WOYWW #688 - Parcel #2

Oh my life I'm in heaven. I received my second parcel from Kraft Crazy Saturday and after layers of packing tape and duck tape I finally got to the contents of my TWO PIZZA BOXES.

I'm a scrapper of all our family day to day photos so 12x12 papers are the order of the day. 

I'd already bagged a 12x12 pad some A4 card, envelopes, a cropping pad, a die and bits and pieces, when the single 12x12 papers were loaded onto the site.....

Whilst paying for Parcel #1 over the phone I'd mentioned I loved "Basic Grey" papers so I got a bargain offer of ALL the "Basic Grey" papers from the shop. I did ponder this over dinner but even hubby said "Go For It". Plus I chose over 70 other designs too.

Parcel came in at just under 5kg - Phew.

Anyway made my first pair of layouts using two of the Basic Grey papers. I felt able to cut into a third for the die cut elements which is the beauty of multiple papers of the same design and/or collection.

I wrote on the back of one of these pages to remember what they are called and where I'd got them from and the date made. Really special.

Parcel #3 is mainly dies and I've already earmarked some for use on my next pages....

Such a blessing.

Happy WOYWW Everyone

WOYWW #687 - Geocaching : Hide & Finds

Yup desk is rather devoid of actual crafting this week. All I can show for it is the next set of photos on cardboard sheets ready for inspiration.

I am awaiting 5kg of papers and cardstock from Kraft Crazy. The shop closes on Saturday so the last few crazy bargains are on her Facebook page. I have already started my 3rd parcel - oops.

I paid for parcel 2 over the phone whilst sitting on a log in the woods when we were out geocaching yesterday. We did a 3 mile route around Telegraph Hill - Claygate, Surrey. It was very hot out of the woods.

Here's hubby leaning on one of the street finds yesterday. You'll never guess where the logbook was! Staring you right in the face, magnetised to the box side. Done one like this before so I went straight to it, so funny.

Desk also has a couple of trinkets I swapped in caches yesterday. A blue marble and turquoise butterfly. I love trinkets.

Plus my workout/exercise sheet. It's been hard going but I have remembered to do them for a whole week now.

We have also set up a new geocache in our local church this week and I have been in communication with the vicar getting permission. Got the final go ahead via email whilst sitting on the same log in the woods yesterday. Aren't mobile phones amazing. 

You might have spotted our BIG fan too. I have to have 2 going all night as I am still struggling with the heat. This one brings in what little coolness there is from outside. I leave my bedroom door open too and that helps the heat escape, never thought I'd be looking forward to Autumn so much....

Happy WOYWW Everyone.

WOYWW #686 - Exercises, WATER, Graduation

I'm seeing my osteopath about various things right now (Back, Hamstring, Shoulder and Knee). 

So my desk is festooned with different weights ready for my new regime of exercises.

I did however do a scrapbook page this week.

The photos are from Advent/November last year when Jan introduced us to crocheted angels. Remember those, I made 20+ in the end.

I used one of my new Kraft Crazy dies of the angel, all the photos don't leave much room for other stuff but I managed it.

As for the WATER situation with a drought looming especially here in the South East, I have been saving water from various activities for the garden,

1) The Air-Con machine dehumidifies so there is a run off of water so that is collected in jugs...

2) I started saving run through water, and veg washing water in the kitchen,  and quite amazed at how much "waste" water there is.

Both are now transferred to conveniently located watering cans ready for the garden

3) I tried the jug to watering can method with bath water but that proved too much.

So yesterday we set up a hose from the bathroom to trugs outside. It took a bit to get it going but it worked in the end. 

Best to leave that water for 24 hours before use on garden. 

It's called "Grey Water" and you can definitely see why - LOL.

And to finish my son's Graduation from last week, a hectic day in the heat, driving to and from Southampton St Mary's Stadium but all done and such proud parents. 

Lovely to see him home for the first time since he moved out in March too.

And he insisted on a photo opportunity back at campus. 

a) When he was 18yrs and on his Open Day visit to Southampton University

b) Now Graduated 23yrs, 

I can feel a scrapbook page or two coming on.....

Happy WOYWW Everyone.

PS Blogger is a right pain today, photos won't drag and drop amongst other things!!

WOYWW #685 - Kraft Crazy - Parcel #1

WOYW(T) What's On Your Workdesk "THURSDAY"

So last Thursday I received my first parcel from Kraft Crazy It's a local craft shop to Julia which is sadly closing down. The owner, Tracey is happy to post out parcels and is listing items on her shop's Facebook page to which we comment if we want them. Postage is charged at cost (I got a YODEL delivery), or you can pop into the shop if you are near enough (opening times on FB page). For Payment she takes Paypal or cards over the phone, it's as simple as that.

Anyway, I was far too excited to remember to take a photo before unpacking everything, but most things are on my Thursday desk. I got some dies and die/stamp sets, some stencils and a die folder with refills. Whoop Whoop.

I cut out all the dies and made up a couple of cards required for birthdays this month and a Christmas card for a friend which I made whilst on a craft call with her. (She was finishing off her bits for the church holiday club - see last week)

The girl came as an angel but I though she was OK as a girl (sans wings) I used my recently acquired circle wreath die from China for that one.

WOYW(M) What's On Your Workdesk "MONDAY"

So why am I writing this on Monday? Well - expecting son home Tuesday for his Graduation Ceremony on Wednesday (2 years later - added advantage is that he gets to graduate with the friends who stayed on an extra year for their Masters) 

So I'll be scheduling this post. But I just had to add that as I have finished off the last scrapbook (17th - all with 60 12x12 LOs). I needed to make room on my shelves by moving some stuff to the top of the wardrobe.

I managed to move down 9 of my old sticky back photo albums (got 19 of those even). So now my 5 new albums fit on the top along with 4 special albums too. Gosh that's a lot of scrapping.

WOYW(M) What's On Your WARDROBE "Monday"

Which leaves me with the wardrobe. The set of shop drawers with bits and bobs (from shelves) fit on here nicely and I've displayed various journals up there too.

Hope you have all managed OK in the heat - I've just had to succumb to putting air-con on as I'm dying in this heat despite putting car windscreen reflectors up on South facing Windows.

Happy WOYWW Everyone.

WOYWW #684 - Craft Prep for Church Holiday Club

Wasn't expecting this last week but got a message from church asking for craft preparation volunteers. I waved my hands and picked up 4 packs to do on Sunday.

Did 3 Monday and the last one yesterday. Gosh that church paper trimmer is a tricky thing! 

Good job we have an air-con machine (which DH fixed Sunday as it wouldn't turn off Saturday night!!) With that and two fans I am just about existing in my room which thinks its Kew's hot house at present. 

I smiled at the wool supplied for the tags as it was one I'd donated to church.

Cutting these 140 cards out was the hardest pack by far. 

Oh and before I got to do all this I had done 7 scrapbook pages and an insert with journalling.

I was spurred on by the fact that these will fill my current scrapbook album and I'll get to start one of my new ones with my next page.

 

So a happier looking one of my hand post OP. The "get well" flowers I got chose the colours for me.

This is the journalling A4 card which will be slipped in between the 12x12 pages with the ribbon poking out of the top. 

The journalling isn't the happiest as last October was very challenging for me, I was very depressed and my self confidence had gone completely losing the function in my right hand for so long...

The photos are of my ear drums as I had my hearing test at the hospital soon after my hand op.

Green page is our first geocaching since my op and the Blue is my hubby going for a steroid injection for his thumb. He just had to get in on the action!

The last 3 pages are of England's Centenary Wood by the Woodland Trust in Langley Vale just a hop and a skip over Epsom Racecourse for us.

They are still and I mean STILL in the process of completing a car park so we had to be inventive in where we parked.

I guess that is me for this week phew!

Happy WOYWW Everyone.

WOYWW #683 - Circle Wreath Die (from China!)

Nothing like a new die to get me crafting although truth be told I did start the double LO before the die actually arrived. 

Many thanks to Cindy who managed to find a source for the much wanted circle wreath die and as it wasn't that expensive we thought we'd have a go ordering from Ebay/China. 

It took 18days to arrive, didn't cut too well in it's original state (3 dies held together by metal tabs), so I separated them and did a double run through the Cuttlebug individually and all OK.

I managed to use the good cuts AND the not go good ones on my layout entitled THING. 

If you are of an age you'll remember The Addams Family's helping hand called Thing. I'd fussy cut my pre-op hand photo and this was what came to mind. 

Got a load of dies stacking up on order from Kraft Crazy, expecting to be crafting much more when I eventually get those.

Have done a jigsaw too. It's of Burning Shed a music supplier that my husband uses "a lot". 

I made myself do the sky first and the rest was pretty straight forward. 

I've had a little play with the fact that the 1000 piece jigsaws are made using a 500 piece die which is rotated for the second half of the picture. 

It takes all sorts....

And for the record my desk on Saturday - Hubby's 66th birthday... 

Totally inspired by Jan's Poppy bag fabric from last week.

So I got out my pieces of that same fabric and made my Hubby a couple of covers for his wheat heat bags (beany/hotty).

Nice surprise when he got back from his cycle ride.

Happy WOYWW Everyone

WOYWW #682 - Horrah Duplicate ATC Arrived

I was just a tad excited to receive the duplicate ATC from our esteemed host last week to replace the one which decided to get lost in the post last month.

I took my photo of my desk first thing then life took over. Even uploading the photo this afternoon caused me to revisit what photos exist on my phone so here I am LATE TO THE PARTY YET AGAIN!

I adore my Connections ATC from Julia, who managed to even get my age on the door/windows - amazing. Much better than the lady who guessed I was in my sixties - NOT - last week. I'm happy to share my age but I certainly do not want it to be rounded up!

Thank You Julia. 

I went to a church ladies evening last Friday and did a bit of colouring in of a scripture verse - from Jeremiah 31:12. 

"Your soul shall be like a well watered garden."

When I got home I popped that and a sheet about "Who I Am In Christ" in my journal and added some stamping etc.

I did the wood block when I got home too. 

I guess this is the sum total of my crafting this week, but having that and my ATC on my desk make me smile.

My scripture memory verse this week is Isaiah 58:11

"You will be like a well watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail"

All very encouraging.

Happy super late WOYWW everyone.

WOYWW #681 - Carpal Tunnel - 9 months on...

So it is now 9 months since my hand operation to release the Carpal Tunnel which was causing numbness and tingling in my right hand.

The tingling and numbness has been cured - highlighted by my left hand's increased occurrences of this symptom.

As for recovery from the operation itself, I'd guess it is 90% sorted as I can do most day to day stuff OK but it is still tender to touch, and still looks like a wonky zip. 

I can't put my weight on it so staplers and punches are out of the question as is squashing the recycling! 

My wrist is still affected and doesn't extend like it used to either. All of which makes me sure that I will NOT be having the same done to my left hand.

Needless to say zilch in the crafting arena but I have revisited a jigsaw from 2 years ago and recorded Hallelujah on my harp - enjoy...

Happy WOYWW Everyone.

In Memory of My Dad

In memory of Aubrey E. Hares who was called to the Lord on Thursday 18th June 1998.

Here are the words I spoke at his funeral on Thursday 25th June 1998.

The last time I really saw my dad, was at my wedding, earlier this year; where he stood, as I do now, and made the most beautiful speech which touched the hearts of everyone.

Now I have the privilege of doing the same for him.

My dad, father also to Peter and Simon and Aubrey to the rest of you, was a kind and gentle man, who enjoyed the simple life and always let you be what you wanted to be. But the one thing he would like to be remembered for was his passion for the skies. Not only was he in the RAF as a young man but he followed his dream by engineering and building countless model gliders and planes. He would always stand in awe of the Buzzard's as they soared effortlessly above the moor and he tried to imitate their skills with his models.

So now he has left the confines of his earthly body, his spirit is free to soar on the winds, and I hope, that ever you should see one of these majestic birds, that you may stop for a moment and know in your heart that he is right up there with them.

Praise be to God.

Isaiah 40:31 - But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

It may be 24 years ago but he will always be special to me.