Getting there slowly

I certainly don't seem to be doing anything fast!

On the job front, I have applied for loads and not heard anything back. I really need something so that we have a wage coming in while we build the Plumbing business up.

At least we finally got to see somebody who gave us a bit of help and I am going back to see her this week for help with my CV. We also have an appointment with "Fenland Enterprise" (although they are not called that anymore) to find out about setting up in business.

That is going slowly as well. Mark had a couple of jobs last week but nothing so far this week. He is a bit down about it.

His website is finished though, so now you can see our posh bathroom! www.tanchoplumbing.co.uk

Still, the good news is that the snowdrops are finished as well and Mark has made me all the frames for them. I just need to mount them now.

So here is another sneaky peak

The light at the end of the tunnel.

I haven't blogged in nearly two weeks! Apart from not having the time, I didn't have the inclination.

Mark got told on the Thursday after the last post that it was him who was going to be made redundant. Then they sent him home on "Gardening Leave". This meant he has been home since then driving me loopy. Of course, it would have to be at a time when I have a lot to do anyway, both on line and off.

He wasn't too bad the first couple of days but as time when on I could see he was getting more and more stressed over the situation.

We spent the following Monday and Tuesday rushing about and getting no where! The Job Centre is as much use as a chocolate teapot and people just don't return your calls. All we wanted was some help with a CV. Neither Mark nor I are any good at selling ourselves.

On Wednesday he had to go to work for a "Consultation meeting" at 10am then had an appointment at an employment agency in Huntingdon in the afternoon. So he went for lunch at his Mums.

He came home in a bit better mood from the meeting. They told him how much he would be getting and, if he starts a new job while he was still working for them, they won't penalise him by reducing his payout. He has worked out that we will have enough to pay the bills for the next 3 months as long as we don't spend anything else.

I was looking forward to a days peace but ended up with a sort of interview at 10.30am. It was actually more of an informal chat. It is only part time but looks like a fun job and right up my street. It is activites organiser at a local OAP home. Wonder if I could get them scrapping????? I have filled in the application form they gave me and am now waiting to hear from them.

Now he just needs to find a job.

Well, maybe........

I want him to be a plumber. He knows the trade, he has worked in it for the last 6 years. He actually knows more about the products than the plumbers. He has to, to be able to sell them to him. He designs bathrooms for both the retail and trade customers and has fitted ours - which is so posh it belongs in a 10 bedroomed house!!!!

He is very dubious about it. Actually, its more of a case of being scared. He has never been in the position where he doesn't have a payslip at the end of the month and the thought of not having one is scary.

His other problem is that he is the only one who doesn't know how good he is!!!!!

He went out the other night to meet up with some plumbers after I had insisted that he phone some of them to do a bit of networking. One of them turned around and told him that he would be "Unfair Opposition" as he knows too much. So finally, he has agreed to give it a go. After all, what has he got to lose? He is out of work in 6 weeks anyway!

I haven't been idle even though I haven't been online much.

My domain name has finally been sorted out after a lot of hassle. It is www.enfys.me.uk I have made new banners and updated them on my links page with the new addy and the new location of the banners. I have put them all in Photobucket.

I am in the process of uploading everything to free web space. Then, if things do take a turn for the worse and I lose the internet and the current site, the banners will still work and all I will need to do is get the domain name to forward to the new site.

I have finished the pattern for the Rainbow and sent all the information off to Scrapbook Inspirations - complete with the new domain name.

I now need to make a whole load of new business cards with the domain name on.

Its just all go!

The lady who ordered the silks from me came to pay me a deposit and bought the "Four Seasons" at the same time!!!! She also liked what I have done so far and will be wanting another two of the Shooting Star.

I have finished beading that one, want a sneaky peak????

Ups and Downs!

My life seems to be full of Ups and Downs at the moment.

First of all, there is the prospect of appearing in Scrapbook Inspirations. I still don't know any details but have to have all the info to them by June 25th.

Then I won the UKS photography competiton. Totally unexpected but very exciting!

FenVAC are holding a one day art exhibition at March Town Hall on Saturday, 14th June as part of the March Summer Festival celebrations and I was asked if I would like to participate.

After all that hassle with Tesco they refunded the service charge. Big deal! I thought after that headache they caused me. However, in the post this morning came a £10 gift card and another apology. That will pay for the veg this weekend.

And last, but by no means least, I have had a commission for two silk paintings from the lady who bought the one from the local florists. She wants one with Snowdrops and one with stars and rainbows.

So guess what I have been doing today!

These two pics are painted and backed. I have basted white behind the snowdrops and star so that they stand out.

Of course they still need quilting and loads of beading before they are finished.

And now the Downs!

Last Thursday Mark had a letter "inviting" him to a meeting to "discuss how the downturn in trade affects his role in the company." That meeting was this morning. After making us stew all over the weekend about whether or not he would still have a job after today, we still don't know. He and the other manager were told that one of them would have to go and there are certain criteria they have to follow to decide which one. We will know Friday.

Bloomin' Lovely!

Rain doesn't stop play when it comes to flowers!

After being very dismayed about that cat having my poppies, I am please to announce I have more!

I took this first picture last Thursday and, as you can see, more buds with one about to open.

This picture was taken Friday.

And, this morning, there are four nice strong buds.

Lets hope they stay that way as this looks ever so pretty when there are a few open in different colours.

This is the Mimulus in "Highland Orange".

It hasn't had a lot of flowers but they are a very striking colour.

The "Highland Yellow" has loads more flowers on it. They are the same colour as Primroses. They are not as bright as the orange ones but they certainly cheer the place up.

And the Thyme is out in full bloom.

Its delicate tiny pink flowers stand out against the green beautifully!

I did take loads more but that is all I have time to edit for now!

Journalling Pattern Finished!

Finally!!!!!!!!!!!!

And here it is in all its glory!

Its no wonder it took me so long to write, there are 20 pages in this one.

It includes upper and lower case letters, numbers, punctuation and the doodling that I have put up as free pattern.

Now the question is "What next?"

.

.

.

.

I have been thinking of a "Weather" set.

I can include my Rainbow in it.

I can also put the Sun, Moon and Stars in it.

I was thinking of Raindrops and Wellies. Possibly a Brolly.

But that isn't going to fill a pattern. So if anybody has any suggestions, please lave them in the comments

Another thing that has cheered me up is that I won the photo competition on UKS. I got really excited about that!

Thank you to everybody who voted for me.

Have to admit, I need cheering up at the moment. We have had some bad news in that my dearest may be losing his job. It is going to be very stressful at home this weekend as we won't know for certain what is going on until Tuesday. I think it is really cruel of them to make us stew all over the weekend but there is nothing we can do about it.

I just have to hope that I can sell lots of patterns, or crocheted embellies, but I am not holding my breath.

I love the postie coming!

Especially when he brings me more stash!

This is the latest haul in my Crochet Swap.

These were from Jay and included a bar of chocolate for Benjamin. As you can imagine, that didn't last long!

I love that little mini book. And the colour is wonderful!

All the blue bits will be perfect for scrapping Benjamin!

And these were from Jane.

I will forgive her the pink bits because of those lovely stammp Tilda images!

I have 2 neices birthdays coming up and they will be perfect for their cards.

This is much more fun than stash shopping because I never know what I am going to get!

Just a quickie!

I have lots to do!

I had my free copy of SI this morning and rushed straight to page 71, just to see my name in print!!!!

So now I am working on the pattern for the Rainbow. I did have a double sided version up on my msn group, which I altered to make one I used for scrapping. Of course, being me, its all just notes and not a proper pattern.

It isn't going to take long to do, but I do need to make some more and block them to take pics. But, wouldn't you just know it, I have run out of the thread I need!

I was debating on whether to get some new thread - now I am going to have to! And, as it is pointless just getting one ball, I had better sort out what other colours I fancy!

In anticipation of some visitors from SI, I have been re-arranging my msn group so that all the free scrapping patterns are on one page. The rainbows will be added as soon as they are sorted.

Also in the post this morning, came some lovely stash. Thank you Jay. I will take pics later and post them soon.

And finally, my "Trolleys" pic got short listed in the UKS photo comp!

Last time I looked, I was joint 1st with 3 others!

Now I need to get to the bank, then order some thread then get on with some work!!!!

R is for Rapeseed

The latest in my A-Z photo journal of Chatteris.

At this time of year you can't but help noticing the bright yellow fields all around you.

The growing of Rape is big business

Rapeseed is grown for the production of animal feed, vegetable oil for human consumption, and biodiesel.

Rapeseed is a heavy nectar producer, and honeybees produce a light colored, but peppery honey from it.

Rapeseed Oil can be used in much the same way as olive oil. It is a recognised fact that olive oil has a reputation as a healthy oil. Up to now, what has not been widely known is that cold pressed rapeseed oil is substantially healthier than olive oil. It has the added benefit of being locally grown, without the need to be globally transported, therefore saving on "food miles" as well.

Rapeseed Oil has only half the undesirable saturated fat content of olive oil. Whilst having twice as much of the desirable omega 6 and about ten times the amount of the desirable Omega 3. The sodium (salt) content is zero.

Rapeseed oil is produced locally by L & A.E. Munns & Son.

Westmoor Farm is part of the Cambridgeshire County Farm Estate and is situated in the heart of The Fens, 1.5 miles west of the market town of Chatteris. The Munns family has farmed there since October 1959 when they took on the tenancy of a 21 acre smallholding from the then Isle of Ely County Council. Funding was provided from a £100 pools win and extended credit from suppliers.

Catching Up!

It has been a busy couple of days.

On Friday we went out with a friend and her daughter to HGL for brekkie. They had a BOGOF on so we decided to take advantage of it.

It was scrummy! And I was stuffed!!!!

Afterwards the children played for a bit then we had a look around. I very nearly bought some "Chocolate Mint". It was only £1.59 and smelled just like "After Eights"!

While there, I also got a couple of pictures for the UKS Photo competition. Joanne suggested this one when I explained what I was doing.

The brekkie offer runs for another 2 weeks and I have a spare token so we are going again - when the kids are in school!

I think I am going to get that mint as well.

That afternoon we went to Skylark Garden Centre. Joanne didn't realise there was one there. She hasn't lived in the area long and has only just passed her driving test, so I was telling her about some of the local stuff.

The kids had a great time playing outside, even though the bouncy castle wasn't up!

I also managed to get the picture I needed to finish off another letter in my A-Z photo journal of Chatteris.

I just need to sort out the pics before I post them.

I did some scrapping Saturday morning, while Benjamin was making a Fathers Day card.

After seeing all the excitment about a LO in Scrapbook Inspirations which used one of my crocheted Rainbows, I thought I would do one myself.

I checked out this weeks challenge for inspiration and this is what I came up with.

And, while on the subject, keep an eye on SI because I might be in it soon! I emailed them concerning my Rainbow and got a lovely email back.

I am really excited about this! It might be just what I need to get people to my site. If I can sell a decent amount of crochet each week, I wouldn't need a job!

And if that does happen, best you get your orders in before the rush!