Its December!

Here is another quilted photo frame. This one is Sunflowers and Ladybirds. I have used the "Sun" with a big button to make the Sunflower and the "Pansy" leaves with added stalks to make the leaves. The stem is a crocheted cord that is used for Romanian Lace.

Baby Boy

Wow! A post two days running!!!!

But I finished this last night and just couldn't wait to share it. And, as it is a boy frame, I have had no complaints about using my sons photo. I made the "baby boy" writing with a 1.50mm hook, rather than the 2.00mm hook the pattern says. It means it came out just a little smaller buts fits so much better on the frame.

I took photos of some of the others as well and, provided things go to plan, I will blog about them later and set them up to post tomorrow. I want to make sure I use that facility right because I may need it for another project later.

This week has been just as hectic!

And I have been buying stash again - but more of that later.

I got fed up waiting for the tape to come so I improvised. I cut strips of the same fabric I used for the front and staples it on the back as I was going to with the tape. Then I used the designer labels I made and stapled those on as well. It doesn't look quite as professional as the tape would but it does the job nicely. I now have 7 finished and two of them up for sale in the Florists. I am thinking about putting them on Etsy as well.

Here is the finished Leaves frame. And some close ups. All of the frames are 20cm x 20cm and made to fit a 9cm x 13 cm photo.

And finally that stash! First of all, I have to say that the lady was wonderful. I realised that I had ordered two different sized padded stars and emailed her to ask if she could send them the same size and add the difference to the postage.

Then I emailed her about some punches and couldn't make up my mind about them so decided not to get one as it was getting time to go to work.

I asked her for the total, which she sent and I paid. However, she hadn't adjusted it for the stars and, as I had turned the puter off and would be late for work if I turned it back on, didn't do anything about it.

The stash arrived the next morning, complete with the alternative stars. How is that for service? I emailed her to ask about the aditional cost and she came back to me to tell me that she hadn't altered it on purpose.

So, if you want great service and quick delivery, I suggest you pay her a visit.

Her shop is Pink Marshmallow on eBay.

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!

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!!!!!!

"Real" Scrapping!

I managed to get those photos sorted!

This is the layout for the Shooting Star, the first in the set of 3 along the Stars and Rainbows theme. Those handmade silk papers I bought are gorgeous! They are made from recycled garments so are perfect for the layouts.

I crocheted a shooting star to match the one in the silk painting and stitched the beads on to some handmade paper. This is the second one I did. When the lady picked up the first one she decided she wanted 3 different ones instead of 3 the same. This gave me a bit of a dilemma - but also a chance to experiment.

I had never tried crochet on any of my silks before but it worked really well. I re-created one of the stars for the layout. I also stitched some of the beads on to the paper again and used more of the silk papers. I wasn't so happy with the third silk - but she likes it.

I was trying to re-create the effect at the bottom of a waterfall in stars. I made loads of crocheted ones in rainbow colours for the silk, which I also used on the layout.

I stitched a rainbow on to the silk paper in the beads I used on the silk. The Snowdrops are still a W.I.P. I have made the embellishments but need to wait until I get some green handmade paper for them.

My CRB check for the new job STILL has not been received by the CRB and the cheque I wrote has STILL not cleared. I am beginning to think that somebody doesn't want me there!

I have been scrapping!

"Real" Scrapping as well!

Unfortunately, they are not quite finished so you are going to have to wait to see them!

But you can see the digi ones I was sorting out my photos to send off for printing for my A-Z album, when I decided to digi scrap A. Part of the reason is to use the digi versions to "plan" the real versions. And part of it is because I want a digi album to share as well. I can put it on to a cd or online and it will look so much nicer than photos of the real one.

I have also used the journalling blocks from this and added them to the photos to be printed so that I can use them in the real one. This is A for Abbey. There were loads of photos and info for it that I ended up with a double one. The "Real" scrapping is for my Silk Album. I was going to wait until I sent off the other photo to do it but changed my mind.

Sorting out the photos gave me the urge to scrap so I printed them off myself. Besides, I wanted some of them bigger than 6x4 so I couldn't use the free ones anyway.

I have crocheted the bits I need for the embellies and am in the process of making the beaded embellies. I decided to stitch them on to the paper, rather than making wired ones for the rainbows.

I think I will be making a wired Snowdrop one though.

If all goes to plan I will have the Rainbow ones finished very soon and get the photos taken.

Unfortunately, I couldn't do the Snowdrops as I don't have any green handmade paper.

Also, until I start this job, I don't have any money to get some.

They are going to have to wait!

New Silks

I wasn't going to post these until the customer had collected them but as she couldn't come last night and I had the pics all ready to post today, I thought "Why not?"

This one is my favourite of the two. To make it a little different I crocheted lace beaded stars. I did the silk as if I was going to bead them to give the white background and I am quite pleased with the result.

This shows a close up of the medium star.

Here is the other. I crocheted rainbow coloured stars for this one which I scattered about.

I am thinking of adding the stars to my site to use for scrapping.

What do you think?

Full Frontals!

Sorry but after the last post it just seemed appropriate! LOL

However, I know these "full frontals" are ones you have been waiting for. Sorry, the pics are not the best but I did them quite quickly and, as the silks have been collected, I can't do them again. So, here are my latest silks in all their glory! I was rather pleased with this one. And I have some paper and ribbon with stars on so I needed something just like this to scrap!

This is a close up of one of the mini shooting stars. I bought the star beads for Christmas tree earrings!

And a close up of the other beads

And now the snowdrops. Unfortunately, I didn't take any close ups of this after it was mounted so you will just have to do with one from before.

I wasn't as happy with this one but there is only so much you can do with white flowers. However, the lady who ordered them was pleased with them and wants two more with Rainbows and Stars on. But she would prefer them different rather than all similar.

I was wondering about incorporating crocheted stars.........

And, while I am here, some more good news.

I entered some of my silks in and Art Exhibition for Chatteris Medieval Fair and sold the Dolphins!!!!

Still no news on the job front though.

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.

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.