A Croppin' I will go!

This hasn't photographed at all well - the close up was worse, so girls coming to the crop - be patient and I'll email you a better one so you can get the stuff together! This LO is the 'lesson session' for our crop in Ludgershall this Saturday - July 4th. If you wanna join us, use the contact me button in the margin to erm, contact me and I'll overload you with details. I've been very busy this morning, but as the sun swings around to the back of the house, I'm going to abandon ship and do other things - Miss Dunnit doesn't know it yet, but there's a supermarket grand prix too undertake and because the house will be in the shade at the front, we might very well wash the little green rocket! Yikes, she'll be Miss Disgruntled before long if I insist on any more than that today - after all, she'll be parted from MSN for about 3 hours!
Don't forget to slip slap slop in the sun everyone, happy Monday!

And because loads of you wanted to know which of the beauties was mine and I can pretty well be flattered into anything (and because I've finally got her permission!), here's another picture of my Prom babe.

Class of 2009

It was Prom last night. The weather was perfect. The girls looked beautiful and the boys were incredibly handsome. The parents blubbed (well me, a bit!) and a great time was had by all. It was great, and hats off to school (again) for everything they did to make it so special - a huge awning over the main entance and a red carpet, the keystage head emceeing arrivals with really funny comments, the two teachers who took on the role of bouncers - ipods plugged into one ear and talking into their sleeves whilst 'checking' tickets - then a good old dance and an 'after party' at a friend's house and a sleepover which was really a crash where you fall arrangement and then a very large, very fried breakfast. How fun to be nearly 16 and have a Prom. I know it's an American tradition and it's infiltrated our traditions and I know that in terms of cost it can get incredibly silly. But it's been quite a good sort of closure really; Leaver's Day was so emotionally charged that the enjoyment of it all was coloured by how much it meant. Prom was just fun. Ours had choices - nice dresses and a 'do-it-yourself-transport', or a shared limo experience and the best we could do for a dress. Well, they certainly chose well. A decorated farm trailer pulled round the village on a vintage tractor thanks to a well connected chum was the most fun and definitely the best transport of the evening. The limos were fab to see, but windows were blacked out and all we could see was a big ol' car - no sign of the kids having fun inside. To be honest, it was all so exciting that this lot would happily have walked into the school drive - it wouldn't have mattered a jot. So if you have a prom to face in the coming years, take this advice - keep it balanced, don't allow stressy drama type behaviour over being the only one who doesn't have blah blah blah. Make it fun in other ways...the Class of 2009 that rode that trailer thing done up with balloons and crepe paper will never forget the fun, or have any regrets over a shiny limo! As for scrapbook opportunities - well, you can imagine! Watch this space as they say in really interesting, less self-indulgent blogs!

WOYWW turns into WOW!

Allowing for time differences that I have no intention of trying to get my head around; this is from Sissy Dunnit. And to prove that we just wanna see what you're working on, you'll be unsurprised to know that the floor is Sissy's work surface of choice for this beauty. I'm a bit breathless about it; it's just amazing! Of course, part of the skill is that putting-patterns-that -shouldn't-go together-thing and it works so well. Not one of my skills. Scares me to death!
So there you have it, two Dunnit WOYWW, one a true wow!

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday

Comes round quite fast this silly WOYWW!! It's insanely pleasing though, so please keep going!

My workroom is at the back of the house and therefore in full shade this morning. Bliss to work in but not great for photos! You can see evidence of some 'almost cute' cards that are a work in progress; the cute images are clear stamps. Stamping is my first crafting love. Introduced to it years ago by my sweet Sissy. She had selfishly moved to California (some 16 years ago now, so we're getting a little more used to the separation). For Easter, Sissy sent me a card embossed in gold with a PSX image on it. Inside the card was a note to say it was home-made, even the gold bits...well I was pretty much on the next plane out there trying to find out the what and the how! And that's how I got started. What about you?

I'm impressively (for me) on the ball this morning; Miss Dunnit (tired and little disgruntled) has to go into school this morning and I have to sit and wait because it's 'only for five minutes'. So I'm doing this now, secure in the knowledge that it'll be lunchtime before we get home!

Show us your work surface: floor/table/desk/lap tray - no matter,we just want to see what you're doing this Wednesday! Leave a comment so I and any others can visit your glory surface!

Drawing board > reality

This is the pergola and half finished decking that transforms the (large) patio area at my sweet In-Laws home. The athletic figure in the back of the photo is Mr Dunnit, the designer, builder and installer of such splendour. He is truly a devoted son, husband and father, and I thought it would be OK to have a little brag about my man! (Mine I tell you, mine!) It's amazing huh. And better yet, a dry run for our own decking project. Although of course, ours will be on a titchy scale by comparison. So you see, I have both Dunnits at home this week. We've opted for an early stay-cation so that jobs such as that mammoth decking project can be done, so that we can see Miss Dunnit off to prom after a relaxed Friday (how exciting), so that Mr Dunnit and I can see something of each other for no reason and luckily, so we can enjoy some weather. So how does getting up an hour later than usual and eating slightly less to routine times throws such a loop in my curve? I've barely done any housework although I've been in the kitchen a lot, haven't been food shopping, although I spent a fortune in the farm shop yesterday - ah the organic pork is just incredible; I haven't managed any of last weeks challenges, although I'm still finding time to blog and I certainly haven't done much craft work. Although yesterday I spent 3 hours fiddling about with some flocked paper that wouldn't inspire me. Of course I should have put it down and done something else instead, but I didn't. I was almost jealous of Mr Dunnit's aching back by teatime, at least he'd achieved something! As I've surmised before, I'm a slave to my routine! Sunshine and Wimbledon don't help - Mr Dunnit is very keen on any sport and really has no regard for my personal 'no daytime tv' rule. (It's a pathetic attempt at self repsect - I know I'll end up in a blob on the sofa all day if I have the telly on, so I don't.) So as I type, the TV plays Wimbledon coverage to itself (because he's wandered off to do something or other - ants in his pants, that man.) I have my back to the doorway through which I could watch tv and have done something slightly overdue in honour of your fascinating comments to the last post; I've backed up my hard drive. Unsurprisingly, it's been longer than I thought, so it's a very fulfilled and not a little smug fat woman that sits before the screen. However, hold your horses though - y'all had so much to say about archiving, copying and originals that I feel a reply coming on. Will formulate and respond. Just as soon as rain stops the tennis and my lovely family go back to work and routine!

Question:

And a WOYWW picture from my sweet Sissy Dunnit - oooh and ahh; digital and everyday sewing, digital and drawn fabric designing and california sunshine - all in one photo. I tell you, whatever day of the week, this WOYW is just the biz for me, am so enjoying the legitimate scrutiny!!
I visited Eadaoin's blog earlier, I was going to leave a facetious comment about muffins, but her current post made me think a bit harder, because of course, it ended with the immortal words 'what do you think?' so I told her. And then I thought, dear interweb, that you may like to know what I think too. I'm absolutely sure you have an opinion, even more sure that anyone with an ounce of computer skill and a good scanner will have a very firm opinion! See, this lovely gal has been lucky enough to find a shed load of black and white photos in the attic which will tell hundreds of stories. Most exciting and inspiring for sure; the possibilities almost motivate me! However, Eadaoin thinks that she should copy the photos for scrapping and 'keep the originals safe'. I don't. I think she should avoid cropping them at all costs, wherever they are annotated on the reverse she should copy/scan that, and then do the scrapbooker's thing with the originals. I don't think they could be stored anywhere safer than an acid free album; the invitation to enjoy the pictures and their stories is implied by them being in an album. Safely storing them in an attic (however carefully archived) sort of belies the reason the photos were taken in the first place. In my opinion. Of course, I'm the first to admit that my massive collection of photos will not entirely end up in albums -I'm selective about the ones I scrap because of the quality, story or blahdy blah, and of course, I like to talk about doing this stuff much more than I actually do this stuff - I will always have archive photos to go in the attic for sure. But they won't be originals that are faithfully reproduced in albums. No ma'am, they will be the ones that don't tell the story but I don't want to throw away. Like the fifteen pictures of sheep that Miss Dunnit took from too far away and in less than ideal conditions. Some of them have told the story in an album, the rest are in my 21st century shoebox (the hard disk, actually).
So how do you do it? Forget about the digital luxury - what would you do in Eadaion's position? Lordy, I can hear some of you clapping your hands with glee at the scrapping opportunity this would offer. Grab one of those fresh muffins and a cuppa and let us know. The floor - or rather the worktable - is yours. (Blogger allowing. I think the bugs have gone..if you see a late comment from me, you'll know I've been allowed back into the ether!!)

Now this is the third time that I've attempted to blog today. And to be honest, I will give up if this won't actually 'publish'; because it's really not important enough to keep fighting over it with Blogger.

This post then is merely a test. I'll come back with the real thing if I can get this up/on/published/blah.

The LO was done (and finished later of course) at the last Ludgershall Crop where Fiona kindly agreed to conduct the lesson session. Which means that she had to come up with a LO and then let all of us copy it and use her stuff! It's like a big ol' sketch really, with benefits.

Oh and the Banana Muffins - Nigella of course...and I always leave out the butterscotch - because we don't like it and if I add choc chips instead, Mr Dunnit doesn't like it and...oh you know!

3 ripe bananas

125ml veg oil

2 eggs

250g flour

100g caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

150g butterscotch or choc chips.

1. Pre-heat oven to 200C Gas 6 and line a muffin tin (or invest in a silicone one - unbelievably, amazingly, stupidly, smug-makingly totally non-stick - my words, not Nigella's)

2. Mash the bananas and set side for a min.

3. Pour the oil into a jug and beat in eggs.

4. Put the flour, sugar, bicarb, and baking powder into alarge bowl and mix in the beaten egg and oil mix, followed by mashed bananas.

5. Fold in the butterscoth morsels, place equal amount in the muffin cases and bale for 20 mins.

Makes 12 average. I prefer them fresh from the oven warm with a large mug of java! Oh yum.

What's On Your Worktable? Wednesday (already)

Again, this photo taken without the benefit of a safety net - no tidying, no cropping and bad light too! But it does show that I've tidied up and moved on from whatever was the work-in-progress last week! I've set my lovely glass mat aside and am working on a cheap sketch book. This is because I've been fiddling with shrink plastic and although heat proof, do not want to tempt fate with repeated heating; I would be bereft without my glass mat! There's a can of spray acrylic on the left - I use that to seal the shrink plastic that I've coloured with chalks (once shrunk) and the bottle of glossy accents on the other side of the desk is used in the same vein but with dimension, as you know! I don't think there's anything else of huge interest on the table...of course the stamp is a Christmas image, but don't let's get started on that again!
The idea of showing your worktable has really taken off over on UK Scrappers - there's a great thread running on there if you're in the mood for a browse. And take heart, tidy workers, you are certainly not in the minority - I think we're pretty evenly distributed, actually. Not a scientific survey though, so probably better not to quote me!
What you can't see on my desk is a pile of 'stuff' awaiting attention, on the far left that my poor camera just can't stretch to. You see, it's my work desk, so I tend to use it to do domestic paperwork and other bits of everyday stuff...if it needs my attention, it has to be on my desk. So that I can move it out of the way to craft and then ignore it, usually! Currently waiting for me to finish shrinking (!) and move on is a pile of flocked papers, a couple magazines waiting to be (proof!) read, a list of workshops that I've foolishly agreed to conduct over at Kraft Crazy in Tidworth and most importantly, and certainly the priority, on the top - a cup of coffee and a home-made banana muffin. I know. Home-made. Impressive huh. I'm so smug I can barely type. Of course, if the bananas hadn't been left to go soft and horrible I wouldn't have had to make the muffins. And they were allowed to go black and squishy because I took my eye off the fruit bowl for a couple of days and forgot to force feed them to the Dunnits. I should probably make room for the fruit bowl on my worktable to avoid further guilt. I can bear it though, because I made the muffins and besides, it's strawberry season and that renders other fruit obsolete don't you think? Which is just as well, I'm sure you agree, because there's really no hope of fitting fruit onto my worktable. Could this be a life metaphor?

Let's see your desks then - leave a comment with a link or something so we can all visit - grab Annie's fab button from the column at right if you want to clutter up your blog with fab designer buttons!

Last Wednesday, (WOYWW) you couldn't see this little cigar box on my worktable, but it was there..the gift I mentioned. I was still working on the tags to fill it. It's full of snippets of info about 1969, or wise words about being 40. Or rude words about being 40. OK, both. Now you already know that I'm not going to refer to this as an 'altered' cigar box. Because it's still a cigar box, I have painted it a couple of colours and stamped on it and stuck things to it. But it's still a box. And you can see that I can't quite get my head around the shabby chic 'altered' look that involves the grunge colours either; it's just not me. So if Mrs Parsnip, the recipient of this vintage 40 box looks carefully, she'll realise it's a project I enjoyed because I chose the content, colours, stamps, blah blah , and because I wanted to make something for her. Her happening to like it is a double whammy on the bonus front. Ultimately, if you're crafting to give away, you have to enjoy what you're doing, don't you? Otherwise the motivation is lacking and also the inspiration - if you're pleased with the result, giving it away is easy - you can make yourself a promise that you'll make another to keep. If you've done it in a style or colour series that isn't close to your heart, the chances are you'll just be glad to get it over with. A bit like the moment of becoming 40. Important, but in the grand scheme of things, better when it's over! Many happy returns Mrs Parsnip!

Too much of a good thing..

All of the papers for this LO are from the Doodlebug range - a whole sheet of flocked 12 x 12!! I love love love the Doodlebug marque. Mostly for me it's the colours, I'm helpless in the face of bright colours carefully put together - the catalogue is an utterly sublime publication, graphically clean and edgy, beautiful photography and repro. It's a feast, if you like colour. This isn't an unsolicited ad, it's another of those 'why is it' type posts. Because, if I love the colours, the subjects and the clean graphic designs, 'why is it' that I'm scared to death of them? I can't put together a card or LO that pleases me as much as anything I see elsewhere made with the Doodlebug stuff. Funny isn't it? I had some of the dots stripes and things from the Cupcake and Sundae ranges which are relatively new. I've used them, but the results are a bit ho hum, contrived even. Perhaps I should just stop trying to recreate the Doodlebug look and concentrate on doing my own thing. But I wasn't aware of trying to recreate their look, so 'why is it' so contrived? Perhaps I should stop buying the matching bits and pieces and work more from initiative. After all, matching brads and borders do sometimes get lost in the overall finish because there's too much of all the same look. I dunno. I'll post another LO that I'm currently working on soon and you'll have another opportunity to see what I mean. Now the font is a different matter - I love it and frankly, have to stop myself using it on everything. I have the Cricut cartridge 'All Mixed Up' which features their sort of signature font, and I have the alphabet stickers in almost every colour, and I'm totally not afraid to use them! Don't you think that's strange? Or worse really, is it normal?!

WOYWW was so much fun, thanks for taking part..man, your tables desks and surfaces are interesting..and very tidy. I had a conversation with my lovely mother about it and I think she's embarrassed by the mess on my desk..it's so public! Anyway, do it again next week please - if you want to join in and don't have a blog, email me a picture and I'll post it here for you! You can also make a link by clicking on the text at the foot of any post 'Link to this post'...sounds easy huh!

I've been given an award by Ann and Teresa...I thank you both for it..actually I just love it - would love to be the owner of the original sign. Of course, it must be passed on and indeed it shall be...do visit these blogs if you don't already, they are surely an antidote for my blathering. Anne, Kit, Pam,....I'm sorry not to fully obey rules, but frankly, how can I single out just a handful? The other thing about this one is that you have to list ten things about yourself. Well I will, but perhaps you better set the alarm in case you fall asleep.
1. My favourite colour is yellow. I never wear it and I rarely use it, but I love it.
2. I'm a font junky; I have 27 alphabet stamp sets. Because I need them.
3. I love coffee; taste, smell, hit. Or as a flavour - ice cream, icing, cake, mmm..
4. I have to will myself to eat an apple - smoothies are the best invention, now I drink my fruit!
5. There are no circumstances in which I would eat a chip butty - the two textures - blurgh!
6. I'm a gin and tonic gal - but don't rule out Bailey's or Southern Comfort!
7. I tend to 'proof read' almost everything; on this basis - have you read a copy of Creativity from DoCrafts lately - sheeze, the spelling! And yes, it DOES matter.
8. SURPRISE: I am opinionated and judgemental.
9. I am still easily intimidated by tall, slim, talented, pretty or any combination thereof.
10. I would not survive alone on a desert island. Ugh, my own company forever!

What's on your workdesk?

Well, it's Wednesday, and the button, WOYWW is for What's on your Workdesk Wednesdays, so brace yourself!

This is exactly as I left it last night...I stood on a chair so you can get the overall impression and the first thing to talk about is not what's on my desk, so much as where do I actually do anything? Last night, I was working on top of the SU! catalogue (where I neatly stacked my cropadile and corner rounder tools when I gave up and went to watch Chuck on tv) Two reasons for that. First, I had finished going through it for the kerjillionth time and needed it to be in my line of vision for this morning (there's a couple things in there that I NEED, so I have to remember to email my SU!demo.) Second reason? It was there. Now that is a real confession because it really is a slovenly attitude that I can't defend - if Miss Dunnit had, erm, done it, she would have received my 'place for everything' lecture, no doubt. Absolutely no doubt then, why that lecture never has or will have an ounce of impact, huh!

There is a basket of characters cut from shrink plastic on the left that strictly speaking shouldn't be in the shot, so more on that in a few days perhaps! The gift that I'm working on is still on the table, although not evident, and you can just see the alphabet stamps in the bottom right corner. The sellotape dispenser, silver pencil sharpener and little red Xyron X150 are permanent residents. Next to the Xyron you can just make out the slender handles of six bottles of Smooch. Shopkeeper gal gave them to me yesterday..they have to stay on the table to remind me to include them as I play with various techniques for other things. Luckily they aren't in litre pots! I don't think there's any other story to be told, but am happy to tell you anything about anything you spot that doesn't make sense! So go on, photo your work table/desk/surface/lounge floor and show us what you're up to this week. Upload it to your blog and leave a message here so we can come and visit. And snaffle the button by copying the html code from my sidebar if you'd like to track progress on a weekly basis!

Some laundry, a hammer, and tears

Cor this is really a washed out picture..full of characters that make up Miss Dunnit's year group and shots taken on Leaver's Day again. She actually leaves on Thursday after the last exam (History). A small party is in the offing; I share the school run and we're going to have a muted celebration; Mrs SchoolRunChum has another daughter at the school, so it's not all over for her just yet! I shan't miss the icy wintery journies; those country roads are bad for my stress levels in freezing temperatures, but in fine weather, really, it's the most glorious journey. I shall delve into my photo archives and see if I can share it with you. I'm sounding quite sentimental aren't I? Well you see, this morning, I thought I'd get a steal on the chores and squash in a couple of those housekeeping jobs that you have to do because you've put them off for so long they're actually becoming annoying. Oh yes, those of you who clean and maintain properly, regularly and possibly as followers of the flylady really ought to look away now. No pictures though, I have a little pride! Anyway, at the risk of exposing too much detail about the private life of an average middle aged couple, here I go: Mr Dunnit works in jeans, and T Shirts and sweatshirts embroidered with the company name; these are kept seperate from everyday clothes for reasons that suit us both, actually. For me, it's easier to pile them all in the same place (they're in the right hand drawer of the divan bed, on his side). For him, staggering around at Ohmygod o,clock every morning, having them literally at his feet is an advantage; getting dressed in the dark never throws up any embarrasments. Still with me? Our bedroom is now in the extension which is now 3 years old for goodness sake. And when we moved the bed, the cheapskate chipboard base of a drawer popped out at the back. You guessed it; the right hand drawer, on his side. So almost every morning for the past three years, the poor man has tugged the drawer open and slammed it shut. And woken or at the least, disturbed me. Now I know he could have mended it in a jiffy, but these are the sort of jobs that get put off around here. The sort that you just know will lead to other jobs that all have to be finished before the first, simple job can be completed. Oh yes. So this morning, I was putting away laundry. Tugged open the drawer and decided today was the day. I've had enough, at last! It was much heavier than I anticipated, considering it only holds a couple of dozen tops and some manky jeans at any time. And the reason for that is why it's taken me 2 hours of this morning to mend the drawer. All of Miss Dunnit's Primary school papers were in there. Art, projects, home/school diaries, reading records, SATS results, reports...oh, everything. It's been a happy but quite tearful morning! And there was stacks of stuff, which I must say has now been weeded a bit..a sample of art and stuff from each year. Flicking through the home-school diaries is such a revelation - shows me for the amateur first time parent I was, and the tolerance and goodwill of each teacher in turn really shines out from those pages; at each stage, her teachers have had nothing but Miss Dunnit's personal success at heart; a vocation, that. If you're a teacher reading this, thanks for going into teaching; truly you touch more than one life forever - my daughter's for sure, but ours too; we couldn't possibly have turned out this fantastic creature without your help. And the drawer? As predicted, it took some persauding with a hammer and of course, a bit of duct tape for surety, but overall, it was a five minute job. Now I should log off and go to the chores I was going to do. But, there's always tomorrow!

Housekeeping

Gosh, I think I do housekeeping for this virtual reality of mine more often than I do the real thing! But today's housekeping is very important. At the risk of boring you rigid over a simple idea - look to the right - there's a WOYWW button! Thanks and thanks and thanks to Anne, who read yesterday's post and took pity on my inability to understand a word of the html stuff. She taught herself, this very afternoon, how to make the button and how to create it so that if you want to take part and put the button on your blog, you can, just by adding it as a html gadget! How amazingly clever! All that for the sake of sharing with strangers. How lovely she is. And actually, whilst we're talking amazing and clever..take a close look at the button. The paisley styled print is one of Sissy Dunnit's designs. She doesn't know I've used it yet, but I figure she won't sue me until she finds out! And then there's the stupid acronym - I just love that, it pleases me that it says and means nothing but - try saying it - it's fun on the tongue! So, bag the button, then on Wednesday, photo your worktable/desk/surface, leave a comment here so we can all visit your worktable. Even if there's nothing remarkable going on...won't it be interesting to see how long some projects stay around, how long it takes (me) to get round to cleaning thebasket full of used stamps, dust....you name it! Harmless, without commitment style fun. If you bag the button and forget to photo or lose interest because it's silly - no matter, this is meant to be fun. If it isn't fun, don't do it and certainly don't be obliged. Dip in and out as you please.

Here's a couple of scrapbook pages finished today, and (huge brag coming up) I thought I'd done four yesterday at the crop, but actually, by adding titles, I finished six! Go me, that is a record!

All I have to do now is finish....

We cropped today. Not a royal 'we'; I mean the small group that make up the scrapbookers that comprise 'Ludgershall Crop'. (Good Lord, how many words...there's a Rolf Harris song like that..about the ladies in the court of King Caractacus!). I will share what I did, just as soon as I've finished them - yeah yeah, I know, but I've evolved since I started going to a crop. I used to be completely unable to leave a LO even slightly unfinished..to the point where I'd compromise my original plan. Hmm, that not only sounds incredibly pompous, it sounds like every time I start a LO, I know what I'm going to do - ha! What I mean is that I can now wait till I get home to cut out another title or a different size, or if I've got stickers with me and feel chipboard is better, I can wait..now. So I did 4 LOs, one needs journalling and 3 need titles. And they're of fairly current events. That's what inspires me. When I first started scrapping (about 5 years ago, perhaps), I was frantically trying to make up for lost time and started on Miss Dunnit's short life. Soon got bored with that - chronological and all in the past..not for me. I've evolved as a scrapper in many ways and certainly in the subjects that I choose to record now. Oh I still intend to tell Miss Dunnit's life story, and I still take photos of birthdays and 'milestones', but more often than not, these photos are neglected in the computer files that Creative Memories refer to as the 21st Century shoe box. Too true, huh! Part of the reason for this is an innate stubborness; I kinda feel that you're 'expected' to scrap these moments and that makes me not bother. I've got some fab holiday photos, unscrapped....I'm like that with films - the more people tell me I 'must see' such and such, the less likely I am to bother. Titanic. Mama Mia. Just examples - I don't know why, but that's in my make up. Weird yeah. My photography isn't wonderful, but I am a prolific photographer. I once had an ambition to learn to play the mouth organ, and believed that I'd then carry it around with me all the time, to whip out and provide soundtrack at the drop of a hat. Obviously, that never happened...turned out I can't play the mouth organ without real effort and I can't read music and I certainly can't compose on the spot or play by ear. So I carry a digital camera with a whopping great memory card around with me instead. Makes more sense really..moments of busking fame would have been fleeting compared to the massive number of scrapbook albums that will be my life's work! I can record the here and now and moments of spontaneity, as well as the every day that we might forget, and they I think, have made some fun LOs. So now I've come to terms with my scrapbook psyche, I really enjoy the crops. A distinct camaraderie and bouncing inspiration and lots of show and tell - it's good for the soul. And the Slipper Lady brings her diary and makes us commit to more fun things - and that's when you realise that the crop is all about your social life. Why on earth didn't I photograph that?

In the cold light of day, 'What's On Your Worktable Wednesday' seems to appeal to a few of us, so let's do it. Anne said we could do with a logo thingy and I couldn't agree more. I've just spent two fruitless hours at Blogger Help trying to understand how to make and distribute a button. Haven't a clue. Anyone wanna help? Or shall we do this discreetly, and erm, button-less?!

This Christmas card thing..

...which made you all run screaming for the hills...how heeelarious was that! I need very badly to set the record straight here. Although I made them, it was because I had to. It was a job, honest; and they are not in my posession any longer, so just like my lovely Sissy, I will be doing the last minute panic thing, because that, it turns out, is very definitely one of my Christmas traditions! I do love these Patchwork Kingdom characters though, 4 step decoupage from the Crafthouse Press. Who, dear interweb, launched a new product to a waiting world yesterday on QVC.

I know this because I made some of those samples too. Take a look at these terrific box cards and tell me you don't like cutting out. Huh, huh? And they fold flat into an envelope. I hesitate to use the word genius because I suspect them of reading this blog now and then and like all innovators, they must be kept on their toes. Enough to say that I think they're great...and I relish the idea of Christmas versions!

I hit on an idea last night that I thought may be fun - particularly in view of the cathartic nature of sharing. I thought we (that's you interweb, and me) could do a 'what's on my work table this wednesday' feature thingy. Yep. From me, a sort of down market and probably badly photographed version of the sort of thing that real big celeb scrappers do - but theirs involve finished items, links, articles and sponsor giveaways....none of which will happen here. I just wanna see what you're all doing that I'm not...I really like the idea of seeing your work in progress; specially as your finished stuff is always fab. And then I realised that it may well have to be postponed - my current work in progress is to be gift and I don't want to spoil the home-made surprise! So naturally, it would work if you'll take part - leave a comment so I can come and see what's on your table if you're brave enough! Next week I'll be better organised and take part myself! I can't believe I just typed that, it's the most ridiculous and often used phrase in my head and it NEVER comes true. Talking of comments and blah (which I did, briefly...) please welcome Stefcos' picture to the 'followers' board of this blog - I knew she didn't look like a strange grey coloured piece of lego and I knew that her smiley face would be a real boost to this blog. I knew all that because she's my sister and creative role model, but any of you that visit blogs via that board feature will probably enjoy putting her face to her name. Sissy Dunnit. Look out for this name in years to come, we're gonna call our chain of craft stores Sissy Dunnit's; there are loads of thing s to do first though,- living in the same country would be a good start!

Hello June. Thanks for flaming.

Yesterday Miss Dunnit and I visited a photographer's studio shop to get an ID photo sorted out for her bus and college passes (oh, how my heart flips when I talk like that about my baby!).
A very pleasant young man quickly attended, explained that he'd photograph my cherub and then print an 8 picture sheet from the Kodak machine. Now of course, this wouldn't be a normal Dunnit story if I didn't digress a bit. Here's the bit: the young man who served us was wearing the uniform of the business - a polo shirt with the company name embroidered on the chest. This is how I knew that he would be able to help us. Otherwise I would of course, have assumed that he was another student, doing much the same as us. You see, he was that young. Slightly too long, curly hair and an awkwardness that tall youths posess in spades. So when a second chap appeared, obviously grown up, sporting a neat clippy beard, not wearing the polo shirt uniform, I did what I hope loads of other people have done. I assumed he was in charge and talked almost exclusively to him. I had a lot to say - I want this smart and new studio to offer me and my scrapbook chums some short lessons in improving our digital photography. Meanwhile, Miss Dunnit and the helpful young man tripped away to the studio, took a couple of photos and printed off the preference in an ID format. Conversation with my beardy friend included a quick tour of the studio (amazing - and very very white), the viewing room (fabulous little amphitheatre type furnishings, would make a great mini lecture room) and the office. We talked about the time involved in creating such workshops and the difficulty in fitting such things in to coincide with customer leisure times. I was big enough to acknowledge that really as a photography business, they may well be all about the photo supply rather than teaching us a few tips from their hard earned experience. I even (jokingly) suggested that he must be tempted to suggest we read the camera manuals. He didn't even blink as he said that he truly wished we would! And then he told me that Mark (of Mark Fell Photography) would definitely be in touch at some stage because I wasn't the only 'scrapbooker' to have come up with this amazing and original idea. He was being a tiny bit sarcastic I know, but I just think 'ha! great minds think alike'! Mark stepped forward and asked for my email address. You're way ahead of me. Mark is the young man. The one I'd assumed was the help, purely on my perception of his age and therefore experience. I'm pretty ashamed. I apologised and he was incredibly graceful in brushing off my embarassment. I hope he stays as young looking forever, as when he gets to my age, it'll be a wonderful thing. Meanwhile, he's clearly already learned how to deal with mouthy apparently half-blind 40-somethings. His good grace and utter lack of arrogance is a real lesson in something - dignity for a start! Of course, Miss Dunnit was part horrified and part smug - she just loves it when I make a fool of myself over something that involves the sort of standards I'm always preaching - you know the pre-judging thing and books and covers and blah blah. Oh my. The good news though is that her ID pass photo is a million times nicer than it would have been from a photo booth moment; which means that when she loses it, if it's picked up by someone of a parental nature, they won't be able to tell from her picture whether she's a well adjusted-emo-goth-manga-hard-working-layabout-loser student or otherwise! And don't ask me, I'm no judge at all.

Ooh look...I made some Christmas cards in May!!
Patchwork Kingdom - just irresistible if you ask me.