Marsha- your little make'n'take bag is a huge hit here...

just as I knew it would be when I made it in Holland a couple of weeks ago and I then made another to put in the shop window.
Yesterday Margaret and Q made theirs




and today Blaithin and Rosangela finished off making their Spring albums and then made theirs - Rosangela is only 7 years old so that's quite an achievement. I supplied extra fingers when required to hold things like the cork when she was using the pokey tool and the tag while she set the eyelet with the cropadile but they both use the Big Shot and Texture Boutique like old hands.


Right, I am now going to get going on one of the projects half made. Haven't decided which one so
Bye for now
Sue

Working hard but not always finishing!!!

Haven't gone - just been working hard.
Some people have shops... not craft ones mind... and just turn up, stand behind the counter and serve the customers. Not in my craft shop... I do it all from ordering, stocking the shelves, preparing and teaching 5 classes a week and cleaning the floors and making the coffees. Well not quite as Colin does the books once a quarter. Hardly a day goes by without me humping a load of stuff into or out of the shop. I work at home on samples and other projects and so some stuff has to be shipped back and forth by me. I don't have two Big Shots and sets of dies or two Bind-It-All's although I do have quite a bit(quite a lot actually) at home but whenever I need something it is always at the other place!!! Quite frustrating - that is probably why I have so many unfinished projects - at least that's my excuse!!!Lol!

We have had two months of rain and when it rains the electricity is iffy and just goes OFF - no warning - OFF just like that so the other night when Colin said he was going for a curry with a couple of his golfing buddies I thought Yes! tv remote, phone, computer mine all mine all night - well, how wrong can a girl be!!! You guessed it - a few minutes into talking to Tanya on facebook PFF and OFF it went. In all seven power cuts so in the end I gave up and went to bed taking a torch - at least I could read my book just like old times when I was young reading under the bedclothes and listening to Radio Luxemburg!!!!!

Anyway, when Tanya was here in November she made a fabulous paper bag album for me to use as a workshop. A customer Lin had seen it but hadn't been able to make the workshop date so I said if she got a friend to come I would run it for the two of them and today did just that. Her friend Be was such a laugh and we discovered we were both Brummies although both had left there long ago so quite a bit of reminiscing went on. Both of them did a fantastic job.

This is Be showing her album "Don't take my picture until I let down my hair and put my lippy on"... and having checked that the photo was to her satisfaction.....


and this is Lin who was laughing at all this...

I had a wonderful day ladies and I hope you did too.

Here's a small peek at a couple of projects that are on my desk in the hope that showing them will spur me on to finish them. I've told you before how many unfinished things I have on the go snd I have decided that if I put them on here maybe someone will say hey Sue have you finished this... or that..... yet and give me the push I need.

This is my take on an album I saw at Tanya's made from a case used for sending cd's so I re-sized the template to fit a sheet of 12 x 12 cardstock. As usual I made it and then realised the stamp I wanted to use was not here so..... couldn't stick it down!!!


and then there's the album part made from Paintables cardstock as a mica workshop/class needing just that little something...


and the photo of Colin's parents in the late 1930's when they were courting (what a wonderful old-fashioned word that is) just laid on a canvas along with the embellishments - well I might want to change where I put them!!


I'll save the other unfinished projects for another day as I have a pile of ironing calling my name - put off from Tuesday when I JUST HAD to watch Tim and Suze and Claudine on QVC.

so Bye for now
Sue

genuine friends

While I was away I did manage to get some journalling done with the pages I had pre-prepared
...at Valencia airport

...on the plane

...on the plane on the way home again


Well folks, I've been back since Thursday but still feel shattered.
Anyone who knows me knows I am definitely not good early mornings so to have had three in a week well!!! Last Friday I got up at 3.45am and flew to Brussels where my lovely friend Tanya met me at the airport and we drove to her home then on to Maastricht in Holland for lunch.
Saturday we drove to Hasselt also in Holland for shopping and coffee...Three goes it took me before I got this photo of Tanya... I win in the end you see!!!

We got up at another unearthly hour on Sunday as we had to drive in the snow to Holland again. Tanya was so excited as the stall she was working on was right next to Tim's.

I wandered around chatting to Mario about cooking - What!!! I don't do cooking -what's all that about???... and getting to know some of the other lovely demonstrators.
this is Wendy from Tattered Angels...

and Marsha - look out for this project ladies...

and talented Dutch scrapbookers Lisabet and Mariska


Tuesday and Wednesday was spent playing with Tim's new ink pads which she had been given when we left - lucky her! Absolutely gorgeous new colours but not available in the shop yet.
The photo at the top was us in Starbucks at Brussels airport on Thursday - a 1hour journey had taken us almost three with the bad weather conditions. Lucky then that we left at 6am!!!

Back to reality I was straight in with a full class on Friday morning. Six lovely ladies turned up - 3 newbies - so I decided to explain the differences in ink pads and they had a play and then I explained the differences between embossing powders and they played some more and finally they made a quick card. It was so hectic I forgot to take photos which was a shame especially as Margaret had brought along her daughter Jane who lives in Norway.

Saturday morning the girls turned up in mischievous mood...
here's Blaithin...

and here's Rosangela...

Sunday passed in a blur of washing, ironing and general catching up after a week away...

Monday girls Dayana, Mina and Sarah worked hard on their Spring album. The photo was taken after Emily went home with a tummy ache - hope you are feeling better sweetie.


and now to bed so Bye for now
Sue






.

Bye for a few days...

Just a quick post tonight as in the early hours I have to get up and go to Valencia airport where I am going to Brussels to spend a few days with my lovely friend Tanya. We will be going to Holland to kkd where she is working and I am taking a class with Tim (eat your heart out Linda E) - you know that man Tim who can make a 1 and a half hour class fly past in 5 seconds with just a tag and a bottle of rock candy stickles!!!!lol!

I have prepped a few journal pages and have also popped a few felt tips and oil pastels in my handbag - no scissors or glue stick though - to pass the hours spent at the airport - I don't know how many I will manage to do anything to but the intention is there!!

BTW - last year Colin had 10 rolls of easi-lift tape confiscated at Birmingham airport in case he tied anyone up with it. The fact that you can tear it easily didn't cut any ice with the confiscating jobsworth!!! It caused a great deal of laughter for a few weeks in the shop I can tell you.





















and a few Teesha style pages...







Last night the girls started a Spring album but I forgot to take photos...

Monday night class was full - six lovely little girls painting and decorating wooden boxes. They unscrewed all the metal fittings before painting, decorated the box and screwed it all back together again and considering their ages they did a remarkably good job.

Jenny 9, Vivi 7, Dayana 9


Emily 6


Sarah 6 and Mina 6


Right now I really am off to bed - up again at 3am so night, night
Sue

Is it February already???

Working backwards as usual....
Here is my 365 day calendar for Kate's challenge...

the inside front cover...















February all ready and waiting...















January completed...

I have amazed myself that I have got to the end of January without forgetting to do this - I am so full of resolve at the start of something but then it can drift offffffff!!!!!!!! if I'm not careful - it really is not too difficult just a few minutes at the end of the day to record whatever - alweays supposing you've done anything worth recording!!!





Saturday morning Rosangela and Blaithin started a new Spring album...

















Friday morning was Valentine card making day and Mu, Inga and newbie Loli had an extra long 2 hour class - it stretched to 3 hours and 20 minutes! can't say they don't get their monies worth!!! Mu will finish her card on the 12th still in time... They used the new Texture Boutique machine and argyle folder.













That's me up to date so
Bye for now
Sue