General Chat

Hi all,
Jo, I have so many cards finished now and still lots of ideas. The Birthday Girls Xmas cards are nearly finished and I have birthday cards until the end of the year for the BF.
With my cards hanging in the rack they look real professional!
What lovely weather we are having here. I have had no pain yesterday and today. I asked the doctor for a repeat of the last tablets I had which relax the muscles. Oh what a relief. One day I'm crying in agony and the next day no pain at all - a miracle. Mind you the tablets are only for 10 days. I must phone the doctor before the tablets run out to see what they can do for me. I don't want a repeat performance of last week.
Have a nice weekend everybody.
Sylvia xxx

Your decorations sounds lovely Sylvia, lovely idea about the card rack, but I think my OH would go spare if I got something large to keep my cards in. At the moment I use some boxes, like shoe boxes that I got from my sister. Never have that many cards in stock!! AND no Christmas cards as yet.


Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Hi Ann,
Some time ago we bought ourselves a new coffee table - long one - and instead of throwing the old one away I have stood this table on top of my working table, creating room to work beneath the coffee table and I have the card rack standing on the coffee table. Is this clear, no, I suppose.
Anyway my rack is so full I have no room for a lot of cards, and certainly not room for Xmas cards.
Today I went to the Garden Centre and bought two Autumn wreaths with Autumn colours and have one wreath on my coffee table and one on the big table. The one on the big table is stood on a cake plate with foot, and I have put a large red candle in the middle of it. I also bought 3 cyclamen, two red which I have placed in identical red pots and a white one which I have added to an agglomeration of plants I have in one pot, some trailing and this white cyclamen creates a bit of colour. I also bought a plant - purple - but cannot think of the English name at the moment..Oh, yes, the Garden Center was full of Xmas things.
I have been enjoying myself, much better than housework!!
Sylvia xxx

where are you going to stand your rack sylvia? I don't think I would have room for one here.

Ann
Glos

Hi all,
I bought myself a proper card holder like you find in the stationery shops. This is for two sizes of card and looks so professional. I bought it at a secondhand shop where we take all things we don't want any more. These things are, if necessary, repaired and then sold for those out of work - repaired by them too. I now wish I had bought two of these racks. I have been looking on Marktplaats (smething like EBay) but they want a lot more money for these racks.
Like you Jill I also have half-finished cards and have saved a nice box in which I had toiletries last Xmas, which has a lid where you can see what is inside the box.
Sylvia xxx

Good idea--shoebox but don`t think I have one. Hubby suggested empty ice cream tub -but it`s a small one !!
Ros xx

Good morning to you all and hope everyone's keeping well.
Ros, I keep my made up cards in a shoebox along with cards that just need to be finished, such as an insert added or I feel something else is needed.

I have about 15 cards made for Christmas, after an early start I ground to a halt:))

Have spent the last two days clearing out two walk in storage areas and at last all our junk has been cleared out. We have decided that we should not hang on to things just in case :)) am never going to be wearing my old business suits plus jackets no longer fit very well so they have to go :))
We bought two new beds for the gite and John insisted we should save the old bases-- why?? they are now on the way to the tip. They were past their best and I would never of used them again as we still have one spare single stored away.

We hit the garage next week !!

I have a friend coming this afternoon for a craft session so hope to get a few cards made in between chatter and chocs :))

xx Jill

what do you keep your made cards in --a box or carrier bag?
Ros xx

My house is like a Card Shop , have made a few Christmas ones and loads of others--cos I`m off work just now and it`s keeping me busy, Ros xx

Hi all,
Anne, now that is cheating, adding a side to cover your mistakes. Mind you, I do exactly the same. Great minds think alike, eh!
Went to my handicraft class today and my embroidery is getting better. It's nice to have a laugh and a talk with fellow craftists. We have a lady of 83 who has so many things started and can never find anything but she is happy.
My muscle pain has started up again so will try and see a doctor tomorrow as I have to go to the surgery for diabetes control.
How many more days to Xmas?
Goodnight, God bless
Sylvia xxx

Jill, so pleased your kitchen is finished, you must be so relieved to get it done.

I haven't started on christmas cards yet but I did make five birthday cards today.

Jo, I know what you mean about sides not always being parallel. I have been known to add a 'frame' to even the sides out!!!

Ann
Glos

Hi all,
Well the Autumn storm seems to have died down and we actually had a dry day.
Nice to hear that your kitchen is finally finished Jill. For me, the kitchen is the one place which must be tidy otherwise I am in a bad mood. I spend many hours in the kitchen, perhaps this is the reason.
Johan took me to a new handicraft shop in town. Well it opened two years ago but they have now a larger premises and there were bargains to be had!! Well Sylvia couldn't resist this of course. Laden with a flask of coffee and sandwiches for Johan, together with a good book, Sylvia enters the shop. What an eye opener. So much stuff, unbelievable. I bought myself a new lamp with magnifying glass. I had shown Johan the advertisement before and he said "you've got several good lamps". No wonder I made sure he was safe and sound in the car outside when I entered the shop!
I bought some beautiful paper to use as background on cards. I have since made a beautiful wedding card for a nephew of ours.
They hold workshops in this new shop and I said I would go sometime. The owner was telling me she had a class of 15 last Thursday. She also gave a class to small children who did very well. A young boy did some lovely embroidery.
I go to my workshop tomorrow but our class is only 6 so a lot of difference in size.
I'm doing very well now. Xmas cake is now made and most of my Xmas cards finished. I want it all finished before I go to Spain.
Now see you all tomorrow.
Sylvia xxx

Jill fantastic new about your kitchen, I bet you are loving it.

Ros I bought a rotary type large cutter with 12 different blades of which I only really use 4 when I fist started!! Find it very good, also use a small Fiskars cutter, but generally use a pair of large Fiskars scissors!! So I am not much help. For cutting large card I use the cutter but when doing matting and layering I use scissors. But they do not always end up with parallel sides!!

Well what a glorious Autumn day today. After a frost this morning it was a beautiful sunny day, but it has turned so cold again this evening.

Have just managed to finish my Halloween Atc's quite enjoy making them, but find them more time consuming that making a full size card!!

Still haven't started my Xmas cards!!

Hope you are all keeping well.

Good afternoon to you all and I hope everyone is keeping well.

Kitchen is now finished and I am very pleased with it all, its good to be sorted at last.
It all started back in March/april when everything had to be changed around for the new stairs that are in the kitchen, so have been in a mess for ages.

Its been a very wet day over here so have been busy getting my cards made as had no spare ones. Have made four quick ones so at least I have some to hand now.

We are hoping to get to the UK mid November so will get stocked up for Christmas . We are also due to go skiing again in Canada so will need to get any new bits that are needed, shares in M&S will be on the up after I have been shopping :))

xx Jill

I use scissors nearly all the time. sometimes use a craft knife.

ann
glos

Does anyone have a GUILOTINE for cutting paper ?
Saw one in local craft shop and the lady demonstrated it -£29.99
Ros xx

Hi all,
Well Autumn has well and truly come with high winds and rain, not to mention the cold. Mind you, looking at television tonight at the snow fall in France and Switzerland, I think perhaps we're not too bad after all.
Johan had to wake me up again today at 10.30. If he hadn't done so, goodness only knows when I would have woken up! He went out shopping for me today as I wanted a couple of extra things for making my Xmas cake. I gave him a list and told him exactly how the packets etc. look. I was disappointed to find that he had come home with a packet of bread mix instead of plain flour. However, I was lucky that I just had enough flour to make my Xmas cake. This year it seems to have turned out well. I was going to make a Dutch apple tart for tomorrow, but didn't have enough energy for that.
Keep warm, keep healthy, enjoy the weekend.
Sylvia xxx

Well, after yesterdays awful weather today is lovely and sunny - but so very cold. Hope you all have a a weekend.

Heather sorry my Halloween ATC's might be a couple of days late!!

Ros, when I first started I measured with a ruler and used a set square to ensure that they were correct. Now I just put the decoupage on the first layer and see how big I think it should be!! Then cut as straight as possible, sometimes using a ruler (to get it the same size at top and bottom!!) and scissors and sometimes using my Rotary cutter, I then cut the next layer a couple of millimeters bigger all round and just carry on till I think I have cut enough. Not very scientific but practise makes them better. As Ginnie says you can buy blocks but I found I still never had the right size!

I measure and cut, and I use scissors, don't usually have a problem.

Ann
Glos