WOYWW .... wk 21

Twenty-one Today ...... no ... not me .... it's WOYWW ... the meeting place of like minds,sharing the honest love of crafting and ....... the joy of being down right nosey. Thank you JD.xx

Yesterday I finally received my wonderful Snowman from Greenpixey ....thank you very much ...and thanks Mr PO for making me wait so long.
He is even more gorgeous in real life.

Saturday was DD crop ... it seemed quiet as there were only about 14 of us but I tried to make up for it ... as I spent most of my time nattering ... I think I drive everyone crazy who wants to quietly scrap. I managed to almost finish my 2/3 LO's (ones sort of a DLO) and I completed them yesterday ... not much for six hours ...but I enjoyed the social interaction.
Why do you out there, go to Crops ...that's if you do ?

I shall put my LO's up later in the week. I toyed with the DLO for so long as I couldn't get the photos to sit right ...put it away for a week ... took it to the crop and put them down where I was going to in the first place ... 2 weeks earlier ... Grrrrrrrrrr. I think it was DD's idea to raise a couple of them that did the trick . I still feel that mine are too simple but that is how I scrap and I suppose its my sort of style but somehow it still takes me ages to decide on papers, where exactly I want to place the photos and what ...if any ... embellishments I use.

Well now for the working area ... it never did get a proper tidy ... and is its usual mess ...must tidy soon as I must get in to the Xmas card mind set before I do another LO.


Next month is the crop Xmas gathering ...games, classes,raffles,competitions and FOOD. That's my bit ... I try to keep it simple but tasty .... meat platter ...cheese board ...veggy platter ... salads ... sausage rolls etc etc... and a few of the members bring the sweet part .... I wonder what it will be this year ! I must start to think about the shopping list soon!!!!

Take Care xx

Wk 20 ..... WOYWW ... minus photo

I am glad to say that Emma is on the mend ...still feeling drained but coping and there was no call for help needed. Thank you for all your good wishes for her speedy recovery ....still no idea what she had though ... some sort of nasty throat virus we think.

This is my 100th post since I started blogging ... sort of a cheat as it includes both blogs, so I'm not celebrating until this blog reaches the magic number ... on its own.

I'm sorry there is no photo this week but my camera is not at hand !!!! ... can't blame the cats this time ... or can I ?? I have probably buried it while trying to do some housework ... how I hate that word ... why does the boring part of life get in the way of the enjoyable fun part. Sometimes the call of the cleaning paraphernalia is so strong I have to answer them and do some cleaning and tidying... don't want then to feel unloved ... couldn't cope with a depressed hoover or a sulky mop ... mind you it has not extended to the craft area. It looks just like it did last week, except those bits that were strew across the mat are all in a 12x12 bag... so NO need for a photo anyway.
I really could not get it all to gel so gave up. I then turned my thoughts to another LO .... yes I know that it was meant to be the last before I attacked Xmas cards but once the cogs actually start to whirl slowly, there was no way I could ignore them. I have put them both away for a few days ... hoping that when I go to my DD crop on Saturday, I can get them done ...well I have to take something and appear to be creative ...cant just natter. Maybe I will take a few card bits too ...in case I'm inspired.

I have been doing quite a bit of my own FH again ... so exciting when one gets a lead and then I find a family of 13 children ... births 1766 to 1788 in Fife. Four died in child hood ... this I know as the name of each was reused for the next of that sex to be born. This usually means the name is one that is to be passed down ... but if it is out side the naming pattern, it is also important to the family. The first two to be born were twin boys ... twins just seem to keep popping up .... wish there were pictures of these people. I now need to find out what was happening around this time to get a feel for things. I know that 1766 saw the final departure of Bonny Prince Charlie from the shores of Scotland ... saw a documentary on him and how he let his followers down ... wish I had recorded it as it also helped to explain some of the animosity between the English and the Scots.

Sorry about no photo ... just look at last weeks and it will be as though there was one lol

Take care xx

WOYWW ??????????.. ... wk19

Yes I actually do know its not Wednesday ... I have had a strange last few days.
DS's partner Emma has been really ill and he has had to take time off to look after her and the boys. (His work is not happy ... but what could he do) He was so worried that he phoned to ask if I could get there, at a moments notice day or night, in case she was rushed in to hospital. I said I would come over to help anyway but they are so independent ..they like to stand on their own two feet and not have an extra two to worry about or trip over!! .... and they don't want to pass anything on if they can help it.
I now have an emergency bag packed with the cab fare for a 40 mile+ journey ... if called at night ... as none of us over this end drive and don't feel I can wake up either of our nice neighbours. One is 80+ and the other has two little girls.
I do not think a night time dash is going to be needed now as I feel she has turned the corner but I am glad they know I am ready and willing to do it. I think I shall keep the bag packed though... just in case they need me...in the future.

To take my mind off things I tried to scrap the final heritage DLO ... before concentrating on Xmas cards ...brain not functioning at all ...seemed so simple in my head but now it is just NOT working for me. By the way I didn't tidy ...took your advice and moved a few bits. However I will HAVE to, once I have sorted this LO, as I will need a fresh start and a Christmas head on, ready for the manufacture of cards.

I then turned my thoughts to Family History ... I am working back on my Scottish roots ... trying to make up for what I lost in 2002 when my unbacked up computer ...yes you read it correctly and yes I can hear the cries of 'IDIOT' ... crashed completely and I lost everything. I am not sure I will ever retrace it all but who knows. I am working on the main trunk and a few branches and twigs as they surface. Well ... on Wednesday morning I found a clue and following it up I uncovered a branch of the family from way back. Many would not bother it as it was from my Great Grandmother's older sister but I became like a Terrier with a fresh bone and cannot leave it.
Then I found another sister with her son in 1901 but when I journeyed back through the other census' there was nothing !!!! and suddenly the day and most of the evening had gone.
Yes I did move to get food etc but found it very hard to tear myself away for very long ..... I did suffer though, as inactivity .... of anything but eyes and fingers .... not only seized up my back and knees ... but caused my ankle to swell too. Oh the joys of growing old ..... not lol

Well here is my area any way ...with my LO that I'm working on ...not sure of where it is going... not even sure I like the background paper now.!!


Oh yes ...nearly forgot I managed to break my normal glasses ...totally .... no chance of repair. Mind you they were hanging on by a thread and I was overdue for an eye test ...but there are many calls on the funds and I was hoping it would all wait until January/February. I do have a spare reading pair and one set up for my computer but I have never been 100% happy with them ....so I fear I will have to go and get some new ones ....soon ...but the frames will be from the cheap end of the rack this time. lol

Finally here is Buffy towering over me while I try to scrap


She is our oldest now .... 14 years old ... not bad for her age ...she was a Ferrel kitten that DD brought home at about 4 months. All she ate for the first few weeks, were stolen potatoe peelings.


Take Care xx

An Award

I am a BAD blogger ....why you may ask ...or maybe you don't. The reason is I do not always follow through with awards. The main reason is that I am a dunce when it comes to certain things on the computer and Links are the bain of my life. No matter how many times I am shown I forget. I have 3 awards pending .... one from my daughter, one from Samantha and one from Joceyln. DD says 'don't worry about it' so she keeps going to the bottom of the list so I am going to sort Samantha's out to day as I have someone here that does links lol

It is in fives ... Just fulfill the normal courtesies of contacting the giver and 5 recipients .... then list 5 things you are addicted to ...easy really but if you don't have the time ....or cant do links ...I really understand ...just accept the award which is sent with love.

My Five (main) Addictions
1. Strawberry Tarts .... have to have one if I pass a bakers.
2. Shopping for bargains ... especially food ones.
3. TV Soaps .... getting better over the past year ...used to be following 7 ...now only 3
4 Family History ... if I get a clue I sit glued to the computed trying to make deductions from what I can find ...a whole day can disappear
5. Stash for Scrapping ...cannot have enough ...only the lack of funds is slowing down my acquisitions to birthdays and Xmas.

I award this to the following people:
Jocelyn
Linda E
Kaz
Sue H
Julie

The Award will show on G the P sidebar as I think that is what it was awarded for ....again I send a huge thank you to Samantha and a grovelling sorry for the delay .

Take Care xx

PS Should have had X-Factor as one of my addictions lol

IIWA Wk 18 ... WOYWW

To paraphrase ...if that is the correct word ... a great Bard ......

To tidy .... or not to tidy? ... That is the question.
Whether it is braver to face the scorn ...
Of those amongst us who are sickeningly tidy ...
Or to make efforts to remove the mess before the shot
and by doing so ... cheat.

This time you have my table in ALL its glory ...and it also shows what an untidy person I am.
Remember ... I finished those last two LO's on Sunday ...and its now WOYWW. All I have done since, is ponder on a DLO and pile more bits up. I have to admit that I have reached the point where EVEN I have to tidy before I can continue.



I am going to be strong and not just clear a corner ...well that's my intention ... but if ideas come to mind as I tidy ... as often they do ... I might just have to stop and pander to my creativity lol ...well that will be my excuse.


Take care xx

A Thank you to all .......... and LO's too

I would like to say thank you to everyone who stops to read my blog and an even bigger thank you to those who stop and comment ...and even share their lives, sorrows and advice with me. I think I may well follow up on the advice about bank charges ... thanks everyone ... and to Carmen for the link.
Lastly ...thanks for inspiration too .... Linda E often has kind words to say about my LO's and says she doesn't do scrapping ...only cards ... and things ... and altered bits. Well ..... I was musing over two of her cards and was trying to work out why she felt she was not inspired to scrap when I was, from looking at her cards ????

Here are my new LO's ... FH again and so the story will be on G the P.

This was inspired by Linda's pink heart Anniversary cardI added the trim as it reminded me of a nurses belt buckle and a gem for a little bling. You can see I'm into Rub-ons at the moment.
This will sit on the opposite page and is inspired by Linda's Under Weather card
I used T.H Distress ink in old lipstick to ink the edges of the flower, which is two attached together by an extravagant brad. I'm off now to sort out my post for G the P ... Linda I hope you like what I did with your inspiration.

Take Care xx

Firstly A rant .... and then Fairy Hammocks

Can I have a rant first and then maybe I shall be able to enjoy writing the rest of this post?

Two words ….Bank Charges.

In this time when most are feeling the pain of loosing jobs or, in my case, previously spending too much on plastic and using the over draft to its limit …I find that the banks are squeezing every last penny they can, out of us. I know it was my fault that I spent too much …I didn’t have to, but it was the bank that upped and upped my limits and “I’m just a girl who can’t say no” lol. I wouldn’t have asked for more but when its just handed to you on a plate …for being a good customer and paying on time, well ………!?

What happened was, I wrote a cheque and I was £3 short when it was cashed at the other end …I transferred some money the following morning and hoped I might get away with it but at least my direct debits would be covered …due out that day. I checked the account a few days later and everything seemed fine …only that one blip. How stupid am I ???? I received a letter saying that …in total …I am being charged £140 for the privilege of going over by £3. I phoned and had it all explained … even though it showed that the transfer had paid the direct debits. …because the money had not been there the night before and I was over drawn at that moment …it was counted as though there was no money!!!!!!! After a long conversation about keeping a better track on things by checking daily on the net, he said …as a one off … and as I had never asked before …he could cancel the charges for the two I was angriest about (not his actual words lol) …just this once mind … so £70 is not going to be charged and the cost of not keeping track is ONLY £70 …. Yeah. I am so angry with myself as I struggle so hard to save £1 here and 50p there …well ….. enough of all that self-pity.

This morning …quite late …I found that the bush out side the kitchen window was covered in tiny gossamer hammocks. These delicate structures had captured the raindrops as they fell from the clouds over head. I wanted to believe that it was the work of fairies and that they had run for cover before they were able to dismantle their beds or their beautifully beaded curtains. Alas … reality and common sense convinced me that all this beauty had been created by two kinds of industrious spiders. I grabbed the camera ...left a pan of meat ball sauce simmering and ignored the drizzle .... I had to capture the scene.

I love this ...the way the droplets sit like glass beads

Hope you too can see the magic I saw.

I finally finished the first of the LO's and have almost finished the next ...but I have had some disasters on the way .... like getting ink on the photo and miss spelling things. Thankgoodness the photo was a copy ...I shall replace it later with a new one. I have also been writting up the story behind them so hopefully I will get DD to photograph them, asap, and I will get them on here.

Sorry about the moans ...will try to be cheerful next time.

Take Care xx