Gggggrrrrrrr!!! ...

..... eBay!  Or should I say eBayers!  After the hassle with the bow buyer about a month ago I'm now having a problem with a seller.  What is it with some people?  I ordered a ring.  Well, I made an offer on a Best Offer option for a ring and with a bit of bartering I got it.  Should have been sent within 3 days by recorded delivery (signed for) post.  I paid last Monday evening.  A week on and I've still not got it.  Contacted the seller on Friday as had no communication from them only to be told they were waiting for stock to arrive (I hate sellers who sell stuff they don't have to sell) and, if it arrived in time to send it to me that afternoon they would do so but otherwise it would 'definitely be tomorrow' (Saturday).  Postie came this morning and no ring but neither had I been notified that it had been dispatched so I contacted the seller again asking for a refund if there's no sign of it.  She came straight back telling me it had been dispatched on Saturday and apologising for the delay.  Still no official notification of dispatch and I asked her for the tracking number .... twice!  Twice she's ignored that request.  It seems she's lied.  She's either not sent it as she's stated or she has but it's not been sent by recorded delivery, which is what is stated in the listing and is charged for on the p&p.  I shall be raising a dispute if it doesn't arrive tomorrow and I'm thinking I shan't be giving very good feedback.  Her communication has been zero, only replying to my queries.  Not a sign of an apology without me pushing and worse, because there was a bit of bartering going on at the outset, she could have told me that there may be a delay as she had no stock.  I wouldn't have bought the blooming ring in the first place!

Until recently I haven't done many crafty things this year, well, for a good while to be honest, but back in March I did a day of workshops with Jane Gill at the Glitterpot  We made a good selection of cards using the resist technique, spotlight and patchwork.  The latter being an ideal way of using up oddments :)

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... and now some ...

... CRAFTING!  I know, 'bout time!  There's not been much a) because of holiday/vacation and b) 'cos I've not been doing any *hehe*  Simples really.  Anyway, on Friday last - 3rd June - Cally and I made our way to the Glitterpot for a workshop with Alexandra Kamann.  Alex is a new tutor to the Glitterpot, well, new-ish, and completely new to me and Cally. We will be doing more classes with her. Lovely lady and beautiful cards. So impressed with both. She will be a real credit to the Glitterpot.

There were 2 workshops, one in the morning and one in the afternoon and we stayed for both.  The morning workshop was called Ladies and Gentleman and the idea was to show us how easy it was to make a card for both a female and male, using the same stamp and just making a few basic changes.  I loved these cards and I loved the stamp which, along with a couple of others in the range, found their way into my shopping basket - *LOL*  Both cards were a small A6 in size.  The stamp used was from the new Papermania range of Me to You, called It's Me

Female card - Image stamped in brown versafine and coloured with Derwent Coloursoft (would be Prismacolor if I did this at home), blended with Sansodor (I'd use Zest-It) - shades of brown, pink and black.   The image was then cut out using Spellbinders Labels Eighteen which was drawn around onto pink cardstock and cut out to make the mat.  Designer paper and a touch of white satin ribbon coloured with a pink copic. Sentiment from Personal Impressions, Double Sayings by Paula Pascual. The rose was made from a roughly hand-cut wavy edged circle, cut in a spiral and wound up. The leaves were also hand-cut. Simple, but very effective card and I love it!

Male card - pretty much the same except the image was stamped in grey Versafine and coloured with shades of grey, pale blue, black and pink for his nose.  The satin ribbon was changed for twill tape and the rose for a button with twine.  Same Spellbinder's Labels Eighteen die and matt, just mounted onto browns and greys to tone with bear instead of the pinks for the female card.  I decided on a landscape card rather than the portrait one that Alex had as a sample.  My button was bigger and carried my image better that way.  I've not put a sentiment on this card yet as I've not decided who the recipient is going to be :0)

Click on any image to enlarge.

Dad day yesterday and - shock, horror - no major crises!  Quite a pleasant visit.  Gave him a haircut, wrote up his shopping list, had a chat and tried to explain he's going to be a great-great-grandad.  He had a silly grin on his face but he had difficulty understanding.  Still, I've time to work on that one.  Heard from holiday company about our holiday in September ... the private transfers have been arranged.  Can't use the normal coach 'cos Paul can't get on it so it costs us more to go private - fault of being a wheelchair user.  No choice but we have to stand the extra cost, although they gave a small reduction on the cost of the holiday.  Pence in comparison to what we've got to pay but guess any reduction is better than none.  It always costs us loads more (as it probably does most wheelchair users) to have a holiday because the most accessible places cost more and so does the transport!

I managed to get my shoebox packs finished so there's another card I've made .... my sample.  I may show that before the House Party but then again ..... you might just have to wait - *LOL*

Today - a treat.  I bought a couple of Groupon vouchers nearly 3 months ago and they're due to run out soon so, this afternoon I've got a facial and this evening we're going out for a meal.  It'll probably snow, hail, thunder, lightening and possibly a bit of sunshine.  Can't remember when we last went out for a meal on our own and it was years ago we last went to this particular restaurant.  It was good then.  Wonder what it's like now ... La Brasserie

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Plans again ...

... down the pan - as ever.  I really will, one day, realise that I get to do what's intended if it's not planned.  Nothing done in kitchen but got paperwork done instead.  No idea why nothing else got done except I had a bad night, fell asleep as it was nearly time to get up and ended up sleeping late ... again!  Really will have to get a handle on that.  I always used to be an early riser but I'm getting later and later.  I'm hoping that today ... *grin*

I've another card to show.  It should be 2 but I've still to make the second one.  It's the card made last Friday, the 18th, at a floral punch craft class with Jane Gill at the Glitterpot.  The workshop was making gerbera and margeurite daisies.  We made the gerbera in the morning and put the card together after lunch.  Once done we made a daisy and bud.  Time ran out so we were given all the elements to make another daisy and all the requirements to make a card with it.  To date, I've still not made the other daisy let alone the other card *lol*

The main punch used was a super duper Woodware daisy punch - the largest one they do.  Other, smaller daisy punches were used for the more central part of the flower.  The black middle was fun flock.  A Tim Holtz Sizzix swirl, Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page set, greeting stamp, ribbon and Bazill card ... 

The Friday of this workshop was also Red Nose Day/Comic Relief.  (Bit blurry but she was other side and down the end of the table from me - *lol*)  It didn't stay on ...

A workshop full of concentration. Note the view in the background ... containers!  Not quite the pond and sheep in the fields we had at Scaynes Hill.

Lunchtime and Jane prepping for the afternoon class ...

UPDATE:  I've remembered why nothing got done yesterday .... I was Googling and comparing prices for anti-malarials, anti-bug spray, bite relief and sunblock!  Successfully, I might add 'cos it's all on order.  Well, there's only just over a month before the off *yessssssssss*!

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Lady June Workshop - part 2

... but not before noting my 5 seconds of fame!  I had one of my photos shown on the TV last night.  It was shown on Meridian TV's weather slot during the 6pm news programme.  Was so shocked.  Heard my name, looked up and there it was .... gone!  Haven't a clue what else was said as it was totally unexpected although, if I'd read my emails before the programme aired I could have been prepared and hubby wouldn't have missed it either - *LOL*  It was a photo I sent in at the beginning of February so certainly didn't expect it to be shown this far on.  Which photo was it?  This one!

Was really tired yesterday after the day at Deb's.  I think a full day of crafting, 180 miles and 4¼ hours on the road for the round trip took it out of me but it was well worth it.  Anyways, as I had another day of crafting booked with Jane at the Glitterpot today I decided to take it easy and spent the day working on my new and improved year book.  Yep, I'm back to that again *grin*  I did have time out to cook dinner  ... no sign of 'im indoors taking up those reins again just yet :0( ... Spanish style baked eggs, and very nice 'twere too!  Perhaps I need to start cooking some rubbish meals to encourage the take over *hehe!*

Here it is ... the final card made last Saturday and my second fave of the day although this one I had to finish at home.

Once again using the Lady June stamp mentioned in yesterday's post.  I think that everything else is pretty  much self-explanatory. This time it was to be used monochromatic but I felt that it needed to have a tiny bit of colour just to lift it so, tiny bit of colour I added!

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That didn't work ...

... work either!  I was up early.  Hubby wasn't!  Just as I was ready to go do the domesticated type stuff so he decides to go and sit right where I wanted to be .... in the study/crafty area ... to read his 'newspaper'.  Reason?  He no longer has a physical paper but reads it online and where's his 'newspaper'?  On the internet via his PC in the study!  Big wheelchair, small study, no room for me to move around to do the domesticated type stuff in there.  By the time I'd waited for him to finish, best part of the day had gone and I no longer had the mojo to go do it.  Did do some paper clearing that had been building up so guess something's been done but if I'd realised he was going to be so long reading his paper then I'd have started something else.  Don't yer just luv 'em?  Told him that tomorrow he can wait to read his paper until I've done a certain amount.  He says he'll make the bacon sandwiches - *lol!*

Weather, since Tuesday has been horrible.  Wet, miserable, misty and very depressing.  Forecast isn't for much better for a while either.  Although days like Tuesday tell us that Spring is on it's way I guess we've got to remember that we're still actually in Winter.

I've booked a few workshops at the Glitterpot for March and April so that's something to look forward to, even if the new venue for the store isn't!  The middle of a town's industrial estate doesn't quite have the same ambience of the farm, in the middle of the country but, the tutors are the same, the workshop attendees are the same - as are the goodies in the shop.  The workshop has more room although we're still crammed round the same tables so rather defeats the object in some ways but there is more 'moving around' room. No more sitting on the patio for lunch on nice days but there's a room with sofas in - although not enough seats if workshop is full and we all want to eat as soon as we break for lunch - *lol!*

I've been playing with a scrapbooking program I've recently acquired.  I've started working on making up pages for the year book I want to do for last year.  Got to say, I'm doing my own thing as I don't have time to play properly.  I'm making my own backgrounds from photos and them just playing with laying out photos and text.  Nothing fancy, no embellishments but not quite so austere as the African photobook although I love that one and the fact that there are no distractions from it's content.  However, my plan, once these pages are done and I can find some 'quality' time, is to find out exactly how this digital scrapbooking stuff actually works - *grin*!

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Boring stuff ...

.. today! Paperwork, banking, measuring suitcases - well, weekend case - prepare shopping order and book slot for Monday. Had a couple of crafty packets arrive. Just a bit more to find homes for - *LOL* Yesterday wasn't much better as morning was spent with Dad and a meeting regarding the start up, or not, of the catering facilities at the apartments. They want to change the terms of tenancy, introduce the catering but on the basis that everyone has to pay, whether they use it or not. No mention this could happen when he took the tenancy and not sure that he will use it if they bring it in now. He might have done if it was there at the start. He's such a hermit he's not interested in doing anything outside of his apartment front door. In fact, he's never been outside it on his own. If they do a 'tray' service then he might use it but otherwise it would be a waste of money!

Continuing catch up ...

The weekend I started to feel ill I sat and wound about 200yds of ribbon to keep in some ribbon storage I'd bought. Monday morning I had pains between my shoulder blades. Decided the winding hadn't done my muscles any good, although didn't truly believe it. Wednesday, pain still with me but had moved to just below bottom rib on right hand side. Was booked for massage so asked therapist to check muscles. Couldn't find any knots or problems.

Thursday, despite not feeling that well, I took myself off for a workshop I had booked at the Glitterpot. A bit of floral punch craft with Jane and a dozen like-minded people, just the medicine to help make me feel better. Beautiful day and I just had to stop on my journey there when I went over Ditchling Road towards the Beacon and came across fields full of yellow rape. Stunning against the beautiful blue sky and I was rather taken with the farm machinery left in the middle of it all!  All within a 10 minute drive of my home.

Looking from Ditchling Road towards where I'd come from.  Road I'd driven down 2 minutes from home and top of my village, can be seen just left of centre on horizon (lighter colour)

View from Ditchling Beacon north over Ditchling and onwards ...

... and towards Lewes way

Lovely day making pansies and geraldton wax (yep, I had to Google it as well but it's a very pretty Australian flower). Not sure I was going to make the full day but a break at lunchtime sitting on the patio overlooking the newly formed, as yet uncolonised lake, and watching the sheep - I was ready for the afternoon. I did leave a little early but I really enjoyed the day. Results of that day will be over on Bits soon ...

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Lovely weekend ...

... quite busy and thoroughly enjoyed it. Started with a trip out to the Dogs Trust at Shoreham to leave some bits for their shop. Arrived as some of the volunteer dog walkers were returning their charges. Oh dear, so nearly came away with an appointment to take hubby Paul out for one specific little pooch. 6 months old bitsa who looked just like our old girl did but a quarter of her size. She wasn't big by any means but this one was about the size of a Jack Russell (could have been crossed with one I guess) and she was sooo friendly. I had to stop to make a fuss of her but had to put hard heart on and walk away. So difficult but our life at the moment just wouldn't allow for a little addition. I wish I could walk as I used to 'cos I'd join the ranks of the volunteers but there's no way I could do it.

Left there and made my way to pick up my good friend  Cally as we were booked for an afternoon of crafting at the Glitterpot, with Jane Gill. Just sorry we couldn't get in on morning class but saw what they did and took photos so can play at a later date. It's been a while since I did a class with Jane and I thoroughly enjoyed it, as well as seeing others I'd not seen for a long time.  The retirees group of the job I retired from 4 years ago asked for us to take a photo that represented a day in our life on Saturday.  This is the photo I took to send in ... in the process of putting my card together at the workshop.

Yesterday afternoon I was babysitting (although Amy apparently objects having it called babysitting 'cos she's not a baby - bless!). Emma had a dance show to perform in so I had Zac and Amy while Mum and Dad went to watch and support. By the time they got home both of the youngsters were in bed and fast asleep, both having gone just before 6pm. They'd played and eaten so much there was no argument when it came time to turn in *hehe*. Emma came home in one of her dance dresses, full make-up and hair gelled to the max! Shower before bed methinks which meant that she actually had a late night and they were home just after 7 - *LOL* This is one family that keeps decent bed times for the children.

This morning, postie arrived with a note saying I owed the Royal Mail £14.33! Damnation! Customs! I'd been caught! Not usual but it does happen sometimes and it could have been a lot worse. I'd ordered goods totalling $110 from the US but the retailer had put the value as $54, so saving me the duty - well VAT - on $56. VAT charge £6.33, handling fee £8 (that's the one that bugs me). The goods were still a bargain. I'd bought them reduced, saving $330 on original prices, so reckon an additional £15 to pay was peanuts! Now need to find the time, or more, the reason to use them. 3 sets of alphabet dies!

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Simples today ...

... tooth out yesterday, sore at mo but no pain so that's good! Last tooth extraction was in 1974 ... aaaaaaaaaaages ago ... wisdom teeth out under general in hospital. This one done under local - loadsa needles (aaarrggggggghhhhh!) - not good for my phobia but was best option so plenty of deep breathing and gripping of chair arm while needles went in and it was all over and done with in less than half an hour. A few weeks after my wisdom teeth came out I discovered I was pregnant with youngest son. At least I won't have that following this one - *LOL*!!

Dad's new hearing aids are ready so he's having them fitted on Tuesday. Hopefully we'll be able to stop shouting at him to make ourselves heard but ... I'm not holding breath! We're also having a meeting with the Estate Manager as they're starting the catering facility at the flats and we need to find out more about it. Seems he'll be charged for it whether he uses it or not :0{ Pity they hadn't got it up and running before he moved in 'cos it's gonna be difficult to get him using it now - he's such a creature of habit! If it was there when he moved in it would have become part of his new routine at the time - now he'll have to change. Don't think it right if the residents are charged for something they don't use!

Little disappointed as I should have been doing a craft workshop at the Glitterpot tomorrow, with friend Cally but, it's been cancelled *sob*. Not enough take up to make it viable. Reckon it's because the kids are still on their Easter break so Mums have to be home instead of out playing *lol*. We're going to go 'shopping' instead. There's a new Range store opening in Worthing and they are supposed to have good craft sections so ... we're off to go have a looksee - at the whole store, of course *grin*.

Not quite finished with holiday stuff! A slideshow of photos of some of the nature and wildlife we encountered at Fundu ...

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Good weekend ...

... despite suffering a bit of sleep deprivation *lol* I've had a few nights of disturbed sleep and Saturday I was due a day of workshops at the Glitterpot. Unfortunately I'd only had about 3 hours sleep so wasn't totally 'with it' but as it turned out it didn't matter. Joanne, the tutor, had produced workshops that I didn't need to think about too much (results will be posted soon) so I had a lovely, relaxed day made even better by the company. A few of the southern imag-e-nation forum members had booked into these workshops as well so there were 6 of us. Fortunately I'd forewarned Joanne and, as she'd had experience of some of us before, she knew what to expect. Unfortunately the rest of the attendees didn't but they soon found out - *RFLMAO!* I don't think we spoilt anyone's day or at least, I hope we didn't, although Joanne felt the need to apologise for us to the newcomers on the afternoon workshop and she also had to explain to the others on the morning one that we all knew one another .... all in a very light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek way!  We were even referred to as 'rabble' at one point - as if!

The morning started off well, not, with Kim rubbing out a mark on a piece of card that Joanne had put there for a reason *hehe*

The afternoon started even better when we were presented with a template ..... with clear instruction written on BOTH sides of it - just so we didn't get confused ☺ We laughed so much and it set the tone for the rest of the afternoon. So much so that Joanne did her best to make sure we all had a Marvy to colour with, rather than having to share and wait, just to keep us quiet!

A really, really good, fun day with great results at the end of it. Could do with a few more like that.

Eldest son and his partner called and spent the afternoon with us yesterday and he told us that eldest grandson had heard from the Army and has an interview on Friday (grandson, being a typical 18 year old hadn't thought to let us know - doh!). It's been very quick though,  seeing as how he didn't make his application until Wednesday! Hope he does well and they do consider taking him. We know that there's a way to go for him yet but at least he's making the first rungs.


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