JUST CHECKING

Hi everyone

As you know, I am a cat-lover, well an animal-lover really, but our lives and home are shared with two amazing cats: Jazz and Daisy.  They have occasionally been photographed and mentioned in my blogs and both have contributed many times by walking over my keyboard - sadly their spelling is the pits, so I have to proof-read their work very carefully.

I follow a cat on Facebook called Hugo Boss - yes, it's true, that's his name.  He is a gorgeous black and white boy who recently disappeared.  Thankfully his owners tracked him down after he had been missing for about 6 days - as you can imagine they were frantic with worry.  Having had a cat of ours go walkabout a few years ago, I can understand how they felt.  As we all know cats are hunters, very inquisitive, love to play and think there are no boundaries to their world; because of their tendency to 'walk right in' they often get 'shut right in'.

My mid-week post is really a reminder to check your sheds, garages and summerhouses before you close them up for the night.  We all tend to leave these sorts of buildings open during the day at this time of the year, and cats wander in, find somewhere cozy, drop off to sleep and sometimes get shut in.  Most cats will run off as soon as they hear an unfamiliar voice, but there are those cats (Jazz wants to be friends with everyone!) who like to stop and chat for a while, so it is important to bear this in mind when closing the door.

That's my mid-week post, but thought it worth adding that as well as following Hugo Boss on Facebook I also follow Larry the Downing Street cat on Twitter (@Number10cat).  Believe me, they are both very good on the computer so do check them out.

Enjoy the rest of this week everyone - I will be back on Sunday with my weekend post.

Jill

IT AINT HALF HOT MUM

Hi everyone

Are we ever satisfied?  Too wet, too cold, too windy, too hot?  Fantastic weather and just great for lazing around in, but if you have to work it's not that much fun really, is it?  I am lucky as (lack of wind permitting) I can work outside, which I do very often.  However, at times the 'I have forgotten, this, this or this' becomes slightly annoying and the decision is 'go back inside and work' or 'stay outside and work on the garden'.  Very hard to talk myself into doing the right thing, because between gardening and crafting, what is the right thing?

I hope you read my Chelsea Flower Show post?  How about a caption for the last picture?  It was a fantastic day and I came home with great ideas of what I wanted to change and add into my garden.  I am a big fan of Heucheras and I was pleased to see my favourite supplier (Plantagogo) was there again and had won another, well deserved, gold medal.  I recently cleared a bed in the garden specifically for a 'Heuchera patch' and I placed an order when I got home for some gorgeous red-leaved and bronze-leaved plants.  I think I took about 50 photographs (crazy camera-wielding lady!) at Chelsea, but I promise I didn't add them all to my post, but here a few I missed out.

Unfortunately, I cannot remember the name of this beautiful rose but I do remember that the perfume was so lovely

Isn't this amazing?  Two driftwood stags locked in combat.  

Digitalis Illumination Pink was named Flower of the Year

This looked so lovely and cool on a very hot afternoon - a beautiful display and not a slug nibble to be seen

All over for another year and I can imagine that the exhibitors have had about five-minutes peace and quiet before they begin planning for next year's show.  

I hope you read my guest blog post on Friday from Lesley Beeton?  Lesley recently went back to South Africa for a holiday and her post gives a very interesting insight into the country, but of particular enjoyment are her photographs.  The Aloe is very impressive - particularly as in this country most of ours are just a little bit smaller than the one Lesley has photographed.  It's a great read and I really recommend you click on the above link.  Thank you Lesley - I hope you will be guest blogging again in the future.

Talking of guest blogging, if you are interested, do get in touch.  I am looking for guest bloggers for mid-June  onwards and as you know the topic does not have to be craft-related (although they are very welcome to us crafters).  How about writing about your garden, your holiday, a hobby, something that you enjoy and enjoy talking about and sharing with others?  Please get in touch on christmaspiecrafts@virginmedia.com.  I am looking for appx 600 - 800 words, plus lots of pictures and don't forget to add your links (Twitter, website, Facebook, etc) at the end of your text.

This week has been more social than work (boy, have I got to work very hard next week to catch up!).  I met up with Caroline (Caroleecrafts) on Monday morning for coffee and catch-up and we arranged to go (everything else permitting) to the Craft & Design Show at Secretts on Friday as Jane of Just Soaps of the Earth was taking part and she had very kindly sent me complimentary entrance tickets - thank you Jane.  I then went to lunch with a couple of other friends - discovered when I got to Clandon that the road I needed to go down was closed and the detour took me half-way around Surrey!  Well, it felt like it and as I have no sense of direction (Sat Navs were invented just for me), I had to follow the detour signs. I made it for lunch - just about.  Chelsea with my friend, June, was my mid-week socialising and time since then has disappeared without me achieving a lot.  Richard and I went to the Secretts event this morning; it wasn't very busy, but perhaps as it was near to 12 noon, most people were having lunch and leaving their visit until this afternoon.  Lots of different stalls: jewellery, cards, scarves, wood-turners and of course the best pongs were coming from the Just Soaps' stall.  Jane was elsewhere this weekend, but am guessing her husband was the one on duty down South.

Handmade this week has consisted of 'making' the garden and working through ideas for potential items to make for my business/website/events.  I am good at planning, noting ideas and identifying/researching what needs to be done, but getting my thoughts and plans into actions is not my strongest point.  This week's Handmade Monday was something I mentioned last week.  I began work on a willow wreath to which I am attaching fuchsia-pink hearts (I have sanded and glittered these and have used different sizes).  I also have some fuchsia-pink ribbon which I will make into a bow and at to the top of the wreath.  Once finished, I will post the final pic on my blog - I am hoping that I can expand using willow wreaths, but at the moment fixing the embellishments to the willow is proving tricky.  The hearts for this one have stuck, but not too sure if I feel confident that they will stay in place.  Any ideas for a glue to be used?

I will be back on Wednesday with my mid-week spot and don't forget I am looking for guest bloggers for 15 June onwards please, so do get in touch if you would like to join in.

Enjoy your week everyone - the weather forecast is for rain and lower temperatures.  Hate to say this, but my garden really does need the rain as I have lots of dry spots.

Jill

TODAY'S GUEST BLOGGER IS........

A foreigner in my homeland

by Lesley Beeton

I have lived in the UK for nearly seventeen years, the last twelve years in Surrey, and more recently in Shackleford, a village in the commuter belt to London. Last month, we travelled back to South Africa, our first visit in eight years, and it was not without some trepidation. This story board aims to capture the dichotomy of South Africa, tell you a bit about our holiday and inform you about two wonderful education projects. It also marks the first outing of my new camera, a pre-loved Canon 350 D, so please accept my artistic license with some of the images.

My story starts in Johannesburg, a sprawling city built on a rich seam of gold, which attracts workers from all over Africa. It is dogged by stories of violence and crime, and I'm pleased to say that we saw neither on our holiday. We visited the family at home, with an immaculate garden, cared for by an army of Zimbabwean gardeners. In this photo, you can see a lovely white rose, and one of South Africa's favourite noo-noo's - the praying mantis.

 We arrived in Johannesburg on a bank holiday weekend. As it turned out, it was a five-day weekend starting with the Day of Reconciliation on 27 April and ending on Workers Day on 1 May. Many people were off work, enjoying the unseasonably warm autumn weather. Here, spent an afternoon at Zoo Lake, a beautiful boating lake set in park lands. There used to be a rather posh tea shoppe, which served a delicious baked cheesecake; now there is a bar and a gift shop. Like good tourists, we purchased trinkets and curios for our friends back in the UK. We stayed at the Rosebank Lodge, and we can highly recommend it.

 This prickly fellow is the aloe, a common plant in South Africa. I loved the aspect of the close up of the aloe with the family skipping into the park.

  

We drove from Johannesburg to the Drakensberg, roughly translated as the dragon's back mountains. The Drakensberg marks the boundary between Gauteng and Kwazulu-Natal provinces. It is a mountainous escarpment. The journey takes one through the Free State, where rock formations such as this mesa are commonplace.

 As we approached the escarpment, I couldn't resist taking this photo of the Amphitheatre, a popular hiking region in the Drakensberg and probably the most famous features of the mountains.

 This is the view from the hotel. We stayed at The Cavern Resort and Spa, see our review here. The plants in the foreground are red hot pokers, characteristic of this area, and below, the praying mantis.

I woke up early on our last morning in South Africa, to capture the magnificent African sunrise from our room. There is nothing warmer than the African sun on your face.

We spent some time with Megan Bedingham at The Cavern Resort. Megan and her family have set-up and built a school, The Royal Drakensberg Primary School, for local children. This local school means that the parents of little children no longer have to find the money to travel an hour by taxi to school. No money means no school for many children. The South African government provides no financial support for the school, so it must find funding for teachers and supplies from other sources. Parents are, however, expected to pay R400.00 (about £30.00) a month for each child at the school, and that is a huge sum of money for most of these parents whose main employment is at The Cavern Resort or the neighbouring hotels. The remainder of the school fee is generated by tireless fundraising.

I have previously written about Thandulwazi, a maths and science academy in Johannesburg. And now, I’m asking you to consider the Northern Drakensberg Khanyisela project. Khanyisela means to enlighten. Thandulwazi is the love of knowledge. Two projects inspiring brighter futures for South Africa and its children.

This photo shows just how rugged the landscape is for the local people to move around, and why local services are severely limited.

The herdsman just let his herd cross the road in front of us. It is common place, and we weren't travelling fast, so it was OK - this time. Amusing for the onlookers, but I wonder what might have happened if the cars around us had been travelling at speed?

 And finally, this creation is a reminder of our childhood. A lime milkshake, double thick with ice cream, with a squirt of cream on top - and don't forget the hundreds and thousands!

It was a happy trip, full of nostalgia, although we did rather feel as though we were outsiders. South Africa has changed fundamentally, in many ways for the good. We felt as though we could go around unobserved and unharrassed, like foreigners in our homeland.

Thank you, Jill, for inviting me to guest post again. To read more of my adventures in Surrey, please see Mad dog woman of Shackleford or follow us @Shackleford_LB. You can see my TripAdvisor profile here.

Photo credits: Lesley Beeton, 2012

THE PERFECT DAY

Hi everyone

The Chelsea Flower show was wonderful - too tired last night by the time I got back home to write my blog post, but better late than never.  We couldn't have asked for better weather considering how grim it has been up to this week. It was very hot, but not sunny so no heat beating down on our heads, although a little breeze would have been welcome.

We saw some fantastic gardens and displays, we saw some that were a little disappointing and some that we wondered how they had made it through the gates of Chelsea, let alone win a medal.  That may seem harsh, but as a gardener of many years, a regular visitor to Chelsea and someone who has picked up a few horticultural qualifications along the path of my life, I felt I could be a bit of a back-seat judge.

I tend to look at the outside garden displays and ask myself  'can I replicate the design in my garden?'.  Often, more often than not, the answer is no.  Apart from size, it might not fit the style of my garden, may have a planting scheme that didn't appeal to me.  However, I am pleased to say that the garden designed by Cleve West, which was the overall winner, was just perfect.  I could easily live with and maintain his design, it was really lovely and I have included a picture of his plot and know there are lots more on the Internet.  The garden designed by Joe Swift was also lovely - lots going on and a large garden needed to accommodate everything, but it was nice to know that a popular gardener had won a gold medal for his first   Chelsea exhibit.

The following are photographs I took during my visit to Chelsea, some of the outside gardens are shown and I have included lots of pics of the displays in the Marquee.  Sadly, we just ran out of time and didn't get to see all of them and didn't get to photograph all of those we did see.  Crowds were 5 or 6 deep around the perimeters of the gardens and most of my pics would have included just the backs of peoples heads!

Diarmuid Gavin's display - a you can see there are very few flowers and from a distance all you can see is lots of green leaf and scaffolding

The Gold Medal and Best in Show winner designed by Cleve West - this photograph really doesn't do the design justice

The garden designed by Joe Swift - the wooden pergola style structures looked lovely, so smooth

The Blue Water garden designed by Nigel Dunnett

One of the displays in the Marquee entitled Summer Holiday - I could almost hear the waves lapping on the sea shore

A mini that had been decorated with rock plants

A green racing car plus mechanics - this was great

The controversial easy-grass covered car - the display looked great, but is it really Chelsea?  

A beautiful Chinese garden - the colours are stunning and the display included a dragon (see the next photograph) and two flower-covered elephants

A Chinese dragon

I wish my Hostas looked this healthy - later in the season mine often resemble net curtains

A lovely display of Pitcher Plants

Sunshine in a pot - the Lilies on this stand were gorgeous and the perfume was soooo lovely

A dark purple and pale lilac Gladioli (quite unusual colours) - the lilac one did look a little like an Iris

And last but not least, one happy visitor going home with more than she had expected.

As always, I loved my time at Chelsea.  The friend I went with and I are both very keen gardeners and have done several horticultural courses together in the past.  We have been researching for another one to do, but there isn't much locally that doesn't cover ground (forgive the pun) that we have already been over.  We did find one at Chelsea, but just a little too expensive (£1,300).  So back to the drawing board.

I hope you enjoyed my review and the photographs - I have lots more and may add them to a separate page on my blog so that visitors can see some more shots of the beautiful displays at the event.

I will be back on Sunday with my Handmade Monday post, but please do come back tomorrow for my guest blog spot.  this week's post is really great and I know you will enjoy it.

Enjoy the sun

Jill

CHELSEA (THE FLOWER SHOW THAT IS) HERE I COME

Hi everyone

The best show of the gardening year has arrived.  I love Chelsea - even though it is always busy, you have to queue for certain things and the time you are there disappears far too quickly, it is a fantastic show.  I love to see what designers do for different sizes/shapes and styles of gardens, but I think the most beautiful section is the exhibits in the marquee.  The colours and fragrance are so gorgeous.  Last year we saw some gorgeous 'hats' designed by floristry students - stunning.  If you are going, I hope you have a great time.  My friend and I are going on Wednesday and so far the forecast is for a dry, sunny day - hope it stays that way.

My bags were 'on show' at a Plant Sale yesterday and I went along to meet up with my friend who was organising it and to buy one or two plants - well that was the plan.  I bought some dahlias, some heucheras (which I love), scented-leaved geraniums and some rock plants.  I also bought some marmalade for Richard and a raffle ticket - would you believe I won a prize of a pack of notelets.  My friend emailed me after the event to say my bags had sold well - not all of them, but I am always pleased with all sales and as they are a fairly new addition to my range, it's always nice to get positive feedback.

We went to the Harrow in Compton for a meal with a friend on Friday - it was her birthday so celebration time.  The Harrow has recently been refurbished/changed hands and is looking good.  The food was good, very large portions so next time just one course I think.  It probably wasn't helped by having a snack lunch with a friend on the same day!  I was very impressed: soup, bread and cake all home-made.  Made me feel very guilty as I can always find very good reasons for not making soups, bread, etc.

Despite having dealt with many of the problems that exist in my computer (and there are still a few) this week has still been odd in computer-land.  My midweek post disappeared completely!  It made it to the outside world, Twitter, etc on Wednesday and by Thursday it had fallen off of the planet.  Lesley mentioned on Twitter that my post appeared to have gone AWOL - thank you Lesley, as I probably wouldn't have noticed until I went to post the Friday Guest Blog post.  Then when I came to sort out the Friday post I discovered that the document had become corrupt - yet when I checked it upon first receiving it, all was OK.  It's a weird world in computer-land at times.

My makes for Handmade Monday this week are Father's Day cards.  I wanted to make several for placing on my wall at Bourne Mill, but had commissions for two as well, so they took precedence.  The customers do not read my blog, and have said it is OK to display them on my post as the recipients are not blog-followers either.  One is for a golf-mad dad and another one is for a rugby and football fan.  The third one is for Bourne Mill and I used some material left over from a previous birthday card commission, so double value.

I am in the middle of decorating a willow wreath with beautiful fuchsia-coloured hearts and ribbon.  I bought some wooden hearts from the art shop in Godalming (one of my favourite places) and discovered when I got home that the hints and tips were in Swedish, Norwegian and Danish - er, bit of a problem for me.  However, I emailed the company and they responded immediately (I was very impressed) and sent me the English translation.  I had hoped to have the wreath finished today, but as so often happens numerous other things got in the way.  My Handmade Monday post next week will include pics of the finished wreath but before then don't forget to visit the other blogs taking part in this week's 'event'.

I hope you enjoyed Eva's post on Friday about Cyprus?  We went to Cyprus many years ago and always said we would go back - nothing arranged as yet, but Eva's place looks and sounds very tempting.  If you would like to be a guest blogger on here, please do get in touch: christmaspiecrafts@virginmedia.com.  I am looking for a blogger to take part on 8 June - so any takers?  Just a reminder, about 600 - 800 words is fine, please include pics as well and don't forget to finish the article with your links to your website, blog, Twitter, etc.  Once posted, it also hits Twitter and Facebook, so plenty of exposure.  I also tweet about the post 2 or 3 times during the day/the following day of the post and it's nice if the person who is the guest blogger does the same.  It's a great way of showing our work to new people and also getting new followers on our blogs.

Back to card-making now as I want to get some Father's Day cards finished too.  Out to lunch in Clandon tomorrow with a couple of friends - we have been trying to arrange a get-together for about 6 weeks and something keeps happening to force us to move the date.  So far, nothing affecting tomorrow's date has occurred.   I will be back on Wednesday with my mid-week post which will be about my trip to Chelsea - really looking forward to it and hope to buy some more heucheras as well as do some celebrity-gardener spotting.

I hope you have a good week.

Jill

TODAY'S GUEST BLOGGER IS.......

Hello everyone

My name is Eva and you know from my previous guest posts on Jill's blog that I am passionate about travel.

How about trying Cyprus for this year's holiday?  Sunshine, crystal clear water, plenty of choices to stay at affordable prices.  Get to know the other Cyprus - the little known, old and romantic Cyprus.

Nissi sunset

Old Monastery

Floating on the waters of the European Mediterranean, but pointing longingly towards the shores of Syria, Turkey and Lebanon, Cyprus is an odd mixture.  Parlimni is the nearest town where you would go for the Easter mass, have your coffee, do your food shopping and have a meal with the locals.

Cyprus, especially Nissi beach is well known for its Irish pubs, English fish & chips and night life.  If this is your thing, then that is fine, in that case it will be great.  However, if this is not your thing, do not let these images put you off.  You will just need to make a little effort to avoid the crowds, but it will be well worth!  Let me show you how.

South Cyprus, especially Nissi beach at Agia Napa has the reputation that it is only for the young and people who want to party.  Yes, the bars are there and the main beaches will be crowded in August.  However, you can easily avoid them by taking a short car drive or a bike ride to visit the small covers and beaches dotted along this clear, cobalt blue seashore.  There is no public transport other than catching a taxi in Agia Napa, so the options are hiring a car, scooter or bike.

If you are looking for a little bit of solitude, hire a scooter and move onto Cape Greco (7km) or Konnos (about an hour) from Agia Napa.  The swimming is good as the water is idyllic in these areas, with Konnos being the best of them all, with a Caribbean-like sea, white sand and fantastic swimming.  There are other numerous beaches dotted along the seashore and if you are organised with transport it is the best way to discover this island.  Then it will feel like any luxurious getaway to the Caribbean.

However, the big advantage is that you do not need to fly 10 hours to Mauritius or the Seychelles to soak up the sun and experience white sandy beaches.  With only half the flying time, you can have the same thing.  White sandy beaches with all the water sports, water-skiing, swimming with dolphins, sailing and surfing, wonderful Mediterranean diet, walking in the mountains, looking at old monasteries and soaking up an old civilisation are all there to explore and enjoy.

Click here for details of Eva's Nissi beach apartment - Nissi Elena Court

Eva;s Nissi beach apartment is located just a short 5-minute stroll from one of the most beautiful crystal clear beaches in Europe, the famous Nissi and Adam beaches.  the complex is situated at the end of Nissi Avenue and just opposite Nissi Beach.  This makes it a very convenient location as everything is within walking distance - from supermarkets to the best hotel bars and restaurants.  It is tucked away on the top floor of the complex, yet only minutes away form the action.  It has easy access to all amenities, including the local fishing port with many excellent bars and restaurants.  All the usual economic airlines go there.

The furnishing of these apartments to to high standards, fitted out with marble-effect floors throughout, air conditioning in every room and all the mod cons you would expect. In ours, we set off the light floors with dark leather sofas and furniture to give a luxurious Eastern-Balinese feeling.  You can take your drink on the top floor terrace and watch the surrounding area of garden and the far-reaching sea views beyond, giving you privacy and comfort.  After you have checked our the bedrooms and their huge white linen-draped bed you can have your first drink - especially if you were well organised and bought them on your way.

Welcome to the real Cyprus

Adam Beach - walking distance from Nissi Elena Court

Wherever you  go for your summer holiday, I wish you an unforgettable time.

Don't forget, I am always at the end of the phone and delighted to help with any travel tips and knowledge regarding visits to my three holiday home sand their local areas.

Èva

Detailed information on my website: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/147428

Email: info@pannoniaproperty.eu

Phone: 07816 605362

Twitter: @EvaGodden

LOTS AND LOTS OF GORGEOUS SUNSHINE - RETRIEVED POST

Hi everyone

The sun is shining, the sky is blue and it feels quite warm too.  Poetry?

Our plan for today had been to take a trip to Gunwharf Quays: shopping, lunch and more shopping.  However, as it is non-stop sunshine, the day is going to be spent gardening.  Still lots to do and the weather at the moment means we have to take advantage of the good days and plant, weed, mow, prune, etc.

We went to the cinema yesterday to see a 3D film - we haven;t seen one before and it was amazing.  All the blurb you read is true, it really does feel as though you can touch objects and people, and that things are flying into the screen from within the cinema.  Amazing!  The film was the Marvels Avengers - a good first experience of what 3D looks like and combined with the special effects it was fantastic.

In between showers (no rain = gardening, rain = crafting) I have been making cards for Father's Day.  I had planned to have some ready to take to Bourne Mill on Monday, but want to do a big re-stock there so will leave it until next Monday.  I used to have a room at Bourne Mill (as well as my wall) selling antiques and collectibles, and there are times when I really miss that.  However, it involved lots of travelling to check out and buy items and with petrol prices they way they are now giving up my room was a good decision.  Cards are so much lighter on the petrol bill.

Pottery tomorrow; I have begun my second project: serviette rings.  I am enjoying my course very much and the group are lovely and most weeks I stay and have a quick sandwich lunch with them.  Some stay on to do the afternoon session - very keen potters.  Card-making and gardening are calling me, so a short post today.

Hope you all have a great day and don't forget to come back on Friday to read this week's guest post.  If you would like to join in, do get in touch: christmaspiecrafts@virginmedia.com.

I will be back at the weekend with my Handmade Monday post.

Jill

THE SUN HAS GOT HIS HAT ON, HIP, HIP, HIP , HOORAY

Hi everyone

The sun has got his hat on and he's coming out to play.  Woo hoo!  Please don't tell me I have been dreaming? It has really been wall-to-wall sunshine for the last three days hasn't it?  Like everyone, I love the feeling being in the sun gives me - warmth, enthusiasm and motivation.  Even the toughest old Dandelion causes no problem, I feel quite cheerful when I chop it's head off!  The only thing in their favour is they are a gorgeous shade of yellow - oh yes, they are supposed to make a pretty good wine too and apparently the leaves should be picked in April and/or May when they are at their best.  Up until last week we had plenty of these 'lovely' weeds so perhaps my make for this week's Handmade Monday should have been Dandelion Wine.  Many years ago we used to make wine quite regularly, but I remember the best home made wine I have ever tasted was one a friend made from Elderberries.  It was soooo good, rich, red and very potent.  Rather like Tom Good's Peapod Burgundy - you only drank one glass of his because it took the skin off the back of your throat, my friend's Elderberry concoction took your head off.

A big thank you to Ann of Tickled Pink Crafts for her great post as my latest Friday Guest Blogger.  If you haven't had a chance to read Ann's post, I recommend you do - apart from interesting details about the background to Ann's business, there are some lovely pics of her work.  Thank you Ann for joining my growing gang of Friday Guest Bloggers (FGBs).  I am playing around with a badge for everyone to place on their blog that will link back to their post on here - a little more promotion for all of us.  Don't forget if you want to promote/write about your business, a particular project you are working on, a hobby or something completely different to what you normally blog about, you are very welcome to join the FGBs.  If you need any further information, please email me on christmaspiecrafts@virginmedia.com.

A thank you too to everyone who commented on my blog posts during the last week - all very much appreciated by me and my guest blogger.

Two of the cards I finished this week were to be added to this week's post - I am embarrassed to say I forgot to take photographs of them.  So, this is stretch your imagination time.  I will give you what the brief for each one consisted of, and you can decide in your own mind what the finished cards looked like.  Card No 1 was for a lady who owns a red Porsche Careera, has 3 Burmese cats (2 cream and 1 lilac), likes red wine, champagne and vodka.  Card No 2 was for a man who likes beer, golf, Bruch Violin Concerto (a beautiful piece of music) and has two ginger and white cats called Ben & Jerry (clearly an ice-cream fan).  Both cards were easy to do and to represent the champagne and red wine I used maps of the growing areas for the back-ground and I was able to download some copyright -free Bruch sheet-music.  My customer was pleased with the cards - hope the people she gave them too were also pleased.

I have a birthday card and a wedding congratulations card to make by Tuesday and I will definitely take pics of them this time and post them on next weekend's Blog post.  Time permitting, I also want to make some Father's Day cards to put on my wall at Bourne Mill on Monday.

My computer is still misbehaving, although I can use it by accessing certain things the wrong way round.  I am re-loading everything from disc and a back-up drive.  In addition to my computer, my car decided to throw a tantrum and had to have new brakes and a roll bar fitted this week.  These things always happen when you least expect them, don't they?  Working perfectly now, thank goodness; I would be lost without my car as public transport is not very frequent were I live.

In addition to decorating gift bags for next week's flower show, I have also been working on a new style (new for me that is) of cards.  I watched a demo recently using 12" x 12" card that was folded and cut to end up with a card a quarter of the original size, and it had two two pockets on the front.  So easy and so effective.  Double-sided card is best, but I used single-side card and added a complimentary paper to the area that was plain.  I also saw a demo for using the outer edge of doilies and I have added this to one of the cards.  The floral card has a tag with a salutation on it, which can be placed in one of the pockets, but they could be used for various things: a bookmark, theatre tickets, money, endless possibilities.  These are still very much work in progress, but I am pleased with how they are turning out.

I am off to enjoy the sunshine as the forecast for the coming week is a little mixed (sounds familiar doesn't it?).  I have a busy week this week, so need to (try to) keep on top of everything.  Don't forget to check out the Handmade Monday gang for great posts and pics of this week's makes, plus very good tutorials are often posted.

Nearly forgot to add that the three-day event I have booked for this year is at the Secretts Garden Centre in Milford and takes place on 16, 17 and 18 November.  Very local to me so travel  and therefore time, will not be a problem.  I already feel I need to be making Christmas cards, bags and boxes as I know the next few months will rush by, so the next month or so could see me adding Christmas cards to my Handmade Monday makes spot.

I will be back on Wednesday with my mid-week post and don't forget to get in touch with me if you would like to be a Friday Guest Blogger.

Jill