Recent pressies... :)

The snow storms have moved more north an west now, and after some sleet and rain last night, most of ours has gone. We had blue skies again today- amazing, after the grey skies and snow of late.

Now..... must show you these two books that Luvbug bought me for Christmas:Living The Creative Life and Art Journals & Creative Healing -the links go to their space on Amazon, which give a good description of them, if you'd like to read more. You can flip through a few pages online to see what they're like inside. Have a look!

I read the Creative Life one from cover to cover weeks ago, and I'm nearly at the end of the Journals one. Absolutely brilliant!!! I really recommend them.

Next, Julie sent me more papers!!!!! Hurrayy!!!!!! THANKS, Julie!!!!(As you can just see in this photo, Julie also sent chocolate!!!! Bob here is sneaking up on it, but I managed to eat at least half of it myself, despite my diet. Well, it doesn't count if it's a gift, does it? Like if you get a bar that's '50% extra free' - that extra bit doesn't have any sugar, fat or calories in it. It's true.)

I love the handmade and hand decorated stuff that she does. I used lots from the last collection she sent me on my Christmas cards, especially the commissioned ones, to make them extra-special :)
I've already made you a wee something from this lot, Julie, with Dilly's help, of course :) ....I'll send it next time I'm out and about! (Dilly is blogging in more detail about this parcel as we speak........)

Finally, here's a wee pressie to myself from the sales: a border punch:

They are normally£11.99 but this was half price, with just £1 postage, so I thought, ah well, I've mused about getting a border punch for a while, so....I bought it from Crafter's Companion- (sorry, I just checked for you and they are back up to full price now!)

Thing is, this one cuts borders on an oval shape and, I don't know if my brain has partially hibernated or something, but I am having a hard time working it! I've yet to use it successfully.

Grr.... if I can't get it sussed, I may have to offer it as some Blog Candy some time! Someone, somewhere should be able to use it! Maybe I could do a swap with someone- if you'd like this, would you do a swap for something in your craft stash that you no longer need????

Bookfair- bargains and a surprise!

The book fair was great fun. We got there at the opening, 9.30am., and joined an already quite long queue! I think we stayed about 2 hours.

We were restrained this year. In previous years we have had to go out and buy new shelves to put the books on, sort of negating the bargain effect :) Ha! This year we had 4 carrier bags' full, which I sorted into one box when we got home.

My Luvbug is away for a few days, and I've set myself the challenge of finding a new place for this lot by the time he gets back. I need to be able to see them in order to remember them and actually read them. On the other hand, I want them tidied away. Hmmm. Not. That. Easy.

If you're interested, click on the photo and you might be able to see some titles...., I think a few are missing... I have a couple next to my bed already.... anyway, I fess up to the history and art books. Luvbug chose the accounting and puzzles. We both wanted the language books and erm, guess who wanted the cat book? :)HA! Look at all the pencil sharpenings on this carpet! I promise I will vacuum, ok? I promise. Soon. Hahaha.

OK. We went through to a smaller hall to pay, and had to pass through the children's section on the way. Look what I spotted on the games table....

"Anita's Art Stamps: Rubber Stamping Starter Kit"

The box is in a bit of a state, yes? Looks ancient. So, I wasn't expecting too much on the inside. In fact, if a crowd of people coming through hadn't blocked my path I might not have stopped to investigate further.... glad I did! Look....Everything on the inside is in pristine condition! 3 unused stamps (including a cat! Hurray!), an unused stamp pad (on its own this would have cost more than the kit), stickers, pencils, cards and envelopes. All for £3. Oh! And that booklet is really good, too.

*** *** ***

I haven't heard back from the second card shop yet re the ones I handed in on Friday:

Cards batched up with some all new, singing, dancing, letter-headed paper and business card, all thanks to a free Print Shop cover CD, and a patient partner who lost me to playing on it for hours.

BUT! I have acquired a spot in a new indoor craft market in town. They have only a short lease. They will be there till Christmas, definitely, and possibly Easter.

Anyway, I've paid £10 for my spot- that's a one-off payment- and after that they take 20% of what I make.

Now I have to supply a small table, take it in there and set it all up.
It has to be only about 2ft x 2ft. Is that 2ft square or 2 square foot? I can never remember. Me and Luvbug had this conversation a few weeks ago and both confused each other. And he has A level Maths, but still couldn't remember. This is what talking to me about anything mathematical does to your brain. And I used to work in stockbroking. Aren't you glad I got out before the current problems? You think it's bad now, but you have no idea what the world escaped from at my last redundancy...

There are already quite a few cards there, but I shall put some of mine on the stall. I am also doing notecard sets and needle-felting.

I want to try out those new stamps, too, and get into the book on colour-pencil drawings. Oh! And my two weekly challenges.... and I have two appointments in town this week... and the washing is building up.... oh yes. And vacuuming. LOL!

Whilst my other half is away (till Wednesday night) I'm going to be busy busy!!!




(if you want to get a free signature like this, click on it and it should take you to the website that does them- try it! Even if you decide not to in the end, it's quite fun to see them do your name in about 100 different fonts- on screen in just a minute or two!!!)

Maybe I should read it....

OK, here's another one. This time you can find out what book you are. I like the description I ended up with, but I've never read this book.......maybe I should, now.

You're Prufrock and Other Observations!

by T.S. Eliot

Though you are very short and often overshadowed, your voice is poetic and lyrical. Dark and brooding, you see the world as a hopeless effort of people trying to impress other people. Though you make reference to almost everything, you've really heard enough about Michelangelo. You measure out your life with coffee spoons.


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