IN CASE YOU GOT THE WRONG IMPRESSION

NO NO AND A THOUSAND TIMES NO

We do not share.

We both have our own rooms.

When we did share I had to clear everything constantly and do a glitter sweep with sellotape.

It did not work .

We are even on different floors.

We share meals, we sometimes share clothes -stop giggling it's only the fleece which is too big for me now and we share a bed but not workrooms.

WOYWW3 and WOHWW1

Wanting to get in on it!

Think DH has caught the WOYWW bug but can't go as far as having his OWN blog so has asked me to include a pic of his workspace-carefully edited by him of course (he took it using my camera). Now you know what I'm up against.

Picture number one is the wide view-wipso please note this is my version of tidy. You might be able to spot Stampin' Up goodies out today plus a Spell binders frameability I've been using to make felt flowers. I've also had a go at cutting fabric with them. Iron onto interfacing and it works a dream.

2 You can see the card I made for a friend's ??ieth birthday Sunday. I cut a felt butterfly using a cuttlebug die. Cuts a dream but only got the one as you can only try to have everything. Embellished on machine, fell in love and added sequins and beads.

I also got some of the sugared almonds collection from Craftwork Cards this week-you might be able to see the corner of the box on the right.

3 SU cardstock and frameabilities plus a Craftwork Cards embossed frame distressed with SU Perfect Plum. Distressing works well with other inks, not just Tim Holz.
DH wants me to tell you that after fifty years in the dark he has seen the light. He has, in other words, "gone digital". For over a year now he has been producing digital prints rather than darkroom processed. The darkroom is empty and forlorn. Here you might be able to see a small heap.This is not card but mounted prints. We don't do holiday snaps in our house!

Before I go I'll apologise for the scrappy nature of yesterday's post. Always very weary at night but wanted to get it on before I let it slip again. Am looking forward to seeing what you can do with it. You can do this in fabric with fabric glue. If you think I've gone doolally see yesterday's post

Think you would like the stunning work on this blog too if you've not already found it. Its the ramblings of a fairy. The fairy will have already taken her driving test now so I hope all went well . Lots of love BettyXXX

Realised I didn't do the linky thing so if you don't know by now check out Julia's WOYWW

Talking of bags

As usual trust Betty to be backwardsShowing base of bag

Showing wrap around former (two tablet boxes) Any overlap should be kept to the top. OK I'm good but I'm not that good.
Showing tape on glue flap. This paper was metallic and no good for PVA (test glue if you're not sure with an off cut)
The two tablet boxes taped together with scotch magic-after all they had to go back in the medicine cabinet.

Seem to remember making a rash promise to let you in on my little secret about bags.

Are you ever in a hurry to find a gift bag for something ?Don't have time to make one? Well you will now. Just remember Betty's words of wisdom- "a bag is half a parcel".

What's that you say? What on earth does she mean?

Well I was giving a talk on gift wrapping to a small group of people who were not crafters but wanted some easy and money saving ways to wrap Christmas gifts and get good results.

I wanted to encourage them to make gift bags instead of buy them and this simple way of explaining it to them came to me.

I did find the original method in a book called Rubber Stamp Celebrations from the now defunct Personal Stamp Exchange company but came up with the description myself.

They got it straight away. The beauty of this is as long as all your folds are straight and crisp you can make many sizes of bag from one choc size to elephant size just as long as you've got an elephant sized box to fold the paper around-and an elephant sized piece of paper.

Don't get the paper too tight because you will need to get the box former out.

I've used cassette boxes, shoe boxes tablet cartons etc. etc.

There are oodles of ways to finish the top, oodles of handles and oodles of decorating stuff. Don't forget to reinforce the base if you're putting something heavy into it. You can also reinforce the top flap by sticking a strip of card under the fold before you stick it down Double sided tape does work for this but I prefer to use PVA because it creates a stronger bond. Hi Tack very sticky glue from Impex is good for this.

You will find it even more difficult to throw away a box now.

What -you don't save boxes and envelopes to make templates-get on with you-I don't believe it.

Just reviewed my back to front pictures and here's another tip:-

Measure around your box and add extra for the glue flap (which will depend on the size of your bag-elephant size will need a bigger glue flap)

and for depth you will need to add extra for the top flap and the base. Make sure you add about 2/3rds of the base plus the top flap. If you leave the top flap off you could cut it with pinking shears and fold it over like a brown paper bag

Quick Quick Quick it's Dr Who

Didn't need a machine embroidery ring-apparently I was doing it all wrong anyway and a lovely lady at Hobby Craft explained to me how to get the extra lift on my sewing machinto create a bigger gap for the hoop to pass through. It seems I should also get a free motion foot for my NEW and VERY EXPENSIVE machine. Have been having a go without and the results are improving.

Here there be stash

Just a few hundred yards from my home lies temptation.
As you enter you pass (stop drooling) if you can the first ribbon collection
Bin diving has a whole new meaning here-see what you can find and manage to untangle it and it's 10p a metre.

Shelves, shelves and more shelves of fabrics. I did take more piccies but google can't cope with too much so I'm just giving you a flavour. They didn't have a machine embroidery hoop so I'll have to wait until tomorrow and nip down to Bolton Market.

The ladies in my favourite place did have some odds and sods I fancied and I got to ogle the fabric someone was buying for a stunning prom dress.

Now then you can find Nortex Mill Shop in Chorley Old Road in Bolton (that's in Greater Manchester UK if you're abroad) but I've been told they do have a web presence now although it's impossible to list everything on the website they will have a look for you if you ring up so you can find their ebay shop here.

Got a header for my blog yippee

Papers Kirsty Wiseman Patti Picklicious CD

Stamps Hero Arts (v. old), Stampin'Up

Ink Peeled paint TH, Versafine

Punches Stampin'Up and Rollabind (with a bit of fiddling about)

Flowers Spellbinders

Felt leaves from my sewing machine-embroider then cut out.

Assembled with PVA and Pinflair Glue gel

Base card from A4 stash

All right it's not great art but I've been fiddling with felt for the last couple of days-and managed to clean the wetroom (can't say bathroom 'cos there isn't a bath in it any more so don't think it's bragging just accuracy). Hope the Stampin Up police don't come and arrest me for using their image in a public place.

Experimenting with felt and my spellbinders dies I've now got an itch I need to scratch so will probably make dozens of these felt flowers-just need to dash off and buy some more felt and a machine embroidery ring. The machine needle was too close for comfort. Not enough room to manoeuvre the flowers under the needle.

Kirsty Wiseman's Patti Picklicious CD came in Handy. The backing is from that. This was part way to a card and I just decided why not?

Iron the felt onto lightweight fusible interfacing and place that towards the blade when you cut.

There are some lovely felt embellishments in the Stampin'Up mini catalogue but they gave me an urge to try making my own.

This is the aftermath of two days!!!! of cogitation. Did I say I was a slow crafter.

Right a quick tidy and off to my favourite rummaging place.

Thinks -I do a lot of that-"shall I take my camera and bring back some piccies to make you all jealous?" LOL

WOYWW bags close up

Did a close up on the bags to show the detail .

Teeny tiny bag

All materials craftwork cards

Card bag

Craftwork cards again

using elegant rectangles, chocolate box card candy and ritzy lime card stock for the flap which could open but doesn't. Hole pricking done by using a dressmakers tracing wheel and going over with pricking tool. Handle is those beads on a string you can get to sew on to clothes. I smashed off the end ones with a hammer to make something to attach them with. Made a template from the elegant rectangle to cut the flap.

WOYWW My number 2

Yay folks. I've looked forward to this since I did it last week. It's been a shot in the arm for me or a kick up the wotsit! Great motivation-thankyou, thankyou ,thankyou.

I'm not making excuses for myself but the state of everything was due to my inability to tackle the task of getting rid of the layer of soot and builders dust covering most of my room. Well I did the work top and the floor and managed to create a bit more order out of all the stash I'd bought but not homed during the time I had off dealing with other stuff.

It's been lovely getting back into some blog hopping and trying to catch up with all the comings and goings.

For all those who asked for a look in some of the boxes I've opened one and it shows my solution to one of the ribbon problems -what to do with the small pieces which are too lovely (and long) to throw away. Boxes I got for something else have been punched with my big bite and the ends pulled through so I can see them.. The larger plastic boxes are sweetie boxes (Haribo probably)from a shop given to me by my friend Lynne. They are a great practical size. I try to keep stash close as it was a struggle to get up and down when the FMS was really bad.

Ah but WOYWW Betty?

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Craftwork Cards and I had a delivery on Saturday of my latest order containing the Romance project plus some Ritzy cardstock in Lime, Purple and Grey.

I made the designs in the pack then I've had some more ideas since-you can see a couple of these on their blog but just for Debs -who asked where the bags were-I made some bags.

Strictly speaking one's a card but for the other I've used a Green Sneakers bagamites template - I don't even know if you can get these in the UK any more, I've had a good look on the net but can't see a UK supplier.

Anyway I did promise I would let you into my little bag making hint but this post is getting very long and there will be pay back -sore shoulders fingers etc. so will do that later.

I'm not a layout expert-can you tell?

I'm not a linky expert either.

I'm not a challenge person 'cos stress is not good for me.

I'm really getting to like Wednesdays though.

PS thanks to the person who mentioned ATG guns. Fished it out, cleaned it and bought some refills. 3M's were having a sale, free postage too. Should be ashamed at all that unused stash and lovely equipment waiting to be used hohum.

The lovely new wetroom sure needs cleaning.

Go on join in with us on what's on your work desk Wednesday.

Mojo back with a bang

No piccies at the mo 'cos need to craft and shop-for food that is- but naughty MOJO who was hiding a bit has burst out in the middle of the night and inflicted the condition of whizzy brain on me.

Fibromyalgia sufferers out there may be able to identify with this and fellow crafters. Basically there are more ideas popping up than time to carry them out and the ideas are popping in the middle of the night when I'm actually exhausted and they wouldn't let me sleep.

Eventually I got up and ate a slice of toast and watched Hill Street Blues -in the middle of the night.

How I loved that show. Now I'm going to have to do one of several things

1 Get up again in the middle of the night

2 Buy some equipment upon which I could record it

3 Ask someone else to record it for me

4 Watch online if poss

5 Summon up strength to record it on the video recorder -involves working out how to use it again

6 Forget it as I wouldn't have time to watch it

Sometimes I would love to be Belker who bared his teeth and growled at people and went around looking filthy and dirty, other times it's Joyce, who had everything, tall, willowy,incisive mind,intuitive,empathetic and best of all long dark hair-presumably achieved without hair extensions in those days.

Love to Biscuit Lid's Dad. Hope he's soon up and about.

I'll be back-and with a poem for Debs who was up at nearly midnight to write a comment. Lack of sleep and serious surf addiction is doctor Betty's diagnosis and too many hospital dramas. LOLXXX

WOYWS it's a secret

I am so glad I found WOYWW. It's given me a shot in the arm. All the lovely comments got me to work and I managed to have a bit of a clear up. If you wonder why I'm the bag lady it's not because of all the bags of crafty stash I have but the many gift bags I've made over the years. I love bags because they are so expensive in the shops-someone has to be paid for them after all.

I took a picture of these and I whizzed them in the bin. Why? Because I made a lot of these at least ten years ago in the days when I had the strength to "do" craft fairs. The yellow one is made from wrapping paper and all the rest are made from different rolls of wallpaper I bought for 50pence. This is a warning -don't buy vinyl wallpaper to do this 'cos if you do you will need to stick it with evo-stick which is very uneconomical.

On the plus side-these were as perfect and strong as the day I made them.

They were made with a green sneakers kreate-a-bag template I bought when Ally Pally was at The Commonwealth Institute. Julie Hickey tells me she was demoing that day for theCraft Barn so I probably bought it from her. I also bought a tiny version later and a create-a lope one too. If you are patient I'll make some more bags and post them and share a simple bag making secret (thought up all on my own for a talk) which I once shared with someone only to see it later in a magazine. That's what comes with fame! LOL.

It's a doddle this blog thing HAHAHA.

By coincidence Debs has just sent in a comment asking where are the bags? AS I WAS WRITING THIS POST- SPOOOOKY

Question answered Debs-they are in the bin and the wallpaper I made them with will probably follow just in case I'm tempted to use it again.

Now -which button do I press? Ah yes.

Trying something new

What's on your workdesk wednesday or WOYWW is something I've just found. Maybe it will inspire me to get stuck in and sort all this lot out. Notice I've been having a go at iris folding-something in about 16 years of cardmaking has not grabbed me at all. Will it help to get some paper used up or will it just be an excuse to buy some books-already bought two which look interesting and had one go.

The carpet I hate. The foam backing has disintegrated and been sucked into the vac-yes I do vac it but just contemplating sorting the whole lot out gives me the collywobbles. Would dearly love to clear it and have it replastered and a new floor etc etc but have run out of energy-oh and more power points and a new light fitting. Must stop now as depression is settling on me like a black cloud. Where is the magic fairy when I need her?

By the way don't think all this stuff kicking about has been made on Wednesday not likely 'cos I've been having a low day today-nuff said.

Just messin'

OK you've probably realised that I've bought a few SU punches lately. They are great heavy duty affairs and I got to thinking of some of the other things I might be able to do with them and got the scrap paper out and messed about.

Ho ho ho you can fold the paper and angle it in different ways and get various effects as you can see from the above artfully arranged shots LOL. An X cut punch worked as well and produced lovely dragonfly wings

So then I made a trial flower in pale pink writing paper chalked a bit as follows

1 Double the paper and close to the fold punch several pairs of petals-I did 5

2 Make a base layer of three pairs of petals with the tops of the hearts curled downwards

3Create the top layer with two pairs of hearts with the sides curled inwards and upwards.

I made my first centre with a snowflake punch 'cos I've not got a stamen punch-yet- but then I made the card you can see at the top from some gorgeous Craftwork Cards paper from a Paperblox in my stash.

Just don't try punching two layers of paper unless you use a good quality punch.

Welcome Rose

Just popped back to say "Welcome Rose". Was surprised to see a new follower as I haven't posted much lately. I do miss my fellow bloggers. They feel like old friends. It's a pity we can only meet up in cyber space although some of my followers are known to me. Yes you know who you are and some of you are not listed as followers but I know you're out there.

By the way I did tie that bow myself and I didn't use a bow tier thingy either so my fingers aren't completely knackered. When it comes to teeny tiny the glue is the thing and I use a fine tip applicator by Anne Peak. It's refillable with bog standard PVA and if it's good enough for Julie Hickey it's good enough for me. I am fascinated by adhesives ---yaaaawn----yaaaawn Betty's on her favourite subject--- but PVA is wonderful. Did you know if you dilute it and spread it thinly on the surfaces you want to join together, let it dry you can use your iron to fuse them together. Experiment first .

Must go the keyboard is jumping about and I can't find the letters.

Mojo is in intensive care due to serious neglect

What could I expect? No serious cardmaking for four months and it has practically shrivelled away -the little pet. Didn't stop buying though-oh no. Just squirrelled it all away until peace returned chez nous. Multitasking is the first casualty when fibromyalgia takes up residence and so I just had to focus on badgering workmen until jobs got to a more manageable level. Still got plenty to do to get properly sorted but it'll keep a bit.

Now then, back to the ole' MOJO.

My own theory is that when all else fails you can still make toppers even if they don't make themselves into cards so I have made a few with some lovely SU punches and stuff from the stash including lots of Craftwork Cards papers.

Meant to put down a ruler to get an idea of size-not inchies but quite small.

1 Bases SU punches mainly with SU card and papermania red hot pinks with some chalking

2 Stamp SU- ink pink passion

3 Flowers various flower punches-card candy-liquid pearls-Craftwork Cards paper blox and paper strips plus some nifty flowers made with a hole punch

Toppers inspired by Michelle Powell's little book "Tags and Toppers" using mainly Craftwork Cards products and SU pink passion ink plus an SU stamp popped in there.

That's not all folks but I'll keep a bit back.

Have been a bit punch drunk as you can probably guess and I'm absorbed in teeny tiny world for now.

Have ordered some more books from Amazon too on Iris folding. One is by Michelle Powell and looks very different. Got to use up some of that paper somehow .
Have never made an Iris folded card in my life but the Craftwork Cards strips I've got look just the thing as they are colour themed.

Craftroom is next on my makeover list but it will have to wait.