Where the Fairies are

 The Sunday song and rhyme challenge for June 9th is based on the rhyme Where are the Fairies,

Written in the early 20th century by Cicely Mary Barker, who was unable to attend school due to epilepsy. She wrote the rhymes and did the illustrations. Fairies were popular at this time, due to Queen Mary having a known interest in Fairy art.

I chose the final lines “Where there are flowers, There fairies are”. Using and image drown with my Cricut Joy Extra. Mounted on floral green backing paper and then mounted on square card.

This and other similar designs are available to buy from me.

Monkey Business

 The challenge for Outlawz Sunday song and rhyme for May 29th is the song Swinging on a Star by Bing Crosby;

Would you like to swing on a star

Carry moonbeams home in a jar

And be better off than you are

Or would you rather be a mule

A mule is an animal with long funny ears

Kicks up at anything he hears

His back is brawny but his brain is weak

He's just plain stupid with a stubborn streak

And by the way, if you hate to go to school

You may grow up to be a mule

Or would you like to swing on a star

Carry moonbeams home in a jar

And be better off than you are

Or would you rather be a pig

A pig is an animal with dirt on his face

His shoes are a terrible disgrace

He has no manners when he eats his food

He's fat and lazy and extremely rude

But if you don't care a feather or a fig

You may grow up to be a pig

Or would you like to swing on a star

Carry moonbeams home in a jar

And be better off than you are

Or would you rather be a fish

A fish won't do anything, but swim in a brook

He can't write his name or read a book

To fool the people is his only thought

And though he's slippery, he still gets caught

But then if that sort of life is what you wish

You may grow up to be a fish

A new kind of jumped up slippery fish

And all the monkeys aren't in the zoo

Every day you meet quite a few

So you see it's all up to you

You can be better than you are

You could be swingin' on a star

To start with I was going to make a card with a donkey/mule, but couldn't decide how to do it so then moved on to a fairy swinging on a star created with my Cricut and the background is from a Hunkdory topper pad;

In the end I actually submitted another card that I had been making as it is fun and different all the monkeys aren't in the zoo and swinging;

It is created with Cricut Joy to draw and cut number and write and cut greetings.  The Monkey, vines and bananas are cut with Creative Expressions Cheeky Money die, The camouflage backing is Hunkydory.

The challenge is now live and is for 2 weeks. 

July Makes

Here are some of my July makes, the others can be seen at http://poohbear71.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/cats-sheep-and-websites.html as I posted them earlier in the month.

I am too tired and dizzy to post details, but will try to update when I can

My crafty helper, or not so helper as the case maybe!

June makes

Made by adapting a Christmas card pattern from Pinbroidey for a man who is 80 and sings in a choir. baking paper printed from Craftville

Graduation card made for a man getting his medical degree using pattern from Craftsuprint and printing papers using Craftville paper builder and a clip art stethoscope.

Recycled stitched card using pattern from Craftsuprint and background paper source forgotten.

Iris card from Dee Craft and paper printed with baking paper builder at Craftville and plain papers from stash.

Stitched card made with pattern from Stitching cards, buttons Trimits mini flowers.

Stitched card using pattern from Cardbroidery.  Baking paper made with Craftville baking paper maker.  Made for my husband for our 15th (Crystal) Anniversary

These 3 are just quick makes with baking paper and buttons.

This card opens in the middle, card from Dee Crafts opening edges embossed with flower embossing strip that came with a magazine.  Blue flowers cut using small x cut dies.

Centre taken from a used card and baking papers added.

I did also make a rugby themed birthday card for a 16 year old and a card themed birthday card, but in my haste I forgot to photograph them!

Emily has been busy at her Rivers Meet sewing class and this is her latest make, flowery skirt for her doll, she is going to be better than me at sewing.

Today the children have had their last day in this years class at school, they still have two half weeks of term but they will be in next years class, so today was party time and teacher present time.  These were what we made.  They were made in July, but have sneaked them in as I am behind with the blog

Emily's teacher is mad on football so we made her a football card using Sizzix dies for the person, clothes, football and grass.  We used the school colours of purple and yellow.  Gingham backing Kanban card from Create and Craft. The number 4 is for year 4.

Again using school colours, a button frame picture, using assorted buttons and mounted in an Ikea box frame

Finally Emily wrote this with the teachers name and we printed it and framed it.

UFO's

UFO's, no not flying objects, but unfinished objects, although my unfinished objects probably have more chance of flying.

Having made quite a few cards in May now that my craft stuff is more accessible and the mess can be shut away, I really want to do something else.

I have my never ending quilt still on the go, I haven't been to a class for ages and can't see me being able to go any time soon, I do wish there was an accessible week day one, but the demand is only for weekends as that's when most people are free.  My sewing machine now gets used more by Emily as she goes to a weekly sewing class.  For me to use the machine in between it means setting it up, changing the foot and thread and it just feels like to much effort to have to change it back again for Emily's class.  I also think I need a bit of a move around as the sewing table is not accessible and not near light, but not sure how I can do that, so it just stays packed up from one week to the next.

Blog posts don't get finished either started this one over a week ago, but have been feeling so worn out and dizzy I haven't managed to finish or work out what I want to say.

The sewing table is still waiting to be moved as I can't do it myself.

I got new dies for card making for my birthday, but don't have the energy to make anything with them.  I have a few ideas, but that's as far as it goes.  Will try and write another post about what I got.

I also have knitting projects on the go, some of them are several years old, but knitting is too difficult at the moment, one row wore me out.

I have lots of beads and bead kits and some techniques I haven't tried yet, but they all sit there awaiting my attention.

I thought about taking photos of everything for inspiration, but it's more likely to make me cry.

How do others get things done or get motivated when feeling ill?

Oh well one day at a time.

April Makes

Card from Dee Crafts, papers printed using Craftville backing paper builder.  Union jack paper is paper strips from Yellow Moon, water made using Sizzix grass die and sun using Sizzix sun sizzlet.  Greeting created with powerpoint.

Made using my own photo of sun rise through Emily's bedroom window with dreamcatcher in front.  Dotty card blank from Dee craft.

May 12th is ME awareness day so I made this card using papers printed with Craftville backing paper. Greeting created with powerpoint. Card from Dee Craft

May 12th is ME awareness day so I made this card using papers printed with Craftville backing paper and tea bag tile maker.  Greeting created with powerpoint.  Card from Dee Craft

After seeing my ME elephant I was asked to do a personalised Elephant card for an 80th birthday.  Again I used baking paper created with Craftville backing paper maker and also one from Paperprintables.  Paperprintables has some great papers and costs £1 per month to use. 

Another ME awareness make.  Spoons bought on Ebay, hearts, beads and findings from Beads Direct.

To find out how spoons relate to ME, check out Spoon Theory.  P.S I am useless at using the spoon theory, maybe these earrings will remind me!

Another requested card for a 60th wedding anniversary.  I was really not sure about this one and had several attempts to get it to look right, but the person who ordered it likes it, hope the recipients do to.  What an achievement 60 years of marriage.  Personalised papers printed with backing paper maker at Craftville, card from Deecraft.  Other patterns papers from my stock, source unknown.

Personalised papers printed with backing paper maker at Craftville, card from Deecraft.  Other patterns papers from my stock, source unknown.

Created for my Mum's birthday. Pattern by Carol Lepard, from Craftsuprint.  Embossed with Darice butterfly folder

Embossed with Darice paw print folder.  Heart shapes cut with Spellbinders Shapeabilities Pawing Around cut and emboss stencil.

Card from Dee Crafts, papers printed using Craftville backing paper builder.  

Finally finished off my quilted cat block for bedroom wall.  Heart shapes cut with Spellbinders Shapeabilities Pawing Around cut and emboss stencil.  Framed in Ikea box frame.  Buttons for eyes and nose (not very clear)

May - ME Awareness month

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) is a disabling and chronic illness, devastating the lives of 250,000 people in the UK. May is ME awareness month, with the main day being May 12th. Help us raise awareness and raise funds for ME research.

I have had ME for nearly 20 years and there is still no know diagnosis or cure. My husband and daughter have never known me well and I hate the effect it has on us all every single day. I am not as badly affected as many, but still lead a very limited life. I am not able to work or care properly for my family and every day breaks my heart.

Please show your support by making a donation and or finding out a little bit about ME and how it affects sufferers. The government is currently reassessing disability payments and benefits and many of us will lose what little we get and other benefits such as mobility cars and blue badges because our illness is not visible enough or it is thought to be psychological or fake.

Believe me I wouldn't chose to live like this and make life so difficult for myself and those I love. It's a cruel and unforgiving illness.

Thank you for reading, please share if you can.

My justgiving page is https://www.justgiving.com/Jane-Shaw5

Other events are taking place online;

www.justgiving.com/teams/teamprincess2016

https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/teamprincesshope

https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/teamprincess

https://mydonate.bt.com/events/teamprincesssmileforme

https://www.justgiving.com/femi-Sowande?utm_id=37

There are also many fundraising events that people can take part in

https://www.facebook.com/events/439547679564527/

http://www.undiesontheoutside.org/

http://millionsmissing.meaction.net/virtual/

Information about ME can be found at;

Invest in ME, Action for ME, ME Association, AYME, ReMEmber, ME Research

Wikipedia

I am not actively fundraising this year as it was very hard work and there are only so many times you can ask people to donate.  But if anyone wants me to make cards or jewellery I will ask them for a donation to an ME charity.

I have made these for ME awareness

These are available and I can make same or similar check out my April Makes or other makes posts for other examples of what I make.

March makes

It's not been much of productive month with one thing and another crafting has taken a back seat or things are not finished yet.

I did manage a couple of hours at quilting class, but no obvious changes in quilt appearance and won't be able to go to April class because of school holidays.

Card using template from Dee Craft, papers printed with Craftville baking paper maker and some metallic paper source unknown.

Card using template from Dee Craft, papers printed with Craftville baking paper makerand bow from Yellow Moon

Emily has continued with her sewing class at Rivers Meet and made a felt bag, a felt flower brooch and a little fabric bunny.  Emily's school had an Easter egg decorating competition, this is what Emily made, it is supposed to be our hamster and cat, they were done in rather a rush, but they looked cute. The competition was amazing and she didn't win anything, so had to try and tell her it is not just about winning, but as I know it's hard to make an effort to make something and then find other people have made much better ones

One of the reasons I haven't done much myself is because I have been trying to sort out my craft stuff and move it to be more accessible, but of course when I do anything like that I have to pay for it and have landed myself in bed a few times from trying, but it's getting there slowly and I can see better what I have got (far too much) and of course found lots of unfinished stuff and had lots of ideas for using things, but never the time or energy.

On Friday Emily and I tried to take part in Rivers Meet Give a Duck an outfit which is a group making outfits for Chemo duck, cuddly ducks given to children having chemotherapy.  I should have known it was beyond me, I needed to be able to sit in a noisy room, follow a pattern, sew, cut out and have Emily with me, I lasted about 15 mins!  Plus part of my sewing machine was missing so couldn't use it and had to buy a new bit!  I was so disappointed and was in floods of tears after looking really stupid, letting people down and setting a bad example to Emily.  I am not really sure why I thought I would be able to do it anyway, my sewing skills are very basic and I can't follow recipes or patterns, but I thought it was a nice idea and Emily wanted to join in.  Anyway Chemo duck did get some great outfits that I am sure the kids will love and outfits are being made at Rivers Meet the last Friday of every month, contact on 01977 279729 if you want to join in.

February Makes

Iris card from Dee Craft and baking paper made with backing paper maker at Craftville.  Really pleased with this one made for my nephew.  Love making my own backing papers so I can personalise the designs.

A couple of quick makes using postcards from postcard store and card blanks from Dee Craft.

Pattern from Cardbroidery and baking paper printed from Craftville

Another pattern from Cardbroidery

Pattern from Ann's paper art.  Backing made using crafts concepts embossing folder, Wings.  Bow from Yellow Moon and beads from Beads Direct DP462

Finally, Emily's costume for world book day, she wanted to be Gemma the Gymnastics fairy (phew not too difficult)  Dyed white leggings and covered pink wings with yellow chiffon, made necklace and put hair in bun.  The hardest thing was putting her hair in a bun as I was having a bad day and my fingers would do what I wanted them to!!

Lots of ideas for March, but it is already the 9th and not done anything yet as been too unwell, 3 days in bed unable to function, just starting to function again, but don't think my fingers or brain can cope with craft yet.  Also hoping to get some of my craft stuff more sorted when Rob has a couple of days off, I spend too much time and energy just looking for things at the moment!