My 100th ATC

Yes, I received my 100th ATC in the post yesterday and it was from 10 year old Charlotte. And, whats more, its the first rainbow anybody has sent me! Thank you Charlotte for my lovely Rainbow ATC.

Here are some of the others I have had recently. They are not all from the ATC trail, some are from the monthly swap on UKS. I know I wasn't going to mention the "C word"+ again but while I was listing all those seasonal patterns on Etsy, I suddenly realised that I hadn't listed the Halloween ones.

This is one of my earlier patterns but it is one of my favourites. I remember taking the photos for it in a local park and getting funny looks as I was weeding around the rocks and re-arranging the leaves to look nice. I did try to go at a time when not so many people would be there. Now, I just don't care. If I get any comments I just tell them I am an artist at work and either they go away with a weird look on their face or stay and find out a bit more about what I am up to.

More about those ATCs

I love getting these ATCs through the post, even when I have paid for them. Its like Christmas all year round. Here are some of my new ones. Most of these have come from the ATC Trail on UKS. The duck one is from my lady at the care home.

She loves the postie coming as well so a big "Thank You" to all who have traded with her. And, I am pleased to say, I have a watcher on one of the ones I put on eBay. Now I know that doesn't mean to say that they will buy it but it still feels good. Debating about Etsy as well.

I need to add all my Christmas patterns to there very soon. People are going to start thinking of stuff to make for Christmas when the kids go back to school. This last lot of ATCs are from the fabric swap I took part in. Its great to see all the different styles.

ATCs or ACEOs?

This is all a bit confusing. I thought an ATC (Artist Trading Card) was for trading only but they are for sale on eBay. Apparently, if you call it an ACEO (Art Card, Edition or Original) you can sell it. And whats more, you can make lots of money. Some of them go for £100s!!!! Not being one to turn down an opportunity to make some money from something I enjoy doing, I have listed a few. In fact, I have listed all of these.

And all at 99p plus postage, although if somebody wants to pay £200+ for them, I am not going to complain. Now, I know this is really going to upset some people but I am still trading them with all the old rules. The best part of ATCs is getting a lovely surprise back in the post. I am having great fun on the "ATC Trail" on UKS. How could I possibly give that up?

And about those digi ones.... I have splashed out on some matt photo paper and am redoing them. I have also splashed out on a heat gun to redo them with. I got it on eBay, along with a few powders. All used but at less than £10 including postage, it was a bargain. The Lady at the Care Home is loving these ATCs as well. She will try anything and the fact that she is getting some gorgeous miniature works of art back, makes it even more fun.

We currently use a photo album to store them but, when she gets a few more, she is going to splash out on a ring binder and some 9-pocket pages. If anybody would like to trade with her, please use the "Ask me, I might" button on the left to email me. And now the bad news. After a lovely two weeks off work, I went back to find that my hours have been cut to 16 instead of 20.

Because of recent events they have had to cut all of the staff hours. Still, its better than no job at all. It means that basically I am going to have no spare cash - again" And just as I was getting used to having a bit to spend on myself. Another reason for listing these on eBay. £200+ for each would come in very useful! Actually, £5 each would come in useful.

One or two plans are going to have to wait, like being a sponsor on UKS. I am sure my crocheted scrapping stuff would sell if only I could get it advertised on there but I don't make enough to justify the expense at the moment and, with the cut in wages, I am not going to be able to afford it from those. Which brings me to another reason for listing on there - advertising. And when you list at 99p it is free, so it is free advertising.

So please, don't think too badly of me for trying to sell some. And if you want to trade, email me!

How Time Flies.

Is it really that long since I was last here???????????

I don't know where the time has gone.

Still, I have been busy, very busy.

First of all, I have been working on my A-Z. It sort of grew. Now it is an emormous scrapbook with a double layout for each letter. And it weighs a ton!!! I still haven't finished all the letters but I only have 2 more to think of, another 2 more that need to wait until the right time of year to finish and the final one will be X for Xmas lights. I may even get it published as I am being nagged to, but not sure about that.

I also have made a whole load of ATCs. These are not the ones I have made but some of the ones I have received in exchange. My small collection is growing. I joined an "ATC Trail" on UKS so now can take part in regular swaps whenever I want to, with no pressure if I am a bit busy.

And, of course, I have been crocheting. Well, to be exact, crotating. Its a form of tatting that is done with a crochet hook and combines crochet in with it. I have been working on some beaced crotat jewellery and some scrapping motifs.

I promise pics soon.

Which brings me to the final thing, Rainbow Valley.

We have decided to get a Sky package for the TV, phone and internet. Of course, this means a whole new website as my current one is with out current ISP. I ended up opting for a Mr Site package.

I changed my domain name over to them and was surprised at how quickly everything got sorted out. The new site is up and running but there are a few minor blips to sort out.

More ATCs

Have to say, I have been having a great time making these!

This is my latest lot of ATCs. And there are a whole load more in the process. Yes, they take a lot of work but I really like the original idea of them being miniatures of your art work. As my artwork is crochet and silk painting, that is what I do.

I could probably make 10 times as many if I did them with paper and glue - but that just isn't me. Anyway, as I was doing these I came up with another idea. What about bigger versions that I could maybe sell?

After thinking about this some more and then chatting to the lady in the flower shop who displays some of my work, I came up with this. It is 8x8 quilted scrapbooking layout and made to fit a 5x3½ photo. It isn't finished yet, I need some pink baby buttons and I haven't beaded it yet. Yes, its pink! Its very pink!!!!!!

But I didn't have any pale blue fabric to make a boy one and I had a whole pile of pink stuff made for the "Scrapping for Babies".

Besides, I am not planning on keeping it and there are plenty of baby girls around.

However, I am quite pleased with the result so far.

And I have another pile in all different colours to get done yet!

Catching Up.

I don't know where the time has gone!!!!

Work has been much more fun since Tina came back from holiday. I have been learning what I am supposed to be doing and, although most of the day was spent chatting, I learnt more last Thursday than I have learnt the rest of the time I have been there.

And my hours were upped to 24, 4 days at 6 hours a day.

I took some of the residents out for a walk on Friday. Well, I did the walking, they were in a wheelchair.

I have planned some activities for future weeks - like a bonfire party. Have you ever made Indoor Fireworks? Perfectly safe and no fire involved. When I start making them I will put pics and instructions on here.

I had a few orders for some of my crocheted embellies, so I was busy doing those in the evenings. They all got posted on the weekend. Look what Fi has done with some of my flowers! Had a day out in Ely on Saturday, enjoying my first wage packet!!!!! Unfortunately, I couldn't spend much as I only had one weeks pay that has to last me all month. I was expecting more but the Manager forgot to add the additional hours I was promised on. Mark went back to work on Monday. I love having him at home - when he is supposed to be. But when he isn't, he disrupts my routine and hogs the puter!!!!!!

This week, I made ATCs with the residents and one Lady loved it! I have put a special trade request on the UKS ATC board to see if I can get her some trades. This is the one I traded with her. So far, I have had 4 replies about sending cards to my Lady. When I told her she was so excited.

I also had a great time doing manicures on Tuesday. It gave me a chance to chat to some of them on a 1-2-1 basis and get to know them better.

We played "Play Your Cards Right" and enjoyed that as well - despite the fact that I have never watched it. I found some instructions on line and just made it up as I went along. One Lady nearly wet herself when I told her there was no way I was dressing up as Bruce as it would take too long to draw all the wrinkles on!!!!!

However, as much as I am enjoying myself, there is something I am really peed off about!!!!! Apparently the Manager was told on Friday that I only have 20 hours NOT 24. Of course, he didn't tell me!!!!! The lady in charge of the admin told me. This means that because I had already done 12.5 by Tuesday, I only have 7.5 left to do for the rest of the week. She said she has had it in the neck about the hours and insisted that I was only supposed to do 20 despite what the Manager had told me.

So, the routine I have started getting into is all up the wall. I now have to reorganise my days to fit 5 hours instead of 6. And, any overtime has to be relaimed that week as I can't go over 20 in any week. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Went to the surgery to get weighed this and she said I had put on 3kg. I told her it was water retention!!!!! The thing was, I had got caught in a downpour on the way there and was wet through below my jacket. When I got home I weighed, then got changed and weighed again. There was a 5lb difference so I have only put on 1.5lb.

I am so loving the postie coming at the moment. I have sent off a few ATCs to trade and am getting some back. Its amazing the different styles and techniques of them all. One was quite simple and easy and made with a colour chart you pick up in a DIY. The lady who sent that one deliberately sent me something simple I can do at the Care Home as she does the same sort of thing at Sheltered housing.

I am hoping my Lady there starts getting some soon. I am planning another craft morning for Monday. Today, as the weather is nice, I will be taking a few of them out for a walk. As I have sent off all the ones I have made so far, I spent some time on Wednesday quilting more scraps of silk onto backing fabric to make more ATCs. I have another 25 in assorted colours to decorate now.

I have also started my mushroom silk - as all of my crochet orders are complete. Now, best I get to work so I can earn more cash for more stash!

It has been a long time.........

But I have been working!!!

And doesn't it take up a lot of your time!

It was REALLY boring at first as all I was doing was reading policies. But then I ventured out of the staff room and started to get to know some of the residents.

Much more fun!

I can't actually start properly until the lady I am taking over from comes back off holiday and shows me the ropes, but at least I am getting to know people.

I have made some more ATCs. I finished off the ones from before and plan, when I have time, to make some more. I was showing them to some people in the Gables and hope to persuade them to have a go. However, before I can do that, I need some trades so that I have a wide variety of styles to show them. They have only seen mine.

Here are some I traded for the other day. Both of the dragonfly ones are gone but all the others are up for grabs so please contact me if you would like to trade.

Sue, it is all your fault!

Up to now I have pretty much resisted the urge to make some ATCs. This was mainly through lack of funds. I mean, I need some felt and patterned fabric first.

Which means I need some money. And I don't have any spare until I get paid.

I think I have spent my first months wages 10 times over so far and I haven't even earned it yet!

So, as I start my new job on Monday, I thought I had better get the house clean and shiny as I am not going to have as time for stuff like that.

First, however, I had to get the sewing machine out to fix something for Mark.

Fatal Mistake!

There was this bag of scraps sitting on top of the sewing machine. It is cut offs from when I frame the silks. Normally I would sort through this lot, save the scraps of wadding for stuffing other things and throw away the scraps of silk and fabric. But now I have discovered a use for them.

Yes, ATCs! So guess what I was doing instead of housework?????? I started off quite neat and pretty much following the style of the first one. But that was done with felt and patterned fabric. I couldn't leave a raw edge with silk because it would fray. I stitched the silk on and folded it over for a neat edge.

The problem was that most of the prettiest scraps were far too small for this so I started being a bit more adventurous. I used smaller scraps and some embroidery stitches on the machine to cover the edge and do the quilting.

As I am not selling any crochet bits at the moment, I have a huge stash of them. So I figured I may as well use them rather than make some. I can always make some more if I ever do get any orders for them!

And, of course, it wouldn't be one of my silks if it didn't have beads on! On some, I have used brads instead of beads.

Finally, I glued them to the printed backing cards, trimmed them to size and did buttonhole stitch around the edge.

I have to admit the the original with the stitching matching the leaf looked nicer but I gave away all my old thread which these embellishments are made from when I stocked up with the new thread.

I used the sewing thread I quilted it with instead.

So what do you think?

And now that I have made some, does anybody want to trade?????

Like you Sue, as it is all your fault!!!!!!

I knew this would be a mistake!

I have managed to stay away from ATCs for quite a while but after making that one last week I have been bitten by the bug!

Yesterday I spent ages designing this and printing it out on to cardstock ready to make some more. Luckily, I have an A3 printer I bought with another purpose in mind and its perfect for printing on to 12 inch card! And, although I have managed to stay away from organised swaps for the moment, have agreed to a private one. What am I getting myself into??????

That lovely lady in the new florists got me some green handmade papers on the weekend so, to celebrate going into work, I splashed out on them and finished off the Snowdrops LO yesterday. I crocheted a Snowdrop by adapting the pattern I have on my site slightly. I didn't use wire in the stem which is the basic difference.

Yesterday evening there were loads of kids outside the window. When I looked out, they were all standing in the next door garden looking at the old cistern (they are in the process of having their bathroom redone).

However, when I looked a bit closer, they were actually watching a baby hedgehog eating catfood from a bowl.

Of course, I had to rush out and take pics!

My first ATC!

Last night was Craft Club, normally an opportunity to try out something new.

And last night was no exception, I made my first ever ATC. Sue Cheffins is a local lady who dabbles with dying threads, quilting and a whole host of other things. She brought along kits for us to make Fabric Trading Cards. The kits were all for an Autumn theme and had all those lovely rich autumn colours in them. Most people had great fun doing it, including me and they only cost £1 as well so it was a cheap night!!!

It just so happened that I had a crochet hook in my bag - I guess you are all really surprised at that!

So I got some of the lovely hand dyed thread she creates and crocheted a leaf. Then I stitched it on the the background, added some leaf sequins, stuck the background on to the card and did button hole stitch all around the outside with what was left of the thread.

I have to say I was quite pleased with the result and can see this becoming habit forming!

Another thing I am quite pleased with is this 12 inch LO I did for the UKS weekly challenge. As I am working on Halloween embellies just now, I thought I would make it Halloween themed. This is Benjamin, age nearly 3, in a Pumpkin outfit I made for him. Unfortunately its the only photo I have of him in it and isn't very good but it will have to do. But the bit I am really pleased about is that I used chipboard!

I covered it with PP - and should really have waited for it to dry propery before trimming.

One of the tags made a perfect leaf for the pumkin!