I'm Still here!!

Well, the past few days have not been great for me, I applied for 4 jobs on Monday, one yesterday and another two today, and whilst I know I've got three months to get a new job, I can't help feeling a little bit desperate and thinking no one will have me (stupid I know, but it's difficult when you spend all day not talking to another human being).

Anyway, I'm trying hard to pull myself out of it, and today has been slightly better, the jobs I've applied for seem really quite good & I'd be really happy to get either of them. I've also finally got back to some crafting. I tried out the candle decorating technique from Split Coast Stampers as a present for MIL for mothers day & also made a box to put it in - decorated with flowers cut on the cricut. I've also finished the card keeper, which I just decided to put titling on the front - says 'card keeper' (not very imaginative, but it does look good!).

DH has started his bus driver training, and took the bus out for the first time today!!! (says it was like doing a ride at Disney, you sit there thinking this is a bad idea, then it starts and you still think its a bad idea, but when you get off you want to go again!!) Anyway, if you are out and about in Plymouth over the next week or so and see a Learner First bus, go easy on it - it may be my other half.

Have to say thanks to everyone for your kind words recently, it really helps.

Stop the World - I want to get off!

Well, not quite, but it does feel pretty dire right now. For those of you that have followed my sorry story lately, I found out on Friday that I've lost my job, I get three months notice (which I get as gardening leave) and three weeks redundancy pay, with about another weeks holiday pay. All this will keep me going for a while, but I don't mind telling you I'm scared witless!!

Theoretically, this should mean I have loads of time for crafting, no money, but loads of time - shame I don't actually feel much like crafting at the minute.

Still, I'm going to set myself daily tasks since I will be missing the routine of work. So Monday, I'm going to apply for 5 jobs, phone the agency I'm signed up with, mop the kitchen floor & give the bathroom a good spring clean. I'm hoping that once I've done that I may feel like treating myself to some craft time - if I haven't killed myself in the process.

Oh, one bit of good news is that hubby starts his bus driver training on Monday - I did my good administrator bit & managed to get his license issued this week!!!

Some Advice Please

Okay, so all you wonderful people out there who have recently been visiting my blog - I would really like your advice. Below are pictures of the card keeper I've been making - I have still got to decorate the front, but would like to know if you think I should decorate the individual pages as well, you know, bucket & spade for summer months, pumpkin for October, Santa for December - you get the idea. I'm a bit torn as the idea is to keep cards in it, which will naturally hide any embellishments I decide to put on the pages, so not sure whether to forego this & just put some cards in for mum.

I look forward to your comments!

Bind it All

Okay, so I haven't got anything to post today, just thought I'd let you know I'm still alive.

I am working on quite a big project at the moment, it's my first really big thing with the bind it all machine, and will hopefully be a card keeper for my mum for mothers day. I've made all the pages, the cover, bound it and put in the months of the year, now all I need to do is decorate each month and add some cards - so not much really!

I love making stuff for my mum, she's always so appreciative (thats probably just a mum thing, but I love it anyway!). When I was a teenager, I made her a Christmas Stocking, and every item in it was hand made or finished in some way - she was so thrilled & that has stuck with me.

Anyway, I'll post pictures of it when it's finished, won't be long now (well it can't be, mothers day is 2nd March!). Still have to do MILs present as well yet though - won't be quite as much of a challenge, hoping to make a card wallet, with pictures from our trip to Disneyland Paris last year.

Hope you're all well & see you soon.

Friends

I've just received my Friendship card from my partner on the DoCrafts website this month, and thought I'd best get back to some card making. So this is what I've made to send to her - it's the first time I've ever used a card sketch, this one is from the SBS Cafe. Hope you like....



Just to keep you lovely people updated - hubby has been given a new start date with the bus company (they've only delayed it by one week at the moment) and we are in the process of arranging his blood pressure readings. Feel like things are back on the up again at the moment - just waiting to find out about my job, but that won't be for another week or so.

Have to say a big thank you again to you all for your kind words, it really did make me feel a lot better & it's so nice to know that people are thinking of me.

Thank you Blogging Sisters

Thank you so much to all my blogging sisters for your kind words, I really feel that I have the most wonderful extended family here.

Just to keep you all updated, my DH has been for the first of his Blood Pressure readings (he has to have 3 on 3 separate days). Once he's had all 3 & got the letter from the doctor, I can fax this to DVLA and hopefully get him his licence!!!! so should only be a delay & not the end of the world, just felt like it the other day.

If we can just get through the next few weeks (I should hear about my job by the end of next week), I think we'll be okay - might even start trying to make some more stuff, think I'll have to with Mothers day fast approaching!

Thanks for looking & thanks again for your kind thoughts

Found that blasted cloud again!!!

Just when I thought things might be on an even keel, hubby due to start new job next week (I'm not too worried about mine, will find something new or work with my old boss). He phoned the bus company to find out some things and happened to mention that his provisional PSV licence had not come through, this worried them so he phoned DVLA, who want him to have some more blood pressure tests done. They've had his application since the 4th February and haven't even requested this yet.

The officious lady on the phone wouldn't even tell him when they were likely to write. Well in my capacity as the wonder administrator, I phoned them today, and managed to speak to a human being (not a jobsworth), so we might be able to get it sorted, it does however mean that he won't be able to start next week - the other consequence of which is that I won't be able to buy any craft stuff for a while - BOO!!!!!

Still, trying to keep a happy face & heart, but not easy, will try to keep making stuff, but my creative streak deserts me when I'm feeling down.

Every Cloud!

Well, since the boss dropped the bombshell on Wednesday, I have been in touch with a recruitment agency who I've got a meeting with tomorrow (wish me luck!). I also had lunch with my old boss - wasn't expecting too much from this, but it turns out that he is thinking of setting up a new company & thinks I'd be the perfect person to run it (and part own it!!!).

Anyway, these are only possibles as the moment & I might not even loose my job (don't really want to keep it now though).

Back to the craft, which is the real reason for my blog - we went to Cribbs Causeway (for those of you that don't know, this is a really big shopping centre on the outskirts of Bristol with loads of shops in it - not a patch on the American shopping centres). Anyway, my daughter has been saving her pocket money for a few weeks & was dying to spend some money. She decided to buy herself a handbag, which is black with big blue glittery flowers on it - announcing as she did so that blue is her favourite colour. All the way back yesterday, I could not get this idea out of my head & had to make this blue notepad (any excuse to use my bind it all).

Hope you like.

Life Really is a Rollercoaster!

Well, having sorted my husband out with a new job, my boss dropped a bombshell yesterday and put all of us under notice of possible redundancy!!!

Have to say, this year has to start getting better at some point - mind you, it might just be the opportunity for me to get a better job, with better prospects and enough money to keep increasing my craft stash (see, every cloud does have a silver lining!).

Anyway, what with applying for jobs, I might not have quite so much time to craft (not that there are ever enough hours in the day).

I will try and get back to all my blogging sisters this evening, but thought I would just let you know where things are with me.

Ah well, chin up!

Sisterhood of the Blogging Stampers - 12 (SBS 12)

Well, thought it was about time I got into this blogging thing properly, and hope that with challenges and all, it might move me out of my comfort zone, which is something I would love to do this year.

About me- hmmm... really simple really, some of the info is already in my profile. I've been crafting ever since I was old enough to hold a pencil, and over the years have moved through may forms of crafting, sewing, knitting, crochet, painting and drawing to name but a few. Have finally settled on papercrafting as my main hobby, but trying not to forget all the others (rapidly running out of hours in the day however!!).

Hope that's enough of a ramble for now, hopefully, you will get to know loads more over time.

Thanks for looking

Blogger didn't want to do more than one picture

Okay, so the stupid machine didn't want to do a second picture in one post, so here is my D penny black card - D is for Diva and Dovecraft (shimmer chalks, which I used to create the background).

Blimey, I have visitors!

Well, as people are starting to visit my blog, I suppose I ought to start posting slightly more often & try to put more cards on when I have them.

The first card I have to add to my collection came from an idea on Splitcoast Stampers, it's a Dahlia fold card, and following the instructions made it really simple, hope you think it looks as good as I do. I used my cricut to cut the circles, which made it really easy - the cricut is great for doing those repetitive shapes!



I also forgot to show you my 'D' for Penny Black card from the DoCrafts website, this is a really pretty card, though I'm not sure I'll ever be able to give it away! sometimes I find that with cards, they are sooo nice, I can't bear to part with them - ridiculous really as the whole point is to share what we do!

I've been tagged!

Well, actually I've been tagged twice, but I can only respond to one at a time & think it's probably the same tag, so here goes:

These are the rules:-

You must post the rules before you give your answers.
You must list one fact about yourself for each letter of your middle name. Each fact must begin with that letter. If you don't have a middle name, just use your first name.
After you've been tagged, you need to up-date your blog with your middle name and answers.
At the end of your post, you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name. (Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged and need to read your blog for details.

As I don't have a middle name, I'll use my first name, which is Rachel.

R is for relaxed & chilled out, which is what I am whenever I am crafting.

A is for athletic (well I can dream anyway!)

C is for Crafty - obviously, and also card, as card making is my favourite way of being crafty.

H is for Happy - really happy at the mo as hubby found a new job so quickly (well done him!)

E is for Eden Project, which is one of my favourite places to go with my family when we have time together. It's a wonderful place & you get to learn stuff too (always good for kids when they think their just having fun!) - definitely try it if you get the chance.

L is for Laugh, which I try to do as much as possible. Favourite commedians are Billy Conolly, who I had the good fortune to see when he came to Plymouth Pavillions last year (great show), Jack Dee - also incredibly good live, and Lee Evans. I love Family Guy on the telly and QI also makes me laugh constantly.

There, now you know a little more about me, I'm off to tag some others!

Back soon with some more things I've made.