Excuse me while I VENT!...........

I've just been browsing the net looking for something and am infuriated ....

Why, why do people think it is acceptable to Stamp Black & White Images and then sell them on Ebay ... Don't they know they are infringing Copyright? Do they care? Why are Ebay not policing this?

The Stamp Companies would be amazed how much this goes on ... Some people are selling sets of 10 Penny Black Christmas images ... They are taking money away from the Stamp Companies and the Artists.

Sorry it makes me really angry and it is a problem that Digital Artist are also encountering .... IT'S STEALING AND IT'S NOT NICE! 

Vent over ... I'm off to bed!

First Came This................

Just a quick share ..... To those of you not in the know.............. I love Thick Cut Dies and Mountboard lol!

I managed to aquire this Sizzix Die a number of years ago but it's been the only Thick Cut Snowflake I've been able to find until last week and believe me I've been looking ... It's great to layer Thin Cut (Spellbinders/Quickutz) Diecut Snowflakes over the top of it but I like to cut thicker materials.

Your probably saying 'Silly Woman getting so excited over a Die' but I found this ... the only one available when I searched the internet and only £6.99 no p+p well the card couldn't get out of my purse quick enough.

And the best thing .... it fits with my original Die so I can do this......

And this.............

Oh the possibilities are endless ........ watch this space lol!

Many thanks for looking

Hopefully Madam will allow me to post again soon.

p.s. Just to state I've only added my logo so the photos can't be used elsewhere ... I didn't Design the Dies.

Ashamed to say................

............this has been sitting on my desk for months (possibly May) waiting to be finished....

I had intended to Diecut some scissors and a needle to attach to the bow but as it's been flying around for so long I'm thinking it's done and I'll sort the loop out so I can hang it on the wall.

It's all made using 2mm Mountboard ... and Diecuts ... If you've visited me before you know my passion for Thick Cut Dies and Mountboard lol!

Using all Hero Arts Stamps and Tim Holtz Sizzix Dies (excluding the Sizzix Frame and Wiggly Squares) I stamped with Versamark and then applied White embossing Powder and heated ... I then blended Distress Ink over the background (I think I used Antique Linen but it's so long ago I can't remember lol!)



I then stitched around the Background .... I know, I know but I just had to include some stitching somewhere ... it is a Textile Wall Hanging.

My Fabric Swatches have been stamped on Calico with a Christmas Red Encore Fabric Ink Pad ... It turned out lighter on the fabric but is a lovely pinky colour ... I then glued this onto Mountboard and Diecut the pieces with my Sizzix Wiggly Squares.

To finish I used my Tim Holtz Sewing Mannequin in layers again with Mountboard ... For the Body I again used Calico with a Hero Arts Stamp and layered this onto a second cut shape which I first stamped with my HA Woodgrain and Adirondack Brown Ink and Embossing Powder and then I blended Walnut Distress Ink over the top.

If you visit my Flickr Site please feel free to add the correct HA Ref Tags if you recognise the Stamps I've used ... There are a lot of them lol!

Many thanks for looking

Get Well Soon........

I had to create a quick Get Well Soon Card last night as Hubby's Auntie has been rushed into Hospital with Gallstones ... She's been paying into Bupa for years but she was rushed to an NHS Hospital and as she didn't have proof with her they wouldn't do anything.  My Father-in-law had to rush down to sort it out yesterday lunchtime and is stopping down there a few days ... you can imagine the panic ... We live in the Midlands and Auntie lives in Woking which is quite a distance away.

So the Card is going in the Post tonight hopefully to be received in Woking tomorrow so my Father-in-law can take it into Hospital for us ... hopefully it will cheer her up a little.

I've used mainly all Stampin' Up! products on this one ... Vintage Vogue Stamp Set ... Sincere Salutations Stamp Set ... SU Embossing Folder and Inks ... Tim Holtz Sizzix Dies for the Frame Section.

Close-Up of the centre panel.

I used a small Punch for the Flower Centres and Pebeo Chocolate Brown to dot the insides.

I really loved this set when I saw it but haven't used it very often.

Many thanks for looking

Just a Quick Update.........

........................Before I begin!

Madam Sholay aka The Bear seems to be doing better and is now on her tablet every other day.... We had some sleepless nights but she seems to be settling okay at night as well now ... Although we are listening out constantly to hear any difference to her breathing, she is sleeping some nights without any proplems.

At first it was a nightmare and she was panting most of the night from 1:00 onwards for hours ... we have the heating turned very low in the bedroom and it's thermostatically controlled so comes on about an hour before I get up for work (3:30) when I'm on shift.

You can imagine Hubby and I were very short fused due to lack of sleep but making allowances for her and trying not to be horrible to each other.

In the end I gave her a clip to see if this would stop her overheating at night ... the pic below is pre-clip ... I intent to bath her before Christmas but I don't want to overstress her.

I finally managed to get into my Craftroom today ... here she is under my desk.....

And here she is pretending to be asleep but you can just see she's keeping her eye on me lol!

I had to make a quick Card yesterday evening while Hubby sat downstairs with her info to follow in the next post which is why I had the opportunity to get upstairs to take photos today.

Many thanks for looking

I'm Still Hereeeeeeee!

Just a quick post to tell you I'm still here.....

Sorry I haven't been in the mood to blog lately or do much of anything else as I have worries over my little Fur Baby Bear Shona who was 14 last month and has been causing us some concern since the middle of last month so it's loads of cuddles on the sofa at the moment.

Shona Bear Taken: 07/11/2011

She is still bright eyed and bushy tailed and bouncing around but has a funny breathing problem now and again which is causing us some concern ... The vet thought at first that it was a virus as she had a dog with similar problems the same morning we took Shona to see her ... The vet examined her and her heart and lungs were fine she so she had a weeks course of antibiotics to stop any infection but is now on a course of steroids which seem to be working but we are reducing the dose gradually but she might need to take them all the time ...  When she was younger she used to breath like this when she pulled to hard on her collar but it seems to happen now if she is too excited so we are trying to keep her as calm as possible ... Typical Westie she still likes to bark at people walking their dogs past our front window.

As I mentioned she isn't showing she's in any pain ... no signs of being lethargic ... Eyes are bright ... Ears look normal ... Eating normally ... bodily functions normal ... it's just the funny breathing now and again ....

She's had the steroids before to calm her system when she's had a reaction to something ... Having a Westie we know the things to look out for with this breed.

The vet also checked to make sure her nose was clear but if she has anything in her throat they will need to sedate her which is dangerous at her age as she may not survive the anaesthetic even though her heart is strong ... the vet also said they might not be able to find anything which means we could lose her and have managed her condition with medication ...

So I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that the steriods when we keep them to a lower dosage will keep the  problem under control.

I'm doing a lot of lap crafting ... knitting, sewing etc so I can have her cuddled next to me ... I must admit I haven't had much mojo for anything else.

My Blogging is probably going to be a little sporadic so I hope you'll bear with me as it might not be very often ... sorry for sharing but I thought I'd best let you know why I haven't been around much.

I hope you'll keep your fingers and toes crossed for my little old lady.