I wish

that I could make stunning projects like: http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRacH9sRFG9vk9g_i8RNTAvbpyefxWVK_Aj-5RB8NslOdj3sNKBLDsAGb_GpULShqpNi7nzFp0UwyJHoX-llDELvJ-6DNUCamz_Kqr9PUv50RCvkxPmksie459if1fYdTnUSjBy0_IxdsZ/s400/VIOLETS+OPEN+EXPLODING+BOX.jpg&imgrefurl=http://magic-boxes.blogspot.com/2009/02/exploding-box-violets.html&h=358&w=400&sz=29&tbnid=y2YKFLqczN62MM:&tbnh=111&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dexploding%2Bboxes&usg=__UPDNOGOsudkIiQIznrbgBiE6wYE=&ei=T_bSS8S3GsGA-QaWiY2VDA&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=7&ct=image&ved=0CCEQ9QEwBg

if this link works. Its a rather long link? I don't know enough about computers to delete any of it and still see if it works - so apologies.

Instead I made the exploding box for Christina/nan for her birthday - nice, but certainly nothing like the other beautiful creation ! SIGH

What a week - AGAIN

absolutely no time to scrap this week - Korin got her car and Keir and Olivia moved flats - I gave my notice in and Keyhas had mega busy time at work.

Will try and do some crafting this weekend.

Friday again already.

Had to sit in today awaiting my new sofa's for the lounge - been doing a bit of crafting. All my crafting these days is very basic stuff, but I enjoy doing it.

The last week (week 15) is Changing Rooms and inside explains how in the late 90's when Changing Rooms and House Invaders was all the rage etc - I did a makeover on my bedroom, this included painting all the melamine white bedroom furniture to look like the semi precious stone 'lapis lazuli' - it came out really well, and I painted a GOLD wall and a faux headboard on the main wall - now I think about it it was quite gross - but at the time it fitted well. My cousin convinced me to submit it to the UKSTYLE TV Channel on their website and I won the make-over of the week prize (although they featured my bedroom for over a month) - and I received books on DIY and gardens etc..........................this prompted me to do an online Interior Design Course/Diploma although I never followed that pathway just carried on with my reflexology & alternative health career.

Every Which Way Book of London

Linda has asked for an every-which-way-book/album for Ben's birthday when he's 18 in a few weeks time - so I sent her these pic's of Korin's E.W.W.B I made for her trip to London 08

And this link of this wonderful Fiskars TV album reminded me to send Linda the pic's too -

http://www2.fiskars.com/Activities/Crafting/Craft-TV/Episode-109

Been playing with my melting pot again and embossing metal (of course) then pouring melted UTEE over in a cookie cutter - came out real well. LOVE IT.

A few inchies I'm making for a large board to back my craft area door.

An inchie made from my new TSS embossing plate and metal and painted with viva paints (copper lustre)

I'm crafting for ME

I have been swapping now for nearly 12 months. Mainly ATC's but have been in the inchies swap and a moo swap...........................and I've done lots and lots of 1-2-1 swaps with people on various sites. I have averaged about £5 a week in postage - on top of my crafting buying (which I'm now on a serious stash diet) - that is an expensive hobby. My problem is that I have to embellish my swaps 'hugely' and consequently my swaps weigh heavy and consequently I end up paying loads in postage.

Anyway,. other than that, I also get myself into a pickle and find that I have two or 3 swaps to honour and doing the inchies swap and the 52in10 which I'm participating in, etc. ITS STOPS TODAY. (for a while anyway - me thinks).

I have pulled out of the inchies swap, I've finished all the swaps I need to send out too - and I will do some scrapping for myself - I might even think about joining a crop - THINKING

I've sorted all my embellishments

AND tried to tidy up my scrapping area - now a lot of my stuff is 'to-hand' rather than me getting up and down to my 6' bookcase (to the left of this pic) - hopefully I shall get more crafting done now - if that is possible.

Fingers crossed.

Been thinking about mom -

very old picture - on my wedding day. so it's almost 33 years ago. How quickly the time goes by.

Wish I had some pictures of my dad - and more of mom, I will have to go and scan some of Janets.

Well I'll be a monkeys uncle.

I contacted LBcrafts yesterday as in their gallery they have a metal project which shows the use of an embossing board like cobblestones - Linda got back to me quite quickly that unfortunately the board is no longer available. I was pretty disappointed.

Last night as I was browsing various sites and googling various 'metal embossing' I came across an online place which had the very one ! I had to have it - pledge or no pledge on UKscrappers, I couldn't risk the board not being available at the end of April.

Hopefull will have it by about Wednesday so I can play - I know I have some more metal sheets somewhere that I bought ages and ages and ages ago - now where to look ..........................

And yet more ATC's

Another melting pot ATC image/embelllishment made. For a woman on Do=crafts site - her ATC from me arrived with the melting pot embellisment smashed into 13 pieces, hope this one gets to her OK.

Bit blurred, sorry. A Tim Holtz stamp set I just purchased and a very easy ATC.

This was the hand embossed metal from TSS I did last week, just added another embellishment - a metal flower. So INTO metal at the moment.

The key to success, I love using everyday items on ATC's,hope the people receiving them like them as much. :)

The everyday housewife - made the embellishments with melting pot and icecube trays.

this is the insides of the everyday housewife ATC.

I had a bit of a cry this monring at this photo

Clearing out my new lounge and came across this large photo which had been on the wall at our house (two houses ago) for about 10 years - the photo frame was very damaged - waterwise and I thought that the picture wouldn't be saved .................... but it was - frame now chucked and this photo has been cut down to this size which is still about 10"x10" - I will have to do a LO.

As I said I had a bit of cry over this - I remember sitting for these photo's to be taken and it was as if it was just a short while ago - it's actually over 21 years ago. Where did my lovely young hubby go - where did that young woman go - someone stole my years !

Good Friday - is good

because I've managed to craft. Although feel exhausted today - so had a bit of a snooze earlier and then made some ATC's for a swap on Do-Crafts.

This one is a beer can and glass paints - cuttlebugged and acetate stamped with swirly stamp and stazon.