What's Rocking...

...your World this Friday?

If you are wondering what I'm on about just hop over to visit Virginia. Each week a small group of folk gather over at Virginia's blog to share the positives from their week - why not drop by and take a look...it might get you thinking and you might even want to join in.
So what has been rocking my world this week...

Who could ignore the Olympics - haven't Team GB done us proud and WOW; what a way for Sir Chris Hoy to bow out - our best ever Olympian. It would have been a crime if the BBC hadn't provided 'wall to wall' coverage - after all, they are the 'face' of British broadcasting and they have provided us with views of all the amazing achievements that have contributed to this Games...after the super opening ceremony I have already booked my seat on the sofa for the closing event on Sunday. The whole event has been up-lifting - even Mum who had bemoaned the coming of the Games to the UK..."what a waste of money...the country could have put all that money to better use..." has been caught up with the excitement and has been tuning in to see how things were going.

Yay for delivery men. The two lovely guys who brought my new washing machine and installed it without moaning where it was to be located - not the most easily accessible of places (was the original coal cupboard for the house when it was built in 1912 and as it was originally accessed direct from the outside it has a bit of a nasty step). They took the old one away and installed the new in next to no time so although the delivery time hadn't been ideal I was able to get away by 13.30 ish so wasn't left hanging around all day.

Three cheers for working washing machines. The poor machine probably doen't know what has hit it (okay, I know it's a machine but you get the gist LOL) it arrived Wednesday and it has been used every day...my excuse; I need to try out the different functions. Well you do; don't you!

Weather. Yep we have had alsorts this week but on the whole, down here in the Southeast the weather has been nowhere near the horrid conditions forecast...I mean; tourists expect a bit of rain when they come to the UK.

Learning a new skill. When it comes to crafting I always love learning something new and I have been enjoying making chords from my Kumihimo disk which I have now started turning into jewellery. My friend Helen asked me what I am going to do with the jewellery which brings me back to the age old problem of 'if I sell it, what do I charge?' - but I'm not letting this be a downer, this is a positive post so folks...answers on a postcard please **giggle**.

Spending time with Mum. Although I spend weekends with Mum, normally this is to sort out household chores that she can't manage or to take her shopping. This last fortnight has been far more relaxed and we have gone for drives, stopped for lunch and just generally pottered about.

Mail. No I'm not talking about the usual bills/statements. Whilst typing this post my postie has just delivered the cutest little 'Clarity Stamp' Christmas tree stamp. Last year I was lucky enough to win a year's subscription to the Clarity Club and each month since I have looked forward to recieving a new stamp on or around the
10th. I have to say that this is probably my favourite so far.

Well, the sun is shining so I think I'm going to go and make the most of it as it is back to work in Stratford on Monday.

Have a great weekend everyone and I'd love to know what's rocking your world at the moment..............................

Casual chic...

...and pretty awful photos.

No matter how I tried, this was the best I could come up with - I just couldn't get the light right (I might give it another try tomorrow and see if there is any improvement).

Anyhoo, I completed another bracelet & necklace set.

The colours this time are white/sand/blue...a sort of sun bleached seaside effect.
The pendants are real Blue Lace Agate wrapped in a wire cage.
The bracelet is a double chord attached to chain and then the fastener. The 'dangly' bits are clear faceted and smooth frosted beads.
Blue lace agate is such a pretty stone and for those of you who are interested...

Blue Lace Agate: is a wonderful healing stone. Its soft energy is cooling and calming, bringing peace of mind. It is a powerful throat healer. Its property of counteracting blocked self-expression releases shoulder and neck problem. (extract from "The Crystal Bible by Judy Hall).
Not the easiest of shots...trying to keep the cage in the right place and take a photo one-handed had me muttering a few huffs & puffs (or similar sorts of words - **rollseyes & giggles**).

I have to say that I am rather enjoying making this style of jewellery and it is something very different from paper crafts..............................

I got a bargain...

...and I wasn't even trying.

My washing machine decided to 'die' a while back but I haven't had the chance to go out and sort things until now (the joy of being off work for two weeks). Weekends are busy for me and I can't take time off during the week just at the drop of a hat.

So last week I searched the web and visited a few electrical stores and decided to go with a model from the store where those lovely blue aliens shop.

The machine I chose was showing on-line as £260 complete with delivery/installation/recycle old machine - I couldn't belive what some places were charging for these services and many won't install. At the time of purchase I was advised that there might be a substitution for a newer model (I had seen this in the small print and was quite happy as either machine would do what I required). Order placed 1 Aug 2012.

I have to say the delivery arrangements didn't go as smoothly as I would have hoped. No phonecall came by the 4th as promised so I had to phone them. I had been told that I could specify 'am' or 'pm' but was told on the phone that the manufacturers didn't offer that service - they send a text 24 hours (approx) before the agreed delivery date to advise of the 3hr delivery window. The text arrived informing me that my 'window' was Noon - 3pm............grr. What an inconvenient time but I couldn't afford to say no as I needed delivery sorted before I return to work next week.

The truck arrived at 13.10 and I have to say the guys were very quick and accommodating so I finally have my new washing machine.
The title of this post mentions a bargain...well...I checked the website for details of the machine that I had ordered and the one that I received just so that I could compare the functions (only small differences) but boy did I get a shock over the prices.

A week ago the price of the machine that I ordered (and paid for) was £260 and the possible substitute was shown as £270 - today if I went and ordered the same thing I would have had to have paid £290 (a £30 increase)and get this...the substitute (which is what I received) is now £320 - boy am I glad I went last week.

So for my £260 I have actually got a machine that today would have cost me £60 more and as what I've received is a better machine I think I got a real bargain.

You don't realise how much you rely on a washing machine until it stops working. Mum has been great and I've been taking my washing over there each week when I visit but it has been a real pain...I've got to Mum's only to realise I've left a pile of stuff behind (on more than one occasion)...and there is nothing to beat the convenience of being able to bung stuff in the machine as & when.

So at the moment, I'm a happy bunny.................................

From scraps...

...to something special.

As someone who does crochet and knitting I always have 'leftover' yarns. These leftovers are rarely enough to make much out of but I never want to throw them away as they might be handy for embellishing my papercrafts...so the heap grows.

Sound familiar?

I'm sure whatever craft you pursue there are scraps that you hoard but never quite get around to using.

Paula (Happysnappy) has been taking a look at "Decluttering" and apart from the obvious - CHUCK IT OUT - she has been coming up with crafting solutions.

My recent addiction to Kumihimo chord/braid making has given me an opportunity to use some of my yarns in a more creative way.

So from this...
...a bundle of leftover cotton yarn.
Via this...
...my Kumihimo disk.
I now have this...
...bracelet and necklace set. Okay, so I needed some findings but I had the chains (taken off necklaces that were too long) so in effect I have actually used up two different lots of 'leftovers'.
I found these charms whilst out shopping with Mum. They give just the right finishing touch.

So go on, take a look at all those scraps/leftovers that you are hoarding and see if you can come up with something. I'm pretty chuffed with this set - hope you like it too.........................................

What are your dreams...

...do you have dream 'goals' or just 'wishful thinking' dreams?

It is Sunday morning here in the UK and as I have no rush to be anywhere (unusual) I decided to have a catch-up on my blog reading. Krista over at the Saturated Canary blog has a very thoughtful post about dreams - as she says "not the sort you have whilst asleep" - it got me thinking.
What do I dream of?

Being rich & famous?

Travelling the World?

I really don't know...

I would like to be 'comfortable' so that finances are not a worry and I'm sure it would be fabulous to be recognised for something but what are my own personal dreams?

The more I thought about it and the more I thought of all the things that had been on my 'wish list' as I have gone through life - the more I came to the conclusion that I wish for...

A life without fear.

Now before anyone starts thinking awful things are happening to me - I mean a life without the fear of trying, a life without the fear of failure - that kind of fear.

There is a saying that I'm sure I'm about to mis-quote...A life lived in fear is a life only half lived...don't we all have things that we say 'if only' about, or 'I wish I had'.

Krista's post made me stop and think.

How many times have I not done something because I thought it wouldn't work or I didn't have the confidence (or drive) to see it through. It can be quite comforting staying 'safe' and not giving things a go rather than trying and have the disappointment of failure.

I have been told that there is no such thing as 'failure' - it is an opportunity for improvement. That can be very hard to accept and take on board sometimes.
As a small child I dreamed of becoming a nurse - probably because that is what my Mum had been and like most children, wanted to follow in the footsteps of a parent. As I grew up, my dreams changed...I wanted to be a dancer but I grew up in an era where dancers were tall willowy creatures - 5ft 4ins I wasn't tall enough for most chorus-lines and I was too tall for 'child' line-ups. I probably didn't want it enough either as I wasn't prepared to put in the hard work - I wanted it "now" and after quite a few knock-backs that dream faded.

Craft has always been a constant in my life but it is a hobby...something "for me"...a world I can take myself off to and play alone or with others. It is something I have always shied away from turning into a career as I didn't want to lose the enjoyment...I still don't. However, I would like to have the opportunity to try this - but on my terms and in a limited fashion. I don't want to be pushed into the world of tight deadlines and only doing things on demand...fanciful thinking perhaps but if I put my mind to it I'm sure I will come up with a happy medium.

I would still love to have plenty of money (who wouldn't) and there are so many places that I would love to see whilst I'm able to fully enjoy them but I think the first thing I will try to do is put aside the fear.

After all, who only wants to live half a life.......................................

It's WRYWF...

...again.

See what happens when you are late posting - another Friday appears out of nowhere LOL
For anyone who doesn't know what Rocking your World Friday is all about - a lovely group of folk gather over at Virginia's blog to share the positives from their week.

I'm not sure whether I mentioned that I had come 2nd in the Bugaboo "Christmas in July" event (I know I said that I'd won a set of the Tropical Santas).

Here are some snippits of some of the cards I made during the event...


...So in addition to the Santas I also had $30 to spend in their 'store'.

After posting last week's WRYWF item I settled down to a lovely browse (well it would have been lovely if the PC hadn't continued its 'go slow') and I had such a hard time picking images as there were so many that I fell in love with...from cute to funny and back again.

Several hours later...I had 10 lovely images in my 'basket' but noticed I had only spent $15 - numpty here had forgotten that there was a 50% off sale for the whole of July - so back I went to add in some of the images that had been discarded during the selection process. I ended up with 20 fabulous images and boy did Jodie turn the order around quickly. Yeh I know it's all done electronically but someone still has to press the buttons etc. - most impressed.

I now have loads more images to play with.

I've spent most of this week either with Mum or just catching up with friends, things I don't get to do very often. There hasn't been a lot of papercrafting going on but I have certainly built up a bundle of chords/braids and hopefully the end caps will be arriving at Mum's by the weekend so I can make them into jewellery.

Off to Mum's again shortly so I'll pop back later to link-up with Virginia and catch up with the other 'Rockettes'.

Why not have a think about your own week and see what positives there have been - I think you will be surprised at how many there have been. Have a great weekend everyone...............................

"Red sky at Night...

...Shepherds delight.

Red in the Morning; Sailors take warning".

I can't remember who was the first person to quote this old saying to me but it always springs to mind when I see a sky like this...
...especially as we had such awful thunder storms on Sunday (yes; storms plural). We had the lot - thunder, lightening, roaring torrential rain and hail...well they said it was hail...it was more like dirty great chunks of ice bombarding everything.

So to have a reasonable day on Monday was a vast improvement and when this appeared...
...I thought the forecasters had got it wrong and we would have a good Tuesday. Nope!

Tuesday was cold, damp, windy and just yuck and although today (Wednesday) sees the start of a new month - I'm not holding out any great hopes for August based on this morning's outlook...it might be dry but boy are there some large black clouds hovering about.

I nearly forgot to show you this...
...a lone Olympic flag stood in the middle of the Barleylands car park.

As I was over there early for the Members weekend on Friday the car park was pretty empty at this point and this bright banner certainly stood out.

There are more around the outside of the site - all bright orange.

On Canvey as you reach the island there are the same large banners around the Waterside Farm roundabout but they are bright blue...I wonder if the folk concerned got to pick the colours?

With the weather not looking too promising, I think it is a day to go hunting a new washing machine - catch up with you all later.............................