Its (nearly) Easter

Yes, I know, I have been a bad blogger.

But sometimes real life takes over and knocks you off your feet.

Just as I was trying to get myself back on track after Christmas, I get an email from Lycos that they are closing all their sites on February 15th. Mine would have to be with them, wouldn't it?

This isn't the major problem it would have been this time last year. Of course, all my work is on my puter so I don't need to save anything from them. And, due to other reasons, I set up a domain name last summer along with some graphics in Photobucket for the buttons. All this meant was I would have to find a new host for my site then forward the the domain name to it. Quite simple really.

Or so you would think!

My site used to be with Pipex, our ISP. I moved it all because their server was constantly being hacked and I was constantly getting people telling me my site was full of viruses. Luckily, Pipex seem to have got their act together and, with the time constraints I had, it seemed the simplest option to go back to them. Especially as there are no ads there because we pay for the webspace as part of our package.

Mind you, I didn't think of all the other things, like the loads of links to individual pages scattered around the net. And the blog roll. I made a bit of a mess moving that over so, if yours doesn't work, please go and try again.

Then Mark quits his job!!!!!

It was for medical reasons. Working with all the cement and plaster all the time has made his eczema flare. And this isn't like any eczema I have see before. It is quite ferocious.

And, again, the question of "Can we really afford the internet?" comes up.

There have been good things going on! I sold a Valentine choker at the Florists.

And I had an order for a whole load of bits from Nicola at Truly Scrumptious.

And I have been selling quite a few patterns recently.

But this is what I have been working on more recently.

These are quite old patterns but, as I am making a pile to (hopefully) sell for Easter, I thought I would give it a little overhaul. The way I write them now has evolved a lot since I wrote this one.

The heads, wings and feet are all made in one piece - apart from the eyes which you sew on afterwards - which gives it all a softer look.

The Easter Baskets patterns is available for sale.

The Eggs are made from all the ends of the balls so I don't waste a single little bit.

And they are a free pattern on Rainbow Valley.

I am going to list the baskets on Etsy tomorrow, so I may even sell a few through there.

And the Florist wants some for her Easter window.

This might call for a shopping trip!