Village Fete

I haven't posted for a few days because I've been really busy, and in between, really tired! We had our annual village fete on Saturday, and after a terrible start to the day, the whole thing was a resounding success. My hubby got a phone call at 8.30 a.m. to say that someone had set fire to the marquee, which ended up being totally destroyed, along with all the tables and chairs in it, which had been set up ready. A young man on a motorbike was seen heading away at great speed. Nobody knows who it was yet.

It was a scorching day, but fortunately there was a slight breeze. We had all the usual traditional English fete things like hoopla, coconut shy, dog show... There were also lots of stalls - bric-a-brac (I always find bargains there lol!), book stall, cake stall etc. and the tea was served in the open air since the marquee was gone.

The entertainments this year included the usual children's fancy dress competition, and we had a Scottish pipe band which was great! We also had Elphick the juggler, who we've had several times before. He was trained as an industrial chemist, but now he does juggling full time! He said to me "There's nothing I'd rather be doing." That's so nice to hear, in an age where so many people are unhappy in their jobs.

Some friends from the Brainfog M.E. forum were down in Devon for the weekend, so they joined us for the afternoon - it was such fun spending the time together!

Here are some photos of the day.

This one is of the children enjoying Elphick:

Here are my friends from Brainfog:

and finally, one of the four of us together:

As you can see, we all had a lovely day!

Folders for ATCs–Video

When I said in my last post that I'd embed the video "tomorrow" I really meant "today" lol - I keep such weird hours that it's always "tomorrow" already by the time I get to bed!!!

Anyway, it's today now. (Or is that just toooo Alice in Wonderland??) so I'm going to embed the video! Here goes.

ATCs–Grunge Flowers

I've just discovered the wonderful world of ATCs - Artist Trading Cards. These small cards are swapped and traded like the cigarette cards of old - the convention is that they are not bought and sold. There is only one rule, really, and that is that they must be 2.5 x 3.5 inches in size.

Having to work to a very specific, and very small, size, is quite a discipline, and something new to me. I can see that this will be a lot of fun (I have been warned of the seriously addictive nature of the pursuit!), even if I don't get into the swapping - they will make lovely gifts, and also embellishments on cards and other things.

A couple of nights ago, I decided to try my hand at making one, and ended up making 3 the same (of course, being hand-made, they are not identical) - another convention is that if you make more than one, you mark on the back which number it is, e.g. 1/3, as with art prints.

This one is called "Grunge Flowers."

Since making them, I decided to send one to a friend on the Brainfog M.E. forum who is very poorly at the moment, and severely in need of cheering up and encouraging. However, on its own it's rather small, and I was trying to think of a way of presenting it, when it occurred to me that the cards that Ikki makes (see her blog: Ikki's Cuttlebug Cupboard: http://ikkiscuttlebugcupboard.blogspot.com
- she embosses part of the front of a card, and leaves the bottom part blank for a stamped or written sentiment - would be ideal to be adapted into a sort of folder for ATCs. I have made several, using different Cuttlebug embossing folders, all in plain white, and I have cut a slit just above the plain part, into which you slot the ATC.

It occurred to me that this would be a very useful thing to have, if you ever have to produce a special card in a hurry and you haven't got much time to do it (haven't we all been in that situation!) - if you build up a collection of ATCs and make quite a few folders to have in reserve, the only thing you need to do is select an appropriate ATC and then stamp or write your sentiment on the bottom of the folder, in a co-ordinating colour to go with the ATC. Because the ATC is not fixed to the card, the recipient can remove it and do what they like with it - and even swap it on if they want to.

Here's what I've done.

These are some of the folders, ready for use - unfortunately despite my best efforts, the card looks pink in these pictures, when it is in fact white.

and here they are with the three ATCs in the slots:

I have made a video of the process of making the folders, which is being uploaded to Youtube at the moment. I'll embed it tomorrow.

I have also made a video of the making of the ATC, but because it was so experimental, and I'm still finding my way in all these processes, and getting used to the equipment and materials too, the video is very long and shows me making lots of mistakes - so it's going to take a long time to edit it down to 10 mins max! My hard drive is also nearly full, so I shall have to try and do some housekeeping on the laptop before I can tackle that project! I've got some more blank DVDs arriving in the next day or so, so I should be able to offload some of my thousands of photographs to make a bit more room. (Always something to do, isn't there!)

Card Making Equipment - Videos

Edit: 5 years on: This blog post shows my very limited beginnings. I have left it in to show how much I have developed and grown since that time. I have now moved on from a collection of boxes of basic equipment, via a room in our old house which was combined studio and office, to a fully-equipped studio dedicated to all my creative endeavours. My videoing skills have improved a great deal, too. I hope this blog post encourages others on their own journeys and helps them realise that everyone has to start somewhere!

I've now finished making the video of my equipment - it's in 3 parts so it would go on Youtube. This is probably pretty basic stuff for a lot of seasoned card-makers and papercrafters out there, but I'm just getting started with this lovely new equipment, and there are probably plenty of beginners like me who might benefit from them! I hope they will suffice as an introduction to the sort of equipment and materials that are available.

Hopefully as time goes on I shall make more videos, which will show this stuff in action.







Hope you enjoy them.

SatNav Waterfall Album Card - Video

If you look back to my post on Wed. 19th May, you'll see the photos I took of this card.

I have now made a video of it:



Hope you enjoy it!

I'm in the process of uploading a 3-part video to Youtube, all about my recent craft-making acquisitions, so watch this space...

Piano Pop-Up Feedback

Just to let you know that we had tea with my Mum and Dad on his birthday and he was absolutely thrilled with his card! He said "Oh look at the little keys!!" and he loved the floating notes too! He was chuffed that the music said "...Happy birthday dear Dad..." as well!

When you see the recipients' faces it's worth all the trouble to make something special, and rushing against the clock too.

Afterwards I showed him the video, which he was also impressed with, and enjoyed seeing his card being made. Isn't technology wonderful?

Another lovely thing happened - for my recent birthday my mum had given me a dressing gown which was too small (and really wasn't "me" - I tend to wear kaftans these days as I spend so much time in a state of undress due to my health that at least I can look dressed even if I'm not!!), so she asked me to give it back to her, and she'll probably give it to my aunt instead. Anyway, she then gave me a cheque (for much more than she'd spent on the dressing gown!!) and said "This is probably more use to you." It certainly will be! I am using it to set myself up with lots of nice new equipment and materials, so I can really get stuck into my new creative passion. Are you all envious?

I've found some bargains on Ebay and other places, and for a couple of days now, some nice parcels have been arriving in the post! I'm having such fun opening them all, and giving nice feedback on Ebay and writing to thank everyone. The only fly in the ointment is that for the past few days I've felt pretty poorly and unable to do anything. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

As soon as I am able, I'll get going again, and set up the video camera and you can see my beginner's efforts! Once I get going on my Tim Holtz distress inks this could be a somewhat messy process but let's hope that it's only the paper that gets distressed...

Another Bad Day with my M.E.

Had another floppy day today - totally unable to do anything except flop on the settee. My dear hubby bless him, got some food for us for supper.

I felt not too bad when I woke up this a.m. but crashed after washing my hair. People don't realise how exhausting a simple thing like that can be for a person with M.E.!

I was a bit disappointed, because I'd ordered some card making stuff from Ebay and the first lot came this a.m. - lovely exciting parcel to open with lots of goodies, and I just haven't had the energy to get started on it! I so want to get on with being creative but when I'm as poorly as this I just can't do it. I'm still waiting for some other bits to come, and I can't really start until they do, do perhaps it's not so bad.

When I can't "do," I read and watch. I am learning so much from people's blogs, and from YouTube, and bookmarking the ones that will be useful, so my time isn't being wasted.

Hopefully I'll feel a bit better tomorrow. A lot better would be nice, but I'd settle for a bit!!

Flowers in our Garden

Here are some photos I took today of a rose and a clematis growing at the front of our house.

This rose has a very delicate scent, and I love the colour variations. So far this is the only flower on it, but hopefully it will produce some more!

Here is the dark purple clematis growing near it:

Hope you like them!

Views from Shoshi's Settee - M.E.

After all that busy, busy, busy, making cards recently, I'm totally exhausted today. I've been what my hubby calls "floppy" all day, and have hardly stirred from the settee. I didn't wake up until late this morning and didn't actually get up till around 11 a.m., and then slept again on the settee this afternoon for an hour or so.

This is the dreaded "payback" after a person with M.E. has overdone things. It's one of the cruellest aspects of this illness - it's very unpredictable, because the "post-exertional malaise" can be delayed up to several days after one has overdone things, or it can come almost immediately. You just never know... Also it's uncertain how long it will go on. With me it's usually over after a day or so (depending on how much and for how long I've overdone things) but with some people, even a minor amount of overdoing things can send them into a relapse that might put them in bed for a month.

I've felt very weak, had more muscle twitches than usual, and have felt utterly drained of any energy to the point when even lying down and breathing makes one feel tired. I've had a headache most of the day and my temperature regulation has been poor - rather like having flu but without the sneezing and runny nose. Although it hasn't been too bad today, I sometimes suffer from hyperacusis when I'm like this - the slightest sound is unpleasant and makes me jump out of my skin!

I'm hoping that I shall feel better tomorrow, because it's my dad's birthday and I want us to drive over and see him, and I've also got to do some food shopping. There's a whole heap of things waiting to be done as well, but I shall just have to get to those when I can.

One of the most important things I've learnt through having M.E. is that however bad I'm feeling physically, it's important to give thanks for all the good things in my life, and to keep cheerful and remember things could be a whole lot worse! I have so much to be thankful for, and it's rare for me not to be in good spirits, although I do let frustration get the better of me on occasion.

Fighting this disease is the worst thing you can do - it just makes everything much worse! The best thing to do is to go with the flow, listen to your body, rest when you need to, pace yourself when you're feeling better enough to do things, and accept your limitations. I know that I am unwell, disabled and need a lot of help, but I am still "me" even if it's "me with M.E." and the M.E. isn't what defines me as a person. It's part of my life, but not the most important part!

The most important part is the people and relationships in my life: God and my relationship with Him through Jesus, my wonderful hubby, my parents, my friends, including those I've met online, and also a sense of humour and a bubbly, up-beat personality, my creativity and appreciation of beauty in all its forms, our kitties, the beautiful place where we live, the fact that we have enough when so many people have so little, and bright hope for the future.

Youtube Uploading

I've now discovered that hidden in the depths of my free FLV video converter is a whole page of parameters that can be changed, so I've increased the quality all round, and replaced the original video on Youtube with one of better quality - however, it's still not quite as good as the original...

They don't make it easy, particularly for novices, and I'm not exactly a novice where video is concerned (although not an expert, either, lol!) I suppose everybody records video in all sorts of different formats, so it's difficult to have hard and fast guidelines, but wouldn't it be great if Youtube provided a universal converter as a free download, so that everyone could upload their videos easily, and at the best possible quality to match that of the original. There are an awful lot of really dreadful quality clips on Youtube but I suspect the fault lies in the original filming.

Anyway, the program I've got seems to work adequately and it's free, which suits me!!