NEW YEAR'S EVE

Good grief it's New Year's Eve. Tomorrow will be 2008. How strange that looks. I am sitting here thinking of all the new things I have done this year and achieved. I am feeling quite pleased with myself actually, although I did tell myself that I would let D and E know name of my Blog on 1st January..one day to go.

GETTING FORGETFUL!

What was it I was going to say? Only joking...

In all the build up and present giving and receiving and then putting all my piccies up here, I completely forgot to mention that on Christmas Day, just when A switched the ring on the cooker,

BANG,

electric off, R and S were there so he went to flip the trip switch (!) all back, on goes the ring again,

BANG.

Bugger, off it all went again. Cooker pulled out, hubby checks the bit behind and finds the wonderful electrician who re-wired the flat, had left a wire hanging loose and a screw not even tightened up. All sorted, back to the veggies,

BANG.

Bloody hell now what. Well between Hubby and R it was decided not to use the front ring. Switch was duly thrown again (!) and another ring chosen for the veggies..........................

silence

YES. It worked, veggies duly got cooked but meantime the poor turkey in the oven was cooked to....hmmmm................the Sahara desert comes to mind. BUT, we ate it cos it was such a shame. Few tears from A, but she soon got over it. The Christmas pudding was yummy.

An eventful dinner was had by all, because S and R had left a loaf cooking in their new bread maker machine, I dread to think what it looked like when it come out, because they had to go up to Cemetery when they left us to see Bren.

After all the festivities have gone, A has to ring the Council to inform them they employed a load of eejits to rewire the flat and that it now needs for someone to come back and sort it...properly this time.

This you have to understand is a much edited version of what hubby has said to tell the Council!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PURPLE POSTCARDS - CONTINUED...

This is the purple one I kept as my part of the swap, you can obviously see why.. after I had finished sewing the fabric part, it had shifted on the voile, grrrr, unable to straighten it as I hadn't allowed any extra fabric. Lesson learned there... Plus some of the beads started to unravel, I fixed that with PVA but was cross nevertheless.. so this one is mine.

PURPLE POSTCARDS

These are the cards I made for a swap I am in. They finished a bit TOO purple so I had to sew on some beads and gold stars. That was much better, they now look pretty good. I think! These are the cards I sent...

POSTCARDS #2

Phew, I am going to be busy for the next few days (weeks ?) I have entered my name to a few swaps ...

• Another 1 - 2 - 1
• Pick-a-word ... I chose Hat ....!!!!
• My interpretation of Birds in Winter ... this is ATC size
• January Mingle ... my interpretation of January
• February Mingle ... as above but February

These are in addition to the two swap Groups I am already in of course!!!

Oh, what the heck, I had lots of threads for Christmas and S bought me lots of supplies for my postcards so I've GOT to keep making them. Someone, somewhere, will want a card ... won't they?

I've also set the Theme for the monthly challenge for January on one site ... KEY ... I hope some of the ladies will enter it, I would, but I can't, as I set the Theme, not allowed.

I have finished my 'Purple' themed cards, they are ready for message then posting. Will scan them into computer tomorrow and whack them here. It was nice to get back to my sewing tonight. Seemed ages since I had done any.

POSTCARDS

Postcard received from Ann in France and mine sent to her for the 1 - 2 - 1 swap we were in.

Ann's is the tree - mine the snowmen.

AND MORE... ...

I also got these two fabulous books...

Four bottles of wine AND

a Poinsettia

CHECK OUT MY SLIDE SHOW

 

ALL THAT FUSS... ...

All that fuss and it's over in a few days, well, one to be exact.

Back to normal in this household, Hubby gone off to work so I have the day to myself, well, until 3 o/clock-ish when he is home again.

So how have I spent my time?

I have checked my Swap sites and found I have a new card to make as one of the swaps has gone to file. I am to make two and a half inch by 3 and half inch cards [!!!], five of them, the theme is birds in winter! Hmmmm, now why did I sign up for that one, what the heck am I going to do for that? Birds Janet. That's what. Will put pik up when I have them done.

I have a few things to catch up with actually, the 5 purple cards and the 1-2-1 swap card I received I must put pik here for you to see. Ha ha ha, WHO to see.

Di, if you are reading this yet, sorry again I didn't let you know about my blog, wanted to get used to it first.

ANYWAY, for Christmas, I got, ohhhh lots of lovely things, threads and fabrics and books and a digi camera, bear, bath stuff, chocolate, Robbie calendars, kitchen calendar, green nail polish, I am gonna try to scan them.......

LOOK WHAT I RECEIVED

I received this wonderful card from my friend Elaine who lives in America. Thank you so much Elaine, what a wonderful surprise, lol.

GOSH

Gosh is the word.

Well my cards have started arriving and it seems they like them, yesss, particularly if I have put a little bit of history on the back, which I must admit I didn't do on all of them, as all that writing really made my wrist ache.

BUT..... then you see, because I mentioned that on the swap site, one of the girls posted a copy of a print out postcard backing I can use, so I can actually type my message, then print it onto fabric, and hey presto.... How neat is that?

I am going to give it a go first to see if I understand the instructions properly, no good typing loads then it not printing right!!

So for me, this was definitely the right thing to do, join a swap....or two.

I have now got to go back and re-read my messages as I don't want to repeat myself here and look a complete wally!!

I have NEWS.......

LEARN

Right, there is nothing I can do about the infamous 'regional' cards so they will be posted. I just can't waste all that work, time and effort. I have posted an apology on the swap site so may get kicked off when they start receiving my cards.

Lesson learned?

Not quite sure what lesson, but at the back of my mind there is something kicking around there.

It's probably a huge placard saying...

MOVE!

ANOTHER ONE...

And here is another!!!

A CARD...

This is one of the cards

I HATE NORTHAMPTON

Well, I feel really let down by Northampton. Reason? One of the swaps I am in has asked for the cards to be Regional!
So there you have it.
Regional!
Northampton!
There is absolutely NOTHING here.
Nothing to sing about.
AND
NOTHING to put on a postcard.

I went to town and collected what I thought would be good for the cards... leaflets of 78 Derngate, Balloon Festival and Shoe Museum. Printed them all onto fabrics and made all the cards.
Ho-hum don't look too bad!!

Anyway sent off first 6. Yep SIX. Have actually made ALL the rest too...
Been looking at the site and the cards the OTHERS are sending are sounding pretty gorgeous, there are two girls who have BEARS for goodness sake outside their doors. DON'T, just don't ask what's outside mine.

Bit fed up to say the least.

HOW WIERD

Just been looking at previous posts and have noticed one of my charity cards has sneaked onto the slide show. Please don't ask how, I have NO IDEA. The gremlins are playing havoc with me today.

NEVER ENOUGH TIME

I just cannot believe we are already here in December. Where has this year gone. I was going to do so much and feel I have achieved nothing. Oh well, not really nothing as I now have a Blog and am in 3 swaps.

Just posting a few pictures, 3 more cards for Charity, 2 for swap I am in and a Christmas Tree for a competition that is a non-starter as I seem to be the only one entering.

MUST BE CANCELLED..............................................................

POSTCARDS FOR CHARITY

These will wing their way to American when 3 more are finished. They sell them for $25 each for a Children's Charity. Had great fun making these.

TRYING AGAIN

Both these pictures are A4 size.....sooo...
Why does the top one look bigger?

Hmmm, I loaded these two pictures before, but something was wrong as you couldn't zoom in on them, so I am trying again, with the hope, this time, it will be right.

In the hope that it will be, they are pictures of two A4 size quilts, made just for fun, and I am very pleased with the way they turned out.

CHESHIRE CAT

I am grinning like a Cheshire cat as I have finished - yes finished - the Penguins. I have to say I am very pleased with how they have turned out. I have 'crystalled' them on top of the star quilting I did, and in the right light you can see them shine. Very satisfactory.

I have also finished the 24 gift bags

AND

50 Tree pocket decs

AND

5 Gift envelopes plus two extra done tonight using silk

AND

several postcards - also started some more......

AND

I have everything ready for tomorrow.

YES.

So pleased with myself I actually forgot to post the pictures of the first two postcards I have received from the first swap group I am in. Correcting that right now. The beautiful butterfly is from Dede in USA and the lovely sea picture is from Sue in Australia. I am going to enjoy this swap enormously.

YAWN

Got up really early - for me - 7o'clock, as I had to go out and put up a banner I had made and some balloons on next doors front door to welcome them home. They have been in Australia for a whole year. Have been yawning my head off all afternoon, did manage a catnap, but the computer is like a magnet and keeps calling me.....

CHECK OUT MY SLIDE SHOW...

FINGERS CROSSED

Well, today I looked at Elaine's blog and saw the sliding picture show she had at the bottom and thought, hmmm I like that I wonder how....and there it was all the information of how to get it on your blog. So I filled it all in and hopefully it will turn up on mine somewhere, sometime, somehow.

IF you ever get to reading my pages Elaine, I hope you don't mind me 'filching' your idea.. :-)

More later, off to sort out my dinner, then, da da dahhh....the Penguins.

GETTING BETTER

I seem to be getting better at this blogging and posting lark. I have managed to post pictures onto one of the swap sites I am on. Actually created an album. Clever or what??

I have made a friend of the list mom plus her friend, so in time we may do separate swaps, apart from the group. That would be good. I have joined yet another swap group. Arghhh! Will I never learn? Ah well, we are only here once. May as well fill my time somehow.

Anyway, here are some of my Postcards I have made, just to prove I can post picture's AND sew. Oops, they are UP there. Haven't yet discovered how to move stuff around. Give me time......

I really should have got on with my Penguins today, but, didn't happen, goodness nows where the day went. I did manage to have a good clear out of a load of paper rubbish, and general tidy up, then I did some sewing, at last. I am trying to finish my two A4 pictures I started over two months ago!! I am getting close now.

IF AT FIRST.....

This should, if I get it right! be a picture of a Postcard made by my GD R. She is only 8 but loves to sew with me, and is not afraid of my sewing machine. I think this is pretty good for an 8yr old. I am very proud of her.

THANK YOU BRITISH RAIL

Well, off we set, A, R and myself to go to Brum.

• Get to station.
• On strike.
• What.
• Decided last night.
• Thanks.
• R = dropped lip.
• OK says I, let's go to Milton Keynes.
• Yeah.
• So off we went and had a good days shopping.

Received a lovely postcard this morning from D. Its a single Poppy for Remembrance Day. Its very smart, beads and a bit of fancy stitching AND vermicelli. Getting the hang of the machine then D?

Been on both postcard sites and nothing exciting happening, so signed off. Just as I am about to do here also.

DONE IT!

Wow, I have got a picture of Robbie on, don't know how I did it, can't remember, but hey, it's there, at the bottom of the page. Got to now find out how to move it. He he he. It's all go on this blog I tell you. If my friend D ever finds me she will chuck up, she doesn't like Robbie, bless him! I am so chuffed with myself. Learning, well not really cos I can't actually remember how I did it as I said before. Oh dear, repeating myself now. Really tired. That's my excuse anyway.

PICTURE

Still trying the picture.

Can't do it.

Grrrrrr I've clicked that many things, heaven knows where I have sent stuff. I'll try again another time, when I am not so tired.

A, R, and myself are off to Birmingham tomorrow, we are going to raid the rag market.

Tonight I carried on with the 24 bags. Crazy woman! Should really be doing my penguins. Tomorrow. I also started the book A brought up yesterday for me to read, oh dear, once I start a book I can't put it down. I also nipped into town, very quickly, this morning, to Beatties, well, House of Fraser now, and bought yet more threads. Naughty girl!!!

GOODBYE DUMP SCHOOL...

A left her present job today, hooray, I am so pleased, she will be better off out of that place. She starts new job Monday, much better, I am sure she will be happy there.

I am trying to put a picture on the page, [it is Robbie of course], as a trial run. Here goes. I will have to come back to see if it worked of course.

IMPRESSED

Oh yes, I am impressed with myself. I have managed that all by myself, Gold Star Jan. Had to come back to say that. Eejit!

The penguins are coming along nicely, the Snowflakes are a bit of a pain to sew, all that 'in and outing' still, I'll get there eventually. I will have practically a whole day to myself tomorrow so am hoping to get loads done.

Think I might risk it and go over to Yahoo and have a look. Scaredy cat!

TIME

I have just been looking round this blog site at the different things, and I think......I think I have found the time, so I have clicked and clicked and hopefully I will have the right time displayed now. It is just gone 11.00pm. fingers crossed.

DONE AT LAST!

Well I have finally turned up Z's trousers, she will now be able to wear them tomorrow as she wished. I don't know why I put it off til the last minute, silly really. Had to be done.

I have started making some little bags, with Christmas fabric for the raffle table for group. Must be mad, got rotary cutter happy and cut out 24!!!! 24? Yep 24, crrrazy woman. Mind you I love making the little bags and people always seem pleased to get one, last meeting I made 6 Halloween style - they had pumpkins on - for the raffle, some ladies wanted a bag rather than the real prizes. ?? Nowt so queer as folk they say.

The real time is 10.50pm I have put this because the time at the bottom will be wrong, it has been so far and I don't know how to correct it. Yet.

Did I say I'd finished 'Mercy'? Mmmm thought the end was a little abrupt, good read though, made me think about things.

ARGHHH!!!!

Oh my gosh. Someone has found me. I wonder how that happened, I was hoping to keep me a secret for a while.

BUSY DAY

Well I got all the ironing done, including the four yards of fabric for 'A' for the back of one of her Quilt's, I also read quite a bit of the book 'A' got from the library for me, it's getting really good, do I or don't I believe Jamie????? Few more chapters and all will be revealed. The book is called 'Mercy' it's by Jodi Picoult, I have read one of hers before, that was about the Amish, very good, such a twist at the end, so I am half expecting 'Mercy' to be similar.

Anyway, this evening I got my penguins sewn down, this is a small hanging [Christmas] I am doing with my group. The penguins are quite cute, 'A' has done hers slightly different to me, and I like hers more than mine now. She is a good pupil, or is that I am a good teacher?? ha ha bighead me!!

I must have a tidy round my sewing machine tomorrow, I have two pairs of trousers that need turning up for 'Z' and I have to clear away all the glittery bits that have come off the penguin fabric or she wont be best pleased when she gets them back sparkling!! he he

Must have a word with 'D' about this blogging thing, I seem to be having trouble getting into mine each time I wish to put something in. First though I'll persevere and try to solve it myself as I don't really want anyone to know I am doing this just yet, got to get a bit more confident on it.

Now, will I or wont I go to see my Yahoo sites???????

EMAIL HICCUPS...

One of the swap groups I have joined has been dillydallying over the amount of cards we should send each month. I posted a possible idea and got a reply posted as SPAM.

I was a little upset to see that, as I thought SPAM is considered, junk, rubbish, annoying stuff, you get the idea? I posted a query as to what did they mean, and waited but there was no explanation so will leave that site for a few days before going back as I felt like chucking it in there and then.

I thought I had been doing so well on the computer, I have managed to work out how to scan pictures into the puta, not this page yet though.

Oh well, I'll do the ironing, that tends to sooth me out of any discomfort. Strange, but true.

Also, last night I was scrolling through the forums and found one that looks as though it could be fun, there are some 1 to 1 swaps, have told D and we are possibly going to join this one at the weekend.

Glutton for punishment that's me.

Should really be getting on with group's newsletter.... more of that later. The ironing is calling me.

HERE I GO

I have delayed enough. I have been nagged. So now, here I go, a Blog. Who would have thought I could do such a thing, the computer is creeping more and more into my life.
I have started today in particular because I have joined no less than TWO postcard swaps on the net in Yahoo. That's '50' postcards I will be making, as I absolutely love making them all is well. I posted my first two today. I will try to work out how to get the pictures onto here, somehow.