Ran out of steam

Oh dear, didn't accomplish nearly as much as I had hoped yesterday as I ran out of steam ... I fully blame Mr. Holtz for keeping me up until the wee small hours ... late nights always catch up with me a day or so later so I am not too hopeful for today either!
Can confirm both USB cable, mobile phone and coffee survived but I got told off by hubby!  "You need to be more careful" I was told.  Er, yeah, like I did it on purpose!!!
So I really need to focus today and get the rest of the cards done for March.
Please don't think I've forgotten about my Liebster Blog Award ... Maggie C has sent me wonderful instructions on how to get it onto my blog and right now I am trying to choose who to send it onto ... being dreadfully nosey it is a very time consuming process as I enjoy looking at all the blogs I visit ... bear with me and I will get round to it!
Now, what was I saying about focusing ...????

WOYWW 142

Ha!!!! WOYWW ... am ready for you this week!  Last week I was ready for you on the Tuesday but then suddenly it was Thursday and somehow you snuck through without me noticing!
Am afraid my workdesk is only a work chair at the moment as I am in the process of deciding what I need to use today and dragging it in from my craft cupboard because I have to work in the dining room when it is so cold out in the conservatory.  We call the conservatory, The Hut, by the way but if I'd just said The Hut without reference to the conservatory then you wouldn't know what I was on about.  Not that I ever know what I am on about really.
Sooooo, the stuff piled on the chair is my Tim ***sigh*** Holtz  box and some papers and cardstock I have found by rummaging through my stash ... am quite determined to use what I have as some stuff has been hanging around for years and I'm getting a bit fed up of it to be honest.
On the table - most importantly - is my cup of coffee into which I have just dangled the end of the USB cable that I was trying to plug into my mobile 'phone in order to download my WOYWW photo's ... so it is your fault JULIA if it goes bang and fizzles a bit when I try!
In the background you can see my Vagabond and then my trusty old paper-trimmer ... am sticking to the butterfly (for ladies) or cogs (for men) "On the Edge" die cut borders all sewn on with string and I already have all the appropriate birthday-calendar-tab thingies printed out onto acetate so once I get going I should be able to get quite a few done today ... my aim is to do the whole of March and then anymore will be a bonus.
Right, must crack on ... it's WOYWW you know!!!!!

Overtired

Overtired this morning and I entirely blame Mr. Tim Holtz!!!!!  Just knew his "Compendium of Curiosities" would be the TSV on QVC and knew it would go like hot-cakes so just had to wait until its launch at midnight and then, of course, I couldn't tear myself away from watching the whole hour of the wonderful Mr. Holtz.
Didn't have the best of nights once I did finally get to bed and so am a bit in zombie-mode today.  
Whatever happened to WOYWW last week I'll never know ... I was all ready on Tuesday and crafted away on Wednesday but then it was Thursday before I realised I'd missed it completely ... quite hopeless really.
Well, this was just a quick update as there are a couple of shows on QVC I want to catch today ... goes without saying whose shows I will be particularly waiting for and shall dip in and out of some of the others.  
Just got to wait until end of March for my new Companion of Curiosities to come but its arrival will be eagerly anticipated!

Home again

Well, here I am home from my little winter-wonderland birthday holiday ... always wanted to see Glen Coe in the *s*n*o*w* so booked to come away for my birthday only to find folk here at home texting me all the time we were travelling north saying how much it was *s*n*o*w*i*n*g* here!!!!  
I did nod off as we crossed the border into  Scotland and woke to find myself in Narnia so I did get to see some *s*n*o*w* on my actual birthday but it was short-lived and we soon drove out of it.  Never mind, I said to myself, there is bound to be more in Glen Coe.

There wasn't.

Not a flake.  

Oh, plenty up on the hills and mountain tops but not a flake at ground level. A couple of really heavy frosts set the winter-wonderland mood and snuggled in the log cabin had me pretending I was in Switzerland (but without the flying) and little marshmallows in my hot chocolate had me doing the Apres Ski bit (but without the skiing) so all was good!
A long nine hour drive yesterday saw us home again and my first post-holiday blog brought news that the very dear and kind Polly Polkadot has given me a Liebster Award!  Got to admit I am grinning from ear to ear and just absolutely over the moon ... especially as it must, surely, put paid to hubby's raised eyebrows whenever I mention my little blog.  He still doesn't "get it" and still suspects all the pageviews are down to me re-visiting myself over and over again.
Now all I need to do is figure out how to put the award on my blog ... first attempt has failed miserably so poor Maggie C may well be getting an Email asking for advice.  You have been warned Maggie!
Will be crafting tomorrow ... news reached me of a new little baby girl arriving in the world so plan on making a card ... plus one for her new Grandma so shall be lost in a world of pink and white tomorrow.
Happy blogging everyone and many thanks once again to POLLY POLKADOT for that award ... am going back to check it's for real and I've not imagined it!  

New Stuff

Was a little reluctant to post again so soon but then realised this is MY blog so I can post just as often as I bloomin' well want ... so here I am!  It's a great way of talking to yourself without actually getting locked up and, hey, more often than not someone answers you too!!!!!

My new "stuff" arrived yesterday ... my best friend asked if there was anything I would like for my birthday as she was stuck for ideas ... silly woman, of course there is something I would like!  She got me two gorgeous Texture Fades embossing folders by you-know-who, and whilst ordering my fingers must have slipped on the keyboard because somehow hubby managed to get me the clocks/gears Texture Fades as they also found their way into my order.  Er, as did two On The Edge dies ... the StEaMpUnK one and one of the Brackets.  I figured I needed some compensation for turning 52!
Won't be able to WOYWW next week as I shall be enjoying a little Apres Ski in Scotland ... that is hot chocolate with those little dinky marshmallows and a flake and absolutely no skiing or flying to get there involved!  Sounds perfect to me although there isn't actually any *S*N*O*W* at ground level at the moment but plenty up on the hills and mountains ... that, and a heavy frost, will do it for me!

Visiting fellow bloggers

Thanks to hubby being at a committee meeting last night I managed to get around quite a few fellow WOYWW'ers last night.
I find it fascinating seeing how we all work with pretty much the same products but in such very different environments and locations and all produce such different work.
I always search your workdesks for anything Tim Holtzy and LoVe seeing the results from using his stuff and the words "distress inks" and "grunge" seem to leap from the page to me.
I enjoy seeing work that is not to my style or taste but which can trigger an idea and get the creative juices flowing - especially during times of Artistic Block or lack of mojo!
Probably no time to craft today - really annoying as I have lots and lots I want to be doing - but need to get ready for our little trip away!

The Vagabond Story Continues!

And what arrived yesterday?  ANOTHER Vagabond as a replacement for the faulty one!  Obviously sent in error and now the hassle of having to get it collected but I guess two Vagabond's are better than one ... even though one will never leave it's original packaging as it awaits the little courier man today.
The lady from Sissix has now assured me that I will have no further problems with my machine so am also awaiting delivery today of a whole pile of new dies and embossing folders ... a happy Wednesday indeed! New toys, er, equipment, to play with, er use!

WOYWW 139

Although not entirely as I pictured them in my head I got the anniversary cards for this year finished ... 18 all the same so was able to get a little production line going and they didn't take too long at all.  
The longest time was spent "experimenting" to get the look I wanted and after playing around with distress inks trying to get the grungy look I love I decided to go for the crisp & clean look instead.  
I also decided against a red mat for any of the layers as I wanted the full impact of the red heart and glossy-accents has really made that heart stand out!  Was going to mount them onto a white opening card but I am favouring "post-card" style cards this year so what you see is what you get ... you just turn it over for the greeting.
Not sure what, if anything, I will be working on today yet ... once I figure it out you will be the first to know!!!!!  Happy WOYWW'ing everyone!

WOYWW 138

Cogs and a kaleidoscope of butterflies ... at least that's what is on my workdesk this morning having been left to dry overnight (well, the silicone behind the fluttering butterfly wings was!)

Of course all those cogs and butterflies mean only one thing ... I fired up (bad choice of expression there!!!) the replacement Vagabond ... got to say I have lost a lot of confidence in it and wonder now if I should have taken the supplier up on the offer of swapping it for a Big Shot or similar machine.  I guess there is little point in putting the Vagabond in the cupboard for occasional use because if it is going to start smoking again it needs to be within the guarantee period so use it I must.  Crafting with Courage I call it!!!!

Now I need to clear them away and start on some anniversary cards and after much deliberating, changing of mind, stressing over what to do, changing my mind back again, stressing some more and deliberating even further I am going to try a dreadfully cliched black and white monochromatic theme using Tim Holtz's stamp but colour the heart in red and then "glossy accent" just the heart.  


Will make a start and see how it goes and shall just keep tweaking until I get it right.  Happy WOYWW'ing everyone!  

Worms and Vagabonds

11 worms done but such sore finger-tips so time for a little break ... the worms are for my sister to use at the nursery where she works and for the kids to play outside with!  Give them real worms I say ... or is that cruelty to worms?  Probably!

I take back what I said about the delivery of my replacement Vagabond ... it's here!  Just need the courage now to plug it in as all that smoke with my old one was really quite scary.

Watch this space or listen out for the fire brigade!

WOYWW 137

What is it they say about the best laid plans of mice and men?  Well this mouses plans have gone pear-shaped for today.  Had my WOYWW all planned - finally managed to get a result with the Vagabond and a new one should be with me today or tomorrow (of course, you can bet your last penny that it won't be today!!!) but decided I'd get another couple of February's cards made in the meantime ... but then I get a late night text from my sister ... "Deb, can you make me 20 wriggly-wiggly worms please?  Out of material, for use outside.  Oh, and a bag to keep them in!!!"
Just not in the mood for sewing ... at least not wriggly-wiggly worm sewing but Lil' Sis' wants so Lil' Sis' gets.
Am still determined, however, to participate in this weeks WOYWW so photo just shows a quick little card I made ... I'm into "postcard" style cards at the moment so this is one of them!

Wish me luck with the worms ... four down as I type and 16 to go!

Where is it hiding?

Ok, where is it hiding then?  What, I hear you ask?  The time between my last post and this one!!!!  Missed last weeks WOYWW altogether and it is almost time for another one ...just need to actually remember now on Wednesday and make time to post ... note to self!
No news on the Vagabond other than it was collected by courier last Monday and I have yet to hear when I will be getting my new one.  Am delaying next card making session until it comes as I want to use my new heart and butterfly dies and no Vagabond means no way of using them.
So Vagabond or not, come Wednesday I WILL have to go to Plan B and make a start on February's cards as I am away in a log cabin in Scotland for the first week of February and need those cards ready to post.
Do actually have a Plan B for a change so all is not at panic mode just yet!

Progress ... of sorts!

Well, the company from whom I purchased my Vagabond have been brilliant and it is being replaced without hesitation and I spoke to their representative from Sissix today and they are arranging for it to be collected on Monday and when I asked if anything had been done to modify the obvious fault I didn't really get the answer I wanted but was assured the same problem wouldn't occur.  So here's hoping!  
At least I have found out that the dies I have bought for the Vagabond are compatible with the Big Shot and the company I dealt with have said they could arrange for me to have a Big Shot as a replacement instead of another Vagabond but I have decided to give the Vagabond another go and if I have further trouble then I will most likely swop.
Annoyingly the new dies I ordered yesterday arrived bright and early this morning so all I could do was open the packet and stroke them lovingly ... typical though, isn't it!
Progress of sorts has been made with Plan B for the cards for January and whilst not completely happy with the results they will have to do.  Trouble is, I am not a "to-doer" and half of me want to bin the lot but the other half of me says nobody knew what I had planned in my head (I don't know myself half the time anyway!!!!) so might find these acceptable.
As soon as I find the cable thingy to link my mobile to the laptop I will post photo's (I put it somewhere safe after WOYWW'ing yesterday!!)

Smoke!

What a morning!  Finally got going with the cards and nipped out to use my beloved Vagabond machine only to have thick black smoke pour from it the moment I plugged it in!  Didn't even use it ... can still taste the smoke now and I feel very sick.
Have contacted the company I bought it from and heard back almost immediately ... evidentally they will send a courier out to collect it and bring me a new one but it won't be for one or two weeks!
So now I have had to go to Plan B and re-think my cards entirely and I'm not quite sure yet what Plan B actually is.
Time for a cup of coffee and a chocolate biscuit I think ... far too much excitement for one morning.

WOYWW 135

Well, first WOYWW of the new year and I've made it!!!!  Alas, not much yet to show on my workdesk as I am a bit slow getting going today but it is going to be a Tim Holtz / Cosmo Cricket day with stamping and embossing and inky fingers and string and ... well, Wednesdays don't get much better than this really!
You can just about see my "list of cards for 2012" under my scissors and can report that for the first time in a VERY long time the first cards of January were posted in good time to arrive on time and not with an "oops forgot to post" message scribbled on the back so now I just need to get going and get cards done for the rest of January.  Easier said than done because the idea I had in my head for this year's cards has yet to work out quite as I'd hoped and I had to send the first four cards of this year without me being entirely happy with them.  A day of tweaking then and hopefully improving the design so it turns out more like I imagined.  IF I am more happy with the results I will post finished cards later ... if not then you will get a photo' of a blank table or a pile of torn up failures!

 I knew I wanted to use "calendar blanks" on the cards for this year but did not fancy using shop-bought ones and knew if I printed them myself I would have trouble inking them as inkjet ink always smudges so I printed them onto acetate and the date of each person's birthday is in red and there is a little Happy Birthday message  personalised for each person along the bottom ... at least this way I can utilise the colour of the paper showing through the acetate and not have to worry about inking my calendars!  I love using string although it horrifies most people I know so have used that to "tie" the acetate to the backing.

Well, blogging away here is not getting those cards made so am off to see if I can tweak my ideas into something I am happy with.  Not holding out too much hope as my mojo has not yet fully returned and it feels a bit of an uphill battle at the moment.

Now, hang on - can't you actually buy birthday and anniversary cards from shops?  You know, all ready made and just needing signing ... might just be the better option!  ;)