Good morning, my friends across the world. My desk today shows the chaos and debris from a couple of massive card making sessions. From near to far, you can see a box of inks, scissors, bone folder, cutting mat, water colour pens, glue, heat gun, a pile of card, with baking sheet on top, some weensy picture frames, and a large box rapidly filling with items for the hotel.There are now nearly 80 general cards and 20 Easter cards. Beyond all that are my storage drawers – actually closed. Don’t know when I did that – they are normally to be found hanging open because I keep going to them. Hmm – I see the purple fun ostrich pen is having a rest – obviously I have exhausted it! The big shot has been moved to John’s art space – oops! I’ve spread myself.

By the way, click on any of the pictures and it will open up in a new window to be seen more clearly.

The result of all this frenetic activity? Let me show you just a few finished bits and pieces…

Just a small selection of the cards I’ve been busy working on in the past few days – pergamano, stamping, inked backgrounds, embossing, photography – all in an effort to give as much variety as possible. Of course, being me, I can’t possibly only do one thing at a time…. so, in the evenings, when the TV is on, I’ve been making inroads into the bags of yarn Mrs D gave me when she has been sorting her house… This is the latest in a long line of blankets and jumpers…

I really enjoy doing these wavy patterned blankets – but I have to say that this particular pattern has proven more awkward than the others. I keep ending up with the wrong number of stitches at the end of the row. Goodness only knows whether it will look really special when finished, or end up with a wavy side as well!!! It’s growing slowly – so should keep me out of mischief for quite a time.

I had a great time away with the family the other weekend – much enhanced for the grandies by the fact that we awoke on Sunday to a white world! About half an inch!!! BUT – sufficient to get the plastic sledges out on the hill. Great fun was had by all. A visit to Hay on Wye finished the weekend well. None of us had ever been there before, and we spent a wonderful couple of hours going round the bookshops. Fantastic. Now I’m home again, busy as usual with Step Inside and church.

So that’s me this week, folks. Fairly short – hoping to earn a gold star from Julia for that!

Take care. God bless.

Margaret

Hello my friends.

Thanks to so many of you for visiting and leaving comments last week. Apologies if I didn’t manage to visit you – I made it to most folks, but a few escaped…

So – without further ado – my desk –

As you can see – it’s full of activity. By the angle of the lamp/magnifier you may guess that I am working close up! Yes, it’s a pergamano image. I can’t see without both my specs and the magnifier these days!! Must be getting old. On top of the box in the foreground is a pile of metallic grids. I’m trying one out. Not done pergamano this way before, and not sure I am yet convinced. Feels like cheating, somehow, although I know many people do use these grids. Also on the worktop are some watercolour pens I was using earlier, and a great mess of papers and photos and general detritus over near the computer.

Just to the left of where the above picture was taken is this rapidly filling box of cards for the local hotel. I’ve now done 60 general cards and 20 Easter cards.

A little light relief from making cards has been going on in the living room.

The tiny baby jumper is finished ready for the arrival VERY shortly.

Mrs D and I went off to the show at Manchester Event City last Friday, and had a fun day out. Lots to see, lots of new ideas to interest us, old friends to meet. There were many more knitting and sewing contributors this time, which was good. I bought this die on the Pink Frog stand. It’s 5inches square, and cuts well – although it takes a lot of passes through the machine to get it to cut right in the middle. Why don’t die cutting machines have the pressure right the way across???!!!

And last, but not least, a picture of the blanket I have just finished. The latest in a long line sewn together with those squarish squares!!! You can see from the photo that the squares are all different sizes, so it’s quite a puzzle joining them together to make something reasonable.

So that’s me this week, folks. Each room in the house currently has a pile of things in it that I am working on. Nowhere is neat and tidy. All is chaos. Oh well, it just says I’m not bored yet!
Take care my friends. I’ll endeavour to get around as many of you as possible, and leave comments where ever I can.

God bless.

Margaret

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What a celebration! What a huge amount owed to our lovely hostess Julia, who has stuck with this great fun idea of meeting up each week! Now here we all are at number 400 – almost 8 years. Thank you Julia! You have coped with us – added many of us to your list of friends – put up with us when we got Mr Linky wrong and you have had to sort it out – coped with enormous issues in your own life while continuing faithfully with this virtual meet-up – enabled diverse people across the globe, all of whom share an obsession with art and craft, to become friends with each other. Some have even met up in real life – travelling miles to get together. You’ve done well girl!! Thank you!

Thank you, too, to all of you – my friends – who have stuck by me and met up week after week – even emailing me if I don’t appear for several weeks – when I have wittered on about my art and craft, my hubby, my life at church, my life here on the North Wales coastline. I have, over the past few years met quite a number of you now, and you have added to the richness of my life. It has been a privilege. Long may it continue. Thank you!

Only the one photo this week, as last night, attempting to put this together, my computer decided NOT to play! It refused to accept photos from my camera, refused to let me do anything, in fact. So disgusted was I, that I pushed the little re-start button!! Then I walked away and left it, setting an early alarm to wake me and try again this morning! Consequently, the only photo this morning is this appallingly blurred image of a card I specially made yesterday in order to celebrate today! Sorry folks – but it doesn’t alter the fact that we are celebrating today – raise your glass to yourselves – help yourself to a cupcake and a party hat!

Today, we wish Shazsilverwolf and her hubby, every blessing, as she undergoes surgery. I trust this will deal with everything, so she can turn a corner and look forward with excitement. Take care, girlie – we are thinking of you – you can have your champagne after the op! Praying for you today.

Take care my friends. I appreciate this weekly get together. Thanks for visiting and for commenting. Unfortunately, there are some of you I still can’t comment on – some google+ folks – but I do come by and see what you are up to! I shall be around later after a hairdresser appointment. (Smartening myself up for a weekend away next week with the family!)

God bless you.

Margaret