnC continue to bug me with endless CDs...  and the nice person but very annoying presenter is back!  Drives me nuts,  she just has a very irritating voice. 

Need to be really organised next week,  got to get as much done as I can in flat,  and sort out shopping,  after that it will be online shopping for a few weeks.  Which is fine, except that mum's bloody walker is half blocking the front door,  I curse the day my sister convinced mum to buy it, the other one she had was fine,  and it tucked neatly away.   Can't expect poor delivery chap to move that first before bringing in shopping. 

The pic:  FF topper,  used one of the concertina cards,  used a backing paper that came with a magazine,   took all of 15 minutes!   10 minutes of that spent choosing the topper.   Do like these concertina cards, and hadn't realised how many you got,  50!  Really good cardstock as well,  along with the scalloped die cuts.  One of my better buys,  still wondering whether to drive up to Cardcraft plus, need some collal glue,  and with the Xmas cards coming up I'll be needing a few tubes of it.   But if I go then there is the temptation to buy other stuff....   decisions, decisions. 

All for now, thanks for dropping by

Gone shopping

Decided I needed a treat so headed for a craft shop.  My main purpose was to buy a versamark or impress ink pad,   so ended up with: scoreboard, new set of stamps 'Shop til you drop',  two packs of shaped cards, plus stuff for mum.   Loved the stamps,  I do like funny cards,  and it is only recently that there have been some funny toppers/stamps etc.   I must remember to go check to see if there is an Xmas set of the Ethel and Murray stamps, I think they are hilarious. 

So having indulged myself I then had a crafty afternoon,   knocked off 3 cards in quick succession.... my kinda crafting!    I don't mind the complicated stuff if I am in the mood,   but don't like terribly fancy cards either.   A lot of the stuff on CnC is lost on me,  I find it overly ornate,  or as if they felt challenged to use as much stash as they possibly could.     You are hardly going to sit there and churn out the sort of cards you see on CnC,  not if you're trying to sell them, not very cost effective.   The presenter I also find most annoying is back to annoy me,  I'm sure that they are a very nice person,  it is just I can't stand their patronising presenting manner...    You'd think they were addressing an audience of toddlers.  

Also popped into my old workplace,   just in time to see former Saturday kid, as we knew them, before she headed home, she'd just got back from the USA.   I'm glad she managed her trip, there had been some doubt that she could go, she was looking for a work placement.   So caught up on the gossip,   had a nice cuppa,  and passed away an hour or so.   Also foiled the traffic warden by parking in the car park! 

Will be crafting again tomorrow,  not sure what, cardmaking or scrapbooking?   Or possibly both.   Thinking more and more of doing a craft fair...   but not just cards, other stuff as well.   There is one coming up at end of November, so that will me Xmas cards...  joy... NOT!    So I suppose I best get stuck in.   May take my stamp sets and promarkers to hospital, well it will pass a few hours making up toppers. 

A dry day as well,  very muggy this morning,  but it has cooled down  a lot.  It was very warm last night, tough getting to sleep. 

Another week bites the dust

The alarm call this morning was huge rumbles of thunder. It was also horribly clammy,  the dark clouds kept on coming over, but we only had a few small showers after the heavy downpour.   Did think I was going to get a soaking at the supermarket, but the clouds kept on rolling by.   I had my list but still managed to come home minus two items,  nearly left my magazine on the checkout, well I did leave it there, luckily the assistant came after me.  Which I thought was nice of her.   Got petrol and it came to £20.01, the damned PENNY!   I hate that. 

Decided since weather was so iffy to do some crafting, so made a card and a scrapbook page.  Used the Fairy stamp I got a while ago,  coloured it using the promarkers,   just missing a few basic colours like yellows and a few more pinks.  I used a trick I saw on CnC and embossed two lines down the edge of the card,  vertically and horizontally,  just added something to it.   Was also looking for my 'sympathy' set of stamps but they seemed to have done a vanishing act.  A friend's mum has just died, so my intention was to be very good and make my own sympathy card.     I'll post pic of scrap book page tomorrow,  that didn't take me any time at all.  Just one of those pages that seemed to just come together. 

Doing well with my exercise regime,   just want things to ping back to where they are supposed to be, and still trying to build up muscle in my knee.  I'm hoping once I get the new knee I'll be able to go for my beach walks again, it has been 3 years since I set foot on the beach.   I'm really missing it,  even in the winter I enjoyed it.   Early Sunday mornings are my favourite time, there are no yobs about,  very few children,  just dog walkers and joggers.   

It is still horribly clammy, but the clouds have gone and we've got a nice summers evening. 

Enjoy the weekend.

Oh rats...

My printer bit the dust today,  in spite of all my TLC yesterday when I tried it today it just was gobbling up the paper again.    So off to PC World,   they had the entry Kodak printer on offer,  as did Comet, both showed they had them in stock.   There were plenty of other printers on offer, but it is the over priced ink cartridges that put you off.  I spotted a nice Epson, but a colour and B/W cartridge would cost me over £30,  same combo for Kodak came to £17!  Big difference.   The chap was trying to sell me a Lexmark, cos he thought the Kodak model I wanted was out of stock,  sorry but would not have a Lexmark if you gave it to me.  I told salesman that I'd checked on the web and it had said they had the printer in stock, so he checked on his computer, yep, they had plenty!  Think he figured it was better to get that sale than to try and get me to spend any more money.   He said to me: You know what you want don't you?  I nodded.    Had the shelf had the printers I'd have just picked up the box and headed for checkout.    I always go armed with facts, and with roughly what I want from gadget shops,  that way you don't get talked into what you can't afford.    Tho I did drool over the new Lumix....  oooh was tempted.  

Another sunny day!  So got in another walk,  also tried a walking meditation,  it was interesting, but really I needed to be somewhere quieter.    My meditation skills are improving,    it is an odd thing to do, to be at one with yourself but also aware...      I do feel reinvigorated,  a bit more upbeat,  it is definitely the weather, sunshine makes all the difference.  Well that and hearing Andy Murray had won in Toronto,  way to go Andy, high time he won a tournament. 

Tomorrow the forecast is for rain...  but rest of week doesn't look too bad. 

Hooray, summer has come back for the weekend!

Should have know it would after the Met office lot predicted it would be wet till November.   I've actually had to water the plants they were so dry.  Not only have we had sun but the temperature has also gone up a few degrees.   No doubt it will chuck it down tomorrow. 

Had to laugh today, my parking rant at the interlopers who park in our road seems to have worked, several cars have mysteriously been removed, leaving us to actually park in our own road.    I am thinking of asking council to mark out a disabled bay, don't want to as they do take up a lot of space, but if it is the only way I get to park outside my own home then so be it. 

Also having printer trouble, not sure if this printer is on its way out, or is just chucking a tantrum.  I've now reinstalled it,  tho had  huge problems trying to uninstall it.   It now seems to be okay, but print quality is a bit ropey. Just looked to see how much the new kodak printers are,  there is one for 69 quid,  which isn't bad, and the cartridges are much cheaper.  I will give this one a chance, but if things haven't improved in a couple of days then it is off to the recycling centre with it. 

I did get it to print a few things,  two photos and a letter.   So decided to put together my scrap challenge page, not happy with it, think I rushed it a bit, needs a bit more tidying up methinks. 

I did manage to go for a walk yesterday, and was planning one today but mum cut her hand, so she wanted to go to the walk in centre, and it was chock a block.   I had said to her yesterday that if she wanted to go there we'd need to be up early,  of course she didn't get up till gone 9.30, then only told me she wanted to go after 10!   She was still faffing about till I told her to go get dressed.    We were stuck there for over an hour, there were just two nurses on duty, which was ridiculous.   These places are supposed to take the load off the A&E rooms,  but how can they do that when they aren't staffed properly?  

Ooh, just seen forecast for tomorrow  - another sunny day!  

Soggy day, again...

I am SICK of the wet stuff, enough...   send it where it is needed like Russia.   Popped over to corner shop for local rag and got soaked,  well not helped that I am walking at a snail's pace.    Rest of morning remained wet and grey... hardly the stuff to motivate you to do stuff.

Managed to make two cards.  A miracle these days, my mojo has gone MIA,  can't seem to find it.   Saw that the carer's centre is running some crafting classes,   need to do something, they are also doing an art class,  I did enjoy drawing and painting at school,  so might have a go. 

Mum continues to be a worry, last week she was convinced that the TV she had in her bedroom was the one she had bought for dad when he was sick, way back in 1985.  That TV bit the dust many years ago, it took me a while to convince her.  Now her spelling is all over the place.   With other stuff she is right on the ball,  I'm trying to remain patient, but it is hard.    Don't ask about family,  have no idea what any of them are up to, and neither do I care.   It seems to be a common thing, that one member of the family will assume the caring role while the rest absolve themselves of all responsibility.     Someone should do research into it and find out why it happens.  

Watched the match last night,  a miracle, Gerrard actually remembered that he can play football,  we won.  But am baffled at all the fuss about Becks, who cares?   He was an average player,   he is now past it,  we never won anything with him as captain, he used his position to enhance his marketability,   and posed constantly on the pitch before taking free kicks, Ronaldo did the same this year,  only Portugal have dumped him as captain to teach him a lesson.   He is 35, is of no use, was a passenger at the World Cup and was there in hope to be pictured with the world cup, in the vain hope that we'd win it.

Oh I need a cuppa,   thanks for stopping by.

More sogginess

Yes nothing like what is happening else where in the world, but this relentless gloom is depressing.   Mother Nature does screw up somewhat, parts of the world begging for rain and cool weather,  some of us needing blue skies and sunshine.  Will there ever be a happy balance?

My new imagpac stamp is now very happy to take on ink, only took about 5 attempts.   I am getting a very crisp finish from it as well, so most impressed.    Needed to make a card today, but couldn't get my mojo going,  so headed off to a craft shop,  hoping the visit would whet the old craft appetite.    Got a few bits,  sadly not the ink pad I wanted,  had to make do with an inferior make,  will not name it!   And it proved useless, luckily found an Anna Griffin ink pad, that worked fine with home made stamp.   Hoping to make this one, see pic,   okay I like cats!    Got other ideas, but won't be making more till I have an A4 page full of stamps.    Don't want to waste the negative paper that you have to use. 

Did pick up a Do Crafts goody bag, a Christmas edition,  someone had already opened one, so took a peek inside to see what was in it.   Very impressed, lovely papers, some great peel offs,  set of stamps, 4 glitter pots, and a box card set.    I haven't indulged in a Goody bag for a few years,  when I started crafting I'd buy them every month.    Also finally got my silver fimo,  so will have a play with that,  just thinking over the idea of doing a Christmas craft stall in November. 

Just looked outside, got no chance of seeing the meteor shower, very cloudy outside.   Time for a cuppa, and England have just equalised...

Success

Three cheers for me,  managed to successfully produce a stamp using my new kit.   It was pretty straightforward,  or would have been had my printer played along, but it decided it didn't want to print!   Or at least it seemed unhappy with the imagepac software, once I'd loaded the jpegs into word and used that to print everything was fine.      Then I found the stamps needed quite a few inkings before they'd stamp properly,  tho I couldn't find my versa mark stamp,  only the stayzon.  Just need to get a proper timer,  not sure why but it tells you not to use the inbuilt timer on the machine - odd. 

So next task is to make this pic into a stamp!   And got loads of sentiments I want to turn into stamps.  Nope, it won't be going back, it will prove mighty useful.   I do also like how it all packs neatly away into its box, very handy.

We've even had two days of decent weather!   Can't call it wall to wall sunshine, but it has been dry and the sun has appeared from time to time.  It is of course nothing to what is happening in Pakistan,  the aid workers are facing an impossible task with all the roads and bridges damaged, but then you wonder how the journalists always get thru?  

Now off to enjoy a lovely glass of rose wine. 

Blah, blah, blah

Humph, a week with my sister and suddenly mum wants fancy cooking!  She has no chance...   I hate cooking as much as she does.    So tonight managed a nice steak in pepper and mushroom sauce, steamed veg and chips.    She looked at plate and said there was too much on it,  but she somehow managed to polish off the lot. 

Went on a hunt yesterday for a new craft table, old one was beyond all hope, had bought a cheap replacement but it was useless.   Saw what I liked in Argos,  knew I could check and reserve item, but didn't bother, so two fruitless journeys.  So today I did what I should have done, looked at their online site and found one in stock in a local store, so reserved it.   Much better than old one,  far more sturdy for a start.    It easily takes my giant craft mat,  and fits nicely next to computer desk.   So I am fit to go crafting...  think the mojo has returned,  ordered a kit from QVC, you can make your own stamps with it,  only got it cos it was on easy pay.   Still not sure about it, but I have 30 days to play with it, so I will and see what happens. 

Feel more up now,  I am definitely still suffering from PMT,  have been keeping an eye on the calendar, and sure enough the PMT is happening at same time.   I even had what felt like a period pain the other night.   Might go back to primrose evening oil,  well it can't hurt. 

The other thing that is driving me nuts is the freeview... it is badly affected by atmosphere, plus our aerial seems to have slipped a bit, got man coming tomorrow to sort it out.  I can only get BBC at the moment on my TV,  primary TV is okay, tho it pixelates all the time.    Beginning to wonder if digital TV is all it is cracked up to be!    Will see what happens tomorrow, up until last few weeks it has been okay, it was ropey when they started the final bit of the switch over.   But we now have no choice,  it is digital or nothing. 

As for new coalition lot,  I am renaming Cameron, Mr Gaffe, if a man can stick his foot in it, he will.   He is a prat,  fails to put brain in gear before opening mouth.   I didn't want this idiot in charge of my country,  roll on an election, get shot of both of the idiots.