No defence, more an explanation. Or not.

Great WOYWW everybody - really enjoyed that!

Taken late last night after a clear up, here is the basket of unwashed stamps that is vexing quite a few people. I know, it's torture. But it's OK. They're my stamps and I don't mind. As you can see from the glistening and gloopy black ink, there are a few that have pigment ink on them - and that amount of glycerine isn't drying anytime soon, so they'll clean up perfectly well. Others, like the clear stamps and any that I've used permanent ink on will still be cleaned. They may or may not be stained, but they will be clean. And they'll all be put away on their shelves. Not labelled or necessarily in any sort of group, but mount facing, for ease of reference.

I don't use chemicals to clean them unless I borrow a stamp from someone; then I do clean immediately after using - with Stazon cleaner. I may be lazy with my own stuff, but not with yours. I actually use a scrub pad, not unlike the SU! one, and I use washing up liquid and water on it. I don't run the wood mounted ones under the tap and I do wash the clear stamps in hot soapy water after a good scrub. I also always have the plug in - those little ones glide down the plug hole as easy as you like......

Another really interesting thing that came to light for me this week is the number of people that catalogue their stamp collections for fear of buying the same thing twice. Never done it - I can't be bothered, there's a surprise! But it doesn't matter. I can't tell you, list fashion, what I've got, but when I see it for sale I know I already have it, and I can walk into any shop that sells 'em and tell you from looking at their stamps what I haven't got. And I can (with the odd polymer exception), tell you the stamp manufacturer without handling it. I dunno if it's a gift per se, but it has proven useful! The incredible point of this erm, skill, is that I can barely remember what I had for breakfast most days, so this long term stuff is a teeny miracle!

So ya see, I do the right things, in my own time. I'm still living and breathing, my stamp collection is intact and everything is fine. Of course, I may well go to hell for these acts of idleness. But I suspect that I'll be so busy shaking hands with loads of other bloggers that I'll barely have time to be a stamp cleaner there, either!

And finally, as if asking for another wave of anxiety, here's another card from the Christmas stuff we did last week. Nesties bird...gotta love my scroll stamps again. Inkadinkado, btw!

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday ? 47

Well yesterday whilst browsing my Reader thingy, (I'm quite behind) I noticed Ramona was showing how she stores her bling. Now, because I'm a woman of enormous self control and possess an almost supernatural 'that's-enough-o-meter', I have less bling than the Paper Princess. As in, she has two boxes. I however, have magically realised that removing all the packaging and excess cardboard doubles the capacity of a box! Smug huh! So here's mah bling, sistahs.

As for my desk...well, bad light despite the lovely day because the sun doesn't arrive here until about 3 o,clock, and I can't wait that long - I wanna be part of the party!

You can just see a card with a photo on it - an invitation to a friend's 50th birthday party, it was waiting for a reply card to be made. Honestly, some of my friends are twice my age.

And maybe you can see the lovely deep yellow card in the bottom right - it's from Lyn and contained a length of ribbon from the Maison du Chocolat. She was kind enough to say she thought of me when contemplating the ribbon. It's a very, very long piece of ribbon. It must have been a H U G E box of chocs. Am slightly crushed that she didn't think of me when she saw the actual chocs. It's a beautiful card too, I will try to photo it properly later.

I'm mid preparation for a workshop on Thursday and for the crop on Saturday. I can't decide what to do - and if I go unprepared, I'll do nothing, of course! The Copics are out and meaning business, I'm still pants at using them, I've discovered that I need the other set to get a really good mix of near blendable numbers. And that's just a lot more money for more colours innit! The basket of stamps waiting to be cleaned is becoming unmanageable, so it'll probably only last another week or so before I cave in and do something. I've removed two things to take the photo - a gift that I can't reveal for obvious reasons. and, brace yourself - the last thing I did last night? Dump my WOYWWAC project on the desktop! YES - I am actually getting on with it. Which means that I'm doing more than one project at once. This usually freaks me out, so you'll be the judge of whether I can or not, huh - at week 52's reveal!

Join in then - upload a photo of your desk/top/tray/sofa/bench/floor/drawers (take a breath) - wherever you're working. Show us what you're working on and let us see what you've got. It doesn't have to be a craft or indeed a paper craft - just show and tell! Lovely. If you don't have a blog but wanna join in - email me a piccy and I'll tag it onto this post. Leave a link in the linky thing and slowly but surely, we'll drop in for a look see. Can't wait. IF you wanna go public, grab a button for your blog - in the left sidebar.

And don't forget the Week 52 First Year Anniversary Challenge. WOYWWAC. You don't have to have contributed a desk every week for a year to join - it's just a bit of fun! Make something lovely to enhance your work space......desktop, wall, floor, whatever! The challenge is to include the famous letters WOYWW on it somehow somewhere. How hard can it be?

Oh, there you are!

I've had my head down and been busy! Good grief, I don't like it. And no-one sent me a fit fireman - although several people implied that they'd happily keep one amused for a while.A very revealing post that turned out to be!
So instead of showing myself up and complaining about doing stuff that I've been putting off for oh, years, here's a Christmas card that proves that I can work in advance. Sometimes! It fits the criteria for Susie & Vicki's Christmas Club challenge, so get me! It was made for last week's workshop, April Fool we called it, and decided to make it unseasonal.
The stamp is from a set of 'branches' by Artemio -I made this card with the other stems - you probably remember, I just wanted to show what great value this set is, in my opinion.
If you stamp, you probably need it.
Jan wanted to thank you for positive responses to her bags. I know that reads badly, but if you read my last post, you'll understand completely. Jan is busy sewing as I type and will happily take orders. The little dolly bags are £3.50 and the totes will be £5 - email me via the button in the right margin, I'll put you in touch!
Public service announcements over, I must get on, I'm a really busy person today doncha know!

Oh what a beautiful day

Now just cast your eyes over these home-made pretties. Lunch Lady Jan made them, she plans to sell them for small amounts of money at her school fete and then a couple of local craft shows - aren't they just about the most cheerful bags you ever saw? I know the little ones are 'dolly' bags and little girls will love them - but wouldn't you just love to go to work with your summer time lunch in one?

And there's PE bags of course, and there's proper totes too. See, yesterday, when some of you expressed a wish to see the bags, you didn't think I'd deliver quite so efficiently, huh! *Cough* Thanks, Jan for the very prompt email!

So now you see where my logic over the pegs comes in - surely a painted, sanded and vaguely decorated peg will be the clincher in terms of style and purchase decisions! I know I'm delusional, but look at Jan - she's got pink string for hanging them on - I'm in good company, non?!

Fun, this

My life appears so charmed doesn't it, that I'm able to say - oh no, can't do that, it's no fun. Well interweb, there's a lot of things I do that I try to make fun, and there really is a few things I have to do that I don't enjoy. And then there's the things I won't be doing again because good grief, how short is my life? And one of those 'things', is painting pegs. Yep, common-or-garden wooden clothes pegs. Not the round, somehow voluptuous dolly pegs, not the exaggerated, memo holder type pegs. Just pegs. See, me and that lovely Paige saw some in John Lewis last week that were painted and decorated and outrageously expensive and very very pretty. So I thought I'd make some for lunch lady Jan who is running a couple craft stands at shows this summer; she's made some absolutely lovely fabric bags in varieties that make you swoon - and she quite likes the idea of pegging them up on a line for display. So you can see, this is to be a gesture of friendship and solidarity. I think it's safe to say that she doesn't read this blog, so it's also safe to say that I won't be so stupid next time. This is an hour and one coat later. I can't do another, I was covered in paint, the little bits of wire that I really thought would help - didn't and even though I was sitting in the sunshine with he sound of other people busy, it just wasn't working for me. AM I a tad impatient? Or really, are my sausage like fingers just past the joy of fiddly? Anyway, now they're nice and dry, (the pegs) I'm going to sand them back a bit - distress them a little - you know that vintage look that Cath Kidston is charging mega bucks for? Then finish them. With buttons, paper and doodads. But absolutely no grace. Although, I will hand them over with as much grace as I can muster because I know she'll like them and I know she'll appreciate every minute of fiddling about that I spent on them. Man, I don't do fiddly very well! Or gracious, come to that. Thanks goodness I have a blog where I can whinge!


Here too is another of Crafthouse Press' die cut Gorjuss gals..the card is mirror turquoise which is why my conservatory roof is reflected as weird stripes - you ain't trippin' man. Sorry CP, but you didn't check my photography accreditation and now it's too late. Cackle.


St George's Day today, may you enjoy every minute of having a patron Saint who slays dragons. Marvellous English man! We are celebrating with roast beef in giant yorkshire puddings this evening. It's OK, that is not any sort of crystal ball gazing; believe me, I already know how giant they are!
Have a smashing weekend. Rumour has it that some of us will be blessed with real summer time type sunshine. Some will be cyber cropping over at UK Scrappers And some will be making an attempt at the Room of Shame. If I'm not back by Monday, send in a good looking fireman!

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 46

So this week sees more desk action, I can sit for longer and am actually getting stuck into some work. Some cards siting at the back waiting to go into little bags for a sale, some instructions for a folded card and the first real attempt - not rocket science,but it wouldn't be for me, huh! And a lovely shot of my plain scraps box too, for those that have heard me brag about my success with it but can't envisage it. Am still happy with how it works for me. Patterned papers are stored similarly but obviously, separately - and not colour optioned - that would require difficult decisions!
And finally, Kate wanted a 'full frontal' of my untidy stamp shelves. They looked alright in real life, but now I realise that I must have a moment or three of organisation!

We want to see what you're up to this week - take a pic of your work space - no matter what you're currently doing - load it onto your blog and then link it here - we'll swing by, gawp at your work in progress and rummage in your stuff. Lovely. It takes a while to visit all the desks - be patient. AND - be generous, leave a comment; we know in a lot of cases this is a promotional aide, but it doesn't mean that you should ignore those of us who just wanna show you around!

WOYWW HOUSEKEEPING:
Here we are on the run up to a year of WOYWW! I have to admit that I thought it must surely be getting boring by now, but I actually really like seeing what everyone's up to - it's only my desk that gets boring! Anyway, all this is a preface to a WOYWW Anniversary Challenge. Yes, the WOYWWAC. Be still my heart, these pointless acronyms just get better! Angie's idea, I seriously hadn't thought that it was an important enough anniversary to make anything of it, but hey - why shouldn't we! June the second. 2/6/2010 - or if you're on the USA side of the pond, 6/2/2010 is the actual 52nd week. That's over a month people to get something off the ground and make a project to fit the challenge criteria. Because we all do different things and because WOYWW is not about competition, more about our desks, here's the challenge: Make something (anything) that will beautify your workspace - desk, tray, wall, window, seat - blah, wherever you craft. The catch? Somehow, however discreetly, include the famous acronym WOYWW. You don't have to register or join or follow to enter, just like WOYWW - your entry will be your regular WOYWW post on week 52 showing your finished project in situ, enhancing your workspace. There will be prizes, and they will not be randomly selected. Sissy Dunnit will choose. OK? Have a bash, it'll be fun!

There is also rumbling talk of the desire for a WOYWWers meet up - would you express any vague interest in your comment please? I'm thinking sometime over the Stitches Exhibition at the NEC in October.

Re-use, refresh

I went out with girlfriends on Friday. We were looking at card samples and other handmade bits and bobs - we were very struck by a floral felt mobile, actually. Anyway, it struck us that several of the stamped cards we admired most were made using some of the original techniques that we all learned. Like masking, shadow stamping, silhoutte images, embossing and using the same image for foreground and background. It was fascinating: how much you know, how much you've forgotten you know and how many ideas you kinda shelved in favour of other, perhaps 'newer' techniques. For example, how many of us don't 'ink the edges' these days? !
I think the advent of different inkpads for different applications changed the way we stamp and colour, and no doubt that the use of stamps in scrapbooks has changed the consideration when you decide to buy ink. I've spent some time this weekend playing with older techniques; some I like, some I remember why I don't like them! It was quite refreshing to make a couple of cards without using printed papers as embellishment or background. Equally, it was nice to simply pick up a completely 'normal', felt tip and just colour onto a solid stamp, and fiddle about a bit with some watercolour pencils....just add water, no colouring mediums, nothing complicated and certainly no stress over matching or cutting into paper that I've been saving for something that might, apparently, be worth it! It was great. So there's definitely more mileage in your stash which you've vowed to use up anyway - try all the ideas and techniques you thought were out of date - they aren't - they're just out of mind.

It was something Paige said

That made me realise that I have passed a milestone in my own scrapbooking story. Man, how deep is that! We were in Southampton, so obviously Paperchase and Hobbycraft were in the mix. But my goodness interweb, we were grinning and smug at the sophistication of our purchasing decisions. Honestly, in many cases we considered need over want and indeed, even asked ourselves if we'd actually use it before putting it back or adding to the basket (which Paige carried). I'm pretty confident that we weren't dancing around trying to impress each other either; I'm so in awe of her that it wouldn't have been possible anyway.
The thing is, over pudding (which was the coffee and eaten-too-quickly-to-photograph-doughnut) we talked about the 'need' thing and cited moments where we and people we know, have bought two or three pieces (of paper for example,) so that one can be used and others kept for purposes of admiration. That 'can't-bring-myself-to-cut-into-it' thing. And I had the moment of epiphany. Whilst licking every shred of calorie off my fingers, I realised that I'm totally over that. I scrapbook stuff that I like. I use stuff because it's lovely and I can keep it. And I no longer have a problem using it. Actually, it may well be the relief of using it that adds to the pleasure of using it. Does that make sense? The hoarding was giving me the guilts, not the buying. Oh Paige, please bring me more moments of clarity. I'd like one that can help me stop buying the stuff faster than I can use it now please! As for the doughnuts - between us it went like this - one each for pudding = 4 Miss Dunnit and her chum came with us), 2 for Mr Dunnit to try, 2 dozen to be taken back to the Isle of Wight (they freeze, doncha know) and 4 for Miss Dunnit' s chum to take home to the family. See, split it down and it's not quite so outrageous. Just like the stash - use it, you'll love it!

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday

This shameful situation was recorded yesterday as the sun finished moving round the garden and finished up in my workroom - I even had to open the door - if I could remember how the locking mechanism works, it would have been the top half of the door - Mr Dunnit created it as a barn door but the lock-one-half-lock-both-halves thing fools me at the beginning of each year; no doubt he will be patient when I ask for the 3rd lesson in as many years! The table is just covered in everything, even I can't pick out specifics; and really I call it shameful because I didn't do any 'work' at all yesterday, as you may well know, I went off to meet that Paige, Ladybird, Ladybird. She's just as you think she will be, except she's nicer. We shopped, walked, enjoyed sunshine and chatted. The day inevitably involved the purchase of 34 Krispy Kreme doughnuts! I hasten to add that we didn't eat that number, but I also hasten to add - don't ever challenge me! Anyhoo, I've tidied my desk out of respect for Paige's working method and because I really need to get things sorted today! So first thing, my desk looks like this

Bit gloomy in here; the promised sunshine even slower than me in getting it on today! Now, in terms of swing I have not much to offer, but I thought you may like to see the one thing that I continually move out of the way when I'm photographing the desk etc - my chair of choice!
It's a tractor seat with adjustable height. It's great when you're fit and happy to sit for hours; sorry to say at the moment that isn't me, so it's currently being alternated between stand and sit - the old yo-yo thing. Drives me nuts, so glad I don't have onlookers to see me fidgeting and crashing about! You can also of course, see how untidy I am under the desk....and how many times I miss the bin! Yikes. Will go tidy up presently.

Show us your work surface then, show us what you're doing. Doesn't have to be paper and doesn't have to be a real desk, our interest is in what others are doing with whatever you've got. Join in by uploading a pic or two to your blog and then link it here - loads of us will visit. Please bear in mind as there are so many of us now that it takes a while to visit; be patient! Grab a button from the left side of this blog if you want to go public with your Wednesday revelations. The worst thing that could happen? You might make some new friends.

Wearing a red carnation..

Another cutie from the Crafthouse Press die cut range - the gingham paper is part of the kit and the white spots on the card backing were my idea. Hmmm. Hats off to the gingham then!

Actually this card is all about clues to my day out today. The cuppa of course, is a dietary obligation for a day out with a friend. The Ladybird - is who I'm going to meet! Yep, Paige is setting sail from the Isle of Wight and we're going to have time out in Southampton today. Hobbycraft and Paperchase form part of the agenda. Naturally. So forgive me, I'm off to make a poor man's version of the red carnation - otherwise, unless she hears someone whingeing about waiting for ferries, driving in the city, parking, blah blah, how on earth will she know me!

Aw look. The Crafthouse Press have sent me a bunch of die cut sets to play with. Two sheets of two images per sheet and two different sheets of backing papers in each set. Bargain. And of course, bang on trend, huh!
*Edited at 5pmish...this link contains a video of John - of the Crafthouse Press, and some Gorjuss - do have a look!http://www.crafthousepress.co.uk/gorjuss ; worth the visit for the fantastic latin trumpet!

The Gorjuss girls have spots of embossed glitter accents on them but you ain't going to see that in my photographs of course. But trust me, I'm a erm, blogger. Apart from the *Kis*Kiss* text, everything I've used on this came out of the kit and I haven't added other stuff. It could so easily be done, but I thought you may be interested in quite what you can do with what you get. Or you may not. Bit late really!

These 'Dandelion' sets featuring the lovley garden rabbit are by artist Emma Thomson - how sweet they are too - I really love the water-colour finish and gingham, my inner Suzy Homemaker cannot resist gingham in any form!

Well, I was up anyway

Rather than a list of uninteresting trivia about me, let me thank Vicki and fulfill other obligations for awards by telling you about another of my erm, unusual characteristics.

Since Mr Dunnit built an extension on our house and we moved into our lovely new bedroom, I have made it a mission to make it light proof. I really, really like to sleep in the dark. He laughs because I find the glow from the clock-radio an irritation - honestly it gives a green tinge to anything within about 8 feet of it and that is not what I call a calming light! We have blinds, and when the clocks change, each night I put something on the window sill against the bottom of the blind to prevent any chance of it bowing and letting in a chink or indeed a great swathe of daylight (anything, t shirt, book - something random so he doesn't cotton on and laugh at me - so far so good!). Since I became a mother (and we're talking 16 years here interweb), I can hear my child's regular, sleep breathing from approximately two countries away. So if that changes, I'm up and administering before my eyes are properly open. I like to sleep and I like to sleep undisturbed and deeply. I think you get the picture. So how come every time the clocks go forward into Spring, I forget about the dawn chorus? Man, I spend 50 weeks of the year protecting a large hedge full of birds from neighbourhood cats so that all they can do is sing and practice at the top of their lungs - on my window sill. How very offensive. Especially the one that makes the sound of a dripping tap. By the time my subconscious has registered it, I need to erm, visit the bathroom. And then I'm properly up because the floor is cold and there is light leaking around the blinds and making its way into my eyes from every direction. Gah. So on morning number seven of this torture, I thought I'd get up, knock out a couple of cards that have been on my mind and tidy up a little. I poured a coffee, logged on and realised I could whinge in type. Aren't you glad that it's not you that we're scheduled to visit for the day!

The photo is another page from the '12 of 16' album, and oh do visit Vicki if you have a chance, she is amazing with a piece of 12 x 12 and a photo, why she passes awards to me is a mystery.

This card makes me appear to be totally together; but I'm not, really. It came to me last night whilst I was supposed to be asleep, so this morning it hasn't taken long to put together and is actually to enter Susie & Vikki's Christmas Club challenge; and I will be using it as one of four very unseasonal cards for a workshop at the end of the month!

Something that struck me yesterday whilst I toured the world looking at WOYWW posts was the number of us that post a picture of our desks and comment that it may well be an aide to some sort of tidying up discipline. I thought so too, and in 44 weeks of WOYWW, it hasn't turned out like that for me. There are moments when it just drives me nuts and I have to clear up. Indeed, I think that's why I'm here writing about it, the desk, the stamps, the bin - everything needs to be re-ordered and I'm working my way up to it - envisioning if you like! But of course, having tidied up, I usually then start again immediately, inspired by the space and 'clean sheet' appearance of my work surface. I don't photograph it, I probably should, just for a WOYWW comparison. Isn't that generally the great thing about a hobby of nearly any sort. It's terribly forgiving. You can tidy up and start again. You can get it wrong and it'll turn into something else and give you a renewed start. You can burn it knot it tangle it bin it and start again. It won't shout and scream and demand attention when you haven't got time for it - indeed very often it will inspire you to return as soon as you can - and it always always feels good when you get back to start again. Therapy, friendship and any number of second chances. Ah, how many of us get those 'clean sheet' opportunities outside the space of our hobby?

Housekeeping: In other news, two fellow bloggers have had a visit from my family and been convinced of the need to share awards with me; thank you to Chrissie at Simply One of A Kind for the sunshine award - do visit her blog. This gal makes classy quality cards and creates wedding stationery that takes your breath away - and shares them online daily. Inspiration in a pot.
And Paula at her Paper Playground took very little roughing up on account of her fragile state. She shared the exotic 'Encanto' award with me. If ever you wanted proof that to become part of a community all you have to do is immerse yourself in it and enjoy the company, Paula is the gal. Full of chat and thrilled about her stash, she's a tonic - read her.
Thanks to both. Am totally unsure where Blog Awards originate and indeed why, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't thrilled and flattered. After all, aren't we all blogging for some small show-offy reason? And frankly, flattery is the key with me; it's got me into things I didn't wanna do, for sure!

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday

So we're starting with Stephanie Dunnit's today because there's so much more to say about a nice tidy screen shot of her design work! She and Dori are working on a scrapbook kit design (I know, how cool already!). The theme is retro Las Vegas and will include embellishments, papers and all the real blah. The basis of the criteria is that the kit includes a pack of cards. So this is Steph's Queen of Clubs. I know she's my sister an' all, but golly gee isn't it bang on retro Las Vegas style? Doesn't Liberty look gorgeous in pinks! Can you imagine making a mini album with these cards as the pages? If you had to re-design a pack of cards, would you just worry about a new pattern for the obverse and kinda reproduce the familiar characters, maybe in different colours? Amazing the ability that these designers have to see the end products before they put a pen on paper. Hopefully Dori will share one of hers too, so you can see how in sync these gals are. Wow.

And so the the SNAP! of a reality check. You can see that I've a problem with decent light this morning. And apparently, a problem with throwing anything away; having a bin at my feet and a nicely sized one on the desk doesn't always help! The white clippings, strips, pieces, snips on the right are all rubbish. Mostly offcuts from my decoupage triumph(!) over the weekend. You can see that I'm making slow progress with the red and white Clockhouse. There's a neat stack of ink pads being protected by a Fimo dragon. Made by Miss Dunnit and suffering a broken wing, he appeared on my desk with a note asking to be mended. Good old Diamond Glaze, huh! There's a small handful of cards at back left; of course they aren't standing in the 'finished' card holder - there isn't enough room! It's not 'push back' so much as 'have everything you want to work with on the desk so that you don't forget'.....and it's not a huge success!

So why don't you show us your work surface. You don't have to have a dedicated desk, you don't have to be a paper crafter; we'd like to see what you're doing this Wednesday, and what you do it with. I think! Post a picture on your blog, come back here, leave a link and we'll pop around. No rules for joining - just join in. There's a button in the left bar of this blog if you want to join in publicly, but you don't have to. Here's the thing though - lots of us are doing WOYWW now, so it may take a while for the whole coven/circle/cult to visit. Be patient!

Co-ordination? I think not!

Nine of us sat down to eat at the same time on Easter Sunday, thanks to the skills of my dear Mama.

And that was the only part of Easter Sunday that co-ordinated. Outfits were not considered for their photo suitability when selected and certainly my wishes for a colour theme weren't taken in to account at all. Sigh. I think it may need slightly more controlling than a simple request. I may well turn up at the next family gathering with a bag full of the same t shirts in a variety of sizes. That would work. And after this weekend, the youngsters think I can't become any more deranged, so it wouldn't matter, huh!

Hey ho. Part of the pleasure is in the planning. Apparently.

Co-ordination may well be a running theme at my desk this week. Trying to co-ordinate available craft time with bouts of inspiration to produce worthwhile stuff would be nice. The onset of spring has gone to my head and I've agreed to 'do' a couple of craft fair type things with Lunch Lady Jan. She's gone all sewy and clever and wants me to add some cards to her gingham and folksy table top. I said I would because June seemed a long way away. You guessed it. On top of other stuff, and given the appalling lack of anything having been done at my workdesk in the last week, June seems terribly near somehow. I know, as priorities go, it's not life changing - after all, by then we'll have had a General Election and we could all be facing very big changes. But a deadline is a deadline, and although they inspire panic in me, they are also well, inspiring. So am off to mark up the to-do list, my diary and my phone calendar. With that sort of co-ordination, what could possibly go wrong?

Got Chocolate?

Actually, yes I have. And this morning at least, a bit of sunshine going on - which makes my lovely gauche and garish Easter decorations look bright and well, gauche and garish. Which makes me very happy!

We have a rash of birthdays over this weekend and I thought you might like to see what I did for my father in law. Let me shock you out of roast lunch and chocolate overload....I did a decoupage card for him! I know! I'm so impressed with myself; patience, glasses, scissors, daylight - it all came together and before I knew it, Mr Dunnit was saying not to add anything to it as it was completely 'of its time'. Grandpa Dunnit was a real sportsman in his youth and this 1950s comic cover is perfect. I printed it off the Men's Travel and Sport DVD from the Crafthouse Press. It's a bit frightfully Enid Blyton, but I know he'll like it.

Scrap Lady Ally has been busy making me feel guilty too - do pop over to 2 Scrap Ladies and see her second Clockhouse project. Mine is er, coming along. At least with her help, I've got photos sorted.

Today is the day that I was hoping to make my family dress in a toning manner for a photo shoot so that my next mini album would match a particular paper collection. It's not going too well, friends. And we haven't left home to go to my parents to meet siblings and cousins yet. Hmmm. If I wish you a happy and Holy day, will you please wish me a co-ordinated one?

8 months till Christmas.

I thought it a better title than 'It's April!' because I'm pretty sure you already know that. And probably like me, you're pretty shocked at how quickly the weeks are turning into months. Here we are, fairly entrenched in 2010 and I'm not used to it yet. Gah! Getting old. The calendar LO isn't an April Fool, so much as an April Foolish. I thought I'd do myself and a few others a favour and use a few flowers. That'll be about a month's worth, surely!

As we're gearing up for a lovely long weekend (at least), I thought we could collectively do a recommendation blog post - if we're all out and about getting fresh air, being outdoorsy, investing time enjoying our families, it's only fair that we reward ourselves. So if you know of a lovely craft shop that will be open at any stage of the holidays, tell us about it. Then we can plan our days out and erm, act surprised when the DH or the children say 'look Mummy, there's a craft shop!' as they are so well trained to do.
So I'll start with a couple, please add yours in the comments.

Kraft Crazy, Station Road, Tidworth, Hants 01980 844010:Open on Saturday, closed Bank Hols and open normal hours during week. Ring ahead to double check. Definitely worth a visit - stocked and up to date. Tell Shopkeeper Gal you know me. She'll probably laugh.
Abercardabra, Baker Street, Aberystwyth 01970 626119: Open Good Friday and Saturday as normal, closed on BHol Monday, check other hours with Welsh Shopkeeper Gal. Of course a well stocked and charming shop, and about 200 yards from the seaside. How damn perfect is that. You can tell her you know me, she'll probably laugh.

Have a beautiful restful colourful cheerful and spring like weekend, won't you?