The Great (Caring) British Public (not)

Today I was on the Metro travelling from Manchester to Bury and witnessed what a caring public we have - NOT!  A lady boarded the tram with one of those walking machines that have a seat on allowing the user to sit whenever necessary.  There are designated places on the tram for disabled people to sit and to park their wheelchairs/walkers.  The tram was rather full and the space for a wheelchair user was taken up with a young woman and her pushchair. One could argue that the pram could not fit elsewhere as there is no room apart from there but no apology was given to the disabled lady and the two men who stood leaning, where she could have parked her trolley and sat, occupied themselves looking at their phones.  For 25 minutes?  Really? The lady had to stand all the way holding on to the overhead rail and her trolley whilst the tram lurched from side to side.  Should she have said something? Should I have said something?

The sign I have got in my photograph applies to the two seats underneath it - give up for disabled, elderly people - occupied by two elderly ladies who vacated the train halfway through the journey but the seat was immediately taken by two young women.  Perhaps the disabled lady was invisible to all except me!  Or does this just sum up what a selfish nation we have become? Merry Christmas, Goodwill to All Men!

Anyway, now I have got that off my chest I will show you some photographs of the lovely half day I had with my friend Paul in Manchester. Here he is just before we entered the ginnel (because I like the faces etc on the archway.

and here is a closeup of what caught my eye. Look at all the tools around the edge and inside were all manner of carvings. Must go back with my camera and take better shots some time.

The Christmas Markets were mega busy - that is the cathedral in the background

The singing tree (above) in St Ann's Square treated us to "Oh Tannenbaum" whilst the one on the corner in Albert Square was collecting donations for Macmillan Nurses.

and this one, in Spinningfields, is self explanatory

These chalets were also in Spinningfields and a welcome resting place with a hot drink (chocolate or Gluhwein?) especially if it turns to rain - or worse - before Christmas Eve.  This is also where the ice rink is and the helter skelter which Paul threatened to put me on.

On our way back to the tram we walked along Market Street and saw this real live man (he acknowledged some money being put into his box so he was real).  Now how do you think he managed to do this? People were feeling beneath him - there was nothing there.  I think I will leave you with this puzzle.

Linking this to Annie's Friday Smile as I had a lovely time seeing Paul, lots of laughter and smiles all round, even though I was a little cross on the tram home.

ps liked these two printed pieces of fabric in a shop window thought Annie might like them too.

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Oh dear, I have not been a very good blogger.  Meant to put some cards up that I did last week - also meant to include some photos from the Knit and Stitch Show - instead - nothing!  So quickly, here's an easel card I made for a friend who needed a bit of cheering up

and one for a friend who had a birthday

I was trying out my Sunflower Die that day!

Here is my desk, believe it or not.  Won't be like that for much longer as my friend Lorraine is coming over - and we are going to craft.  Must fly, need to get a meal cooked, a girl's gotta eat hasn't she?

Before you go, pop along to see Julia here and see what others are offering this fair morning.  Oh, and if you are the Tracey who left me a comment on the 13th - sorry, I just cannot get into your blog - did try, honest!  Over two weeks.

Artful Times Challenge - A Triptych

For our challenge over on Artful Times this week we have chosen a Triptych.  (NO matter how many times I type that word I transpose the 'y' and the 'i') and I chose these stamps for my rendition.  Then I realised it was "cute" and we don't do cute on Artful Times so I had to start over.

These are a set of three stamps I was given by my friend Mary over in the USA.  They are wood mounted and she had them bequeathed her and let me have them because I liked them so much. I stamped the images and then spent ages enjoying colouring in.  You know how sometimes you just want to sit, listen to the radio and chill - well that is what I did, with Promarkers to hand.  I am no colourist but I did enjoy myself.

As that was 'cute' I set to and made this one for the blog

Cheating somewhat I just used a script stamp on the background but I did like these lady pictures that I had in my stash and they lent themselves to cameo shapes.  Below is the outside of the triptych with Spellbinders Parisian motifs on.

Then to hold it closed there is a lace garter

Wendy and I are off to Harrogate for a couple of days, leaving the men to sort themselves out, which means this post has to be scheduled as we won't be back in time.

Please think about entering our challenge, no prizes at the moment but you can get our Blinkie and have fun in sharing your Triptych if you are a winner.

A New Home Card

This is my card for my friends Wendy and Peter who have recently moved into their new home along with their menagerie of cats.  Wendy and Peter used to live in mid-Wales and they seemed to be the ones who attracted lots of ferrel cats.  Being animal lovers (and soft hearted but don't tell her I said that, Wendy would hate to be described that way I am sure) they have adopted several cats, or have the cats adopted them?

I was quite concerned when they moved a long way away and, rightly so in my opinion, took the cats with them.  Anyway, things have turned out for the best and the cats have settled into their new homes, none of them packing a spotted handkerchief on a stick and battling their way back to Wales. They know when they have it 'cushy' don't they.

Oh gosh, I digress so much - here is the card I made for Wendy and Peter, both keen gardeners and with a beautiful garden to potter about in:

It's an easel card and I have broken out the Promarkers for it plus made some flowers to go on for added interest.  Just hope they like it.

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Phew!  Made it!  Another week has flown by but this time I have something to show for it.  I have at last finished and hung up my picture started weeks ago with Rae at a workshop - and guess what? All I did was add a couple of Sunflowers.

Without the guidance of Finnabair I cannot seem to get what I want.  I am not being vain in using a photo of me but as the only female in the household I had to do it - oh, and by the way, it is a 15 year old photo, not me now.

Made some cards too but until the recipients have them I cannot show them on here.  Wendy & Peter are coming up today and Wendy and I are going to the Stitch Show in Harrogate tomorrow so I might upload one later - perhaps for tomorrow - depends on time.

Anyhow you came on here to see my desk - in the aftermath of card making not so bad but in an hour or so it will be pristine ready in case Wendy and I want to do some crafting later in the week.

In the foreground are some word stamps and other wordy things (need putting in a drawer), my lovely Artisan, iPad, Box of Promarkers (been used quite a bit recently), my rubber mat for stamping on (love it), scrap papers and at the back my mug and card ready for more "C" card making.  Oh, and my tools for flower shaping and my water pot which collapses.  

The other week someone commented on my dirty heat gun - it was covered in alcohol inks at one time but they have worn off over the years with constant use - it is not dirty, just unloved by the look of it.  Now where did I put my alcohol inks?

Right, off you go to Julia's blog to seek out other deskers.  See you next week, or maybe tomorrow.

WOYWW 284

It's yet another Wednesday closer to Christmas Day and I am floundering.  So much so that my desk was just "walked away from" last night so it remains like this.  Simply because I did not have the heart to look any longer for what I wanted.  What did I want you ask?  Not sure!

Anyway, here it is

The five boxes on the left have nothing to do with Christmas, I just had to take them off the shelves to get to the Christmas stuff behind.  The striped box below does, however, contain some Christmas mounted stamps and the bubble box on top has stamped images and other things in it.

Just at the side of it but out of view is a large polythene bag crammed full of unmounted stamps:

There's another striped box more or less facing you, well on the chair below there is a silver Ikea tin - both of these are full of Christmas stamps.  Now do you wonder I walked away?  I don't know what I want and don't want, what I used last year and what I didn't.

Think I might go back to bed now rather than face that room.  And most of my cards have been made with diecuts ... but that is another story.  For more stories why not pop along here and see what Julia has in store for you ... and her merry band of crafters.

I Would Lose My Head if it was not Attached - new Challenge!!

Thanks for the reminder that I had not blogged my tag for the Artful Times Challenge.  Truth is, I forgot all about it, thought I was a week behind where I really was when Wendy rang up to see why I had not done the post or put my tag on the Admin group.  Doh!  I thought it was 'winners week'.  So it was a quick dash into the craft room, grab some pages from a magazine/book and get crafting.

Of course I could not find the rubber stamp I wanted and so ideas were flitting about as my brain raced frantically around in my head whilst my eyes flitted from one box of stamps to another.  The stamp I finally chose did not stamp very well (despite it being an expensive wooden mounted one and not new either), neither did the next one which I actually stamped directly onto the tag so in the end I settled on what I did - which was:

First of all I did a quick Distress Ink background and then stuck some pieces of paper across which referred to France.  A few stamps over the top, including the Eiffel Tower - disaster struck.  Where I had left a gap in the papers the Eiffel Tower did not stamp well!  I had the word "Paris" ready and waiting but it could not cover up and make amends.  Then I spied my 'recycle box' which I had decorated with stamps reminiscent of Paris all over.  I quickly chose the dancer, coloured the image with Twinkling H2o's and stuck her down using foam buddies.  She was a perfect fit over the Tower.

And so my tag was finished in good time, but I forgot to 

a) add Mr Linky, and

b) do this post on my blog.

Thanks "Craftyfield" for letting me know.  I promise to do better next time, well I will try.

Oh, I still haven't found the red, white and blue ribbon I wanted to go through the top!

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Well, that got off to a good start.  I must not have clicked on the box and I have been typing away with nothing to show for it.  DOH!  Mind you I have nothing to show you either as I have made a start on my "C" cards and I am hiding them for the time being.

Here is a tag I made for the letter "I" at our local stamping club

I think my friend, Mo, was glad she did not pick this one as she said, in a not so happy voice, "what's Ikebana?"  I thought it was an ingenious idea as I was trying to avoid 'India' thinking many others would do that - nobody did!!  Took me ages painting these rectangles in those pale Twinkling H2o colours too.

Today I am showing you two desks - well my desk and a table really. Here is my desk, with my Halloween stuff still on it waiting to be put away.

I am disappointed that I did not make anything new this year but I did buy the skull to the left of the pumpkin and how do you like my Harry Potter Box?  £20 from Newark - love it but not a clue what I am going to do with it.  The pile of card by the orange box marks the start of my "C" cards and yes, the sunflowers are still there.

My table - all neatly arranged for you to see is my stash from Eliza. How many of you remember Flat Susan?  Well she has just spent an enjoyable month or so with Eliza, Myrene and Yoda of course and Eliza sent me these things to put in my book made for me by Annette.  

Flat Susan has now left Eliza and is with Sandy and then she will go off to Spain to see Kate.  After that I am hoping she will spend Christmas with me before venturing off again around the UK for her other new friends to host her.  It is 18 months since she left home to begin her travels and she only had one accident as far as I know. That is, if we discount the puddle she was dropped in early on when Jo took her out and about in Europe.

Just had to share the photo above, hope Julia does not mind as it is so obviously staged.  Well, now comes the time for you to visit all the other lovely ladies and gents who like to share their desks on a Wednesday.  Ta Ta for now then.