Welcome to my blog

I hope you enjoy reading my posts, and please leave me a comment. I always enjoy reading them, and will try to visit you in return.

For security reasons for me and for you, I would appreciate it if you would leave your name on your comments.

You are welcome to copy any of my designs, as long as you do not take credit for them yourself. I am very happy for you to sell them. If I have used anyone else's design, I always try to give credit where it is due. If I have missed anything, please let me know and I will put things right.


This is intended to be mainly about my crafting stories, as a personal record of what I do. However, I interpret crafting quite widely, not just paper crafting but other things too. I have a butterfly mind and like to change from one thing to another depending on what I feel like on a given day - knitting, crochet, cross-stitch, cards, baking and several others, including my favourite right now, parchment, both traditional skills and Groovi, very relaxing and calming to do.

I have decided to put some structure into my blog so that each day will have something of a theme.
Monday- for Mindfulness; Tuesday - Tidy Up Day; Wednesday - What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday; Thursday - Technique and Tips; Friday - Finish Off Day; Saturday - Start Something New; Sunday - Anything Goes
These themes are not hard and fast and will be changed if I feel the need.

Wednesday 16 October 2013

Ralph McTell Streets of London

Several people reading my WOYWW post below, have never heard of Ralph McTell, so this YouTube clip is for them and for those who fancy a bit of nostalgia.  A very talented musician, and a lovely man as well.  He is on tour now until the beginning of December, so if you get the chance to go to one of his concerts, do it.  The stories behind the songs are fascinating, with strong echoes of Woodie Guthrie and Bob Dillon.  This is possibly the best version out there.

Tuesday 15 October 2013

WOYWW - 228

If Julia can do it, I hope you will excuse me for doing the same - that is, I also have no photo to show at the moment.  I might get one added tomorrow, but I cannot promise.  Every time I reach for a camera at the moment, the battery is flat and I have forgotten to charge the spares. I am also seriously behind as far as crafting is concerned but I do have excuses.

However, I will show you a picture (scanned not photographed) which explains part of my excuses.  I had an email from the Ralph McTell website, telling me that there was a concert coming up very close by.  Having had a rough week for many reasons, I was feeling stroppy, so I decided to book myself a seat, and got so close to the stage, I could have shaken his hand.  It was an excellent show and really gave me a lift, a good mix of new songs and the old favourites, including "The Streets of London" which we all sang along to.  At the end of the show, he went down to the foyer and stayed until everyone had gone, talking to people, having his photo taken with anyone who asked and signing whatever we asked him to do.  Needless to say, I did the groupie thing and bought a CD to be signed.

I have not been totally craft free over the last few weeks, having finished my crocheted Aran blanket - perfect now the weather has turned so cold.  If I can get some batteries charged tonight, I will put up a photo.  I also managed to unpick the baby jacket I had put together wrongly - I just need to sort out how to do it right.

I am going to post this right now, then I can devote tomorrow morning to my gym session and to finding the missing disc for the server restore, so that I can get my craft computer up and running again, set up my new printer and sort out my craft room.  In the meantime, why don't you wander over to Julia's place, even though she is away in the sun.  You will find lots of other desks there, ready and waiting for you to mooch around.

PS There is another blog well worth following just started up - Barbara Gray's Blog , which you can find at  http://barbaragrayblog.blogspot.co.uk/   If you don't know who Barbara is, where have you been over the past few years?  She is the face and inspiration of Clarity Stamps, having invented see through stamps about 20 years ago, and is a really lovely lady.  If you are interested in stamping, then I can thoroughly recommend that you try one of her Workshops.