Family Day Weekend?

So, did you have anything fun planned with your family for this holiday weekend?  Much as the break is welcome, I do wish it was a little later and the weather was warmer.  Are you getting it?  I'm just not a winter person, so why do I live in the great white north you say?

I can clearly recall the day many years ago, when I got the brainstorm to move to Canada and waited for my husband to come home from work to share my excitement with him...where was my brain?  No, truly, we don't regret the move at all.  I just wish someone had reminded me of my geography lessons and that Canada is a snowy land.

Here's another question.  -   Why is the English language so complicated?  

I had a phone call at the store this past week and was asked if we had the straw that you tie around balloons to hang them.  Hmmmmm, I'm thinking, do they mean raffia?  I can see tying raffia around a balloon can't you. When I asked if they meant raffia, they said no...like a drinking straw. OH, I thought...straw not straw.  Yikes so many words are the same but mean completely different things. Wear/where, there/their, hear/here to name a few.  I did feel silly, but oh well...shrug it off and move on.

So here's a conundrum for you.  Given that we know the English language is confusing, what is this word, and how is it pronounced.  

Ghoti   

Don't get it?  Then here are some clues.  Look at each bold and underlined portion of the words below.

Enough    Women    Nation    

Think about the sound these letters make in their respective words.  Put them together and you'll be able to enunciate the puzzle word.  Leave a comment below if you can figure it out. (It's not that I'm fishing for comments, just wondering who reads the blog.)

I told you the English language is confusing!

Anyway, moving on to something more sane. Linda was trolling around the Internet and came upon a great bow tying tutorial that she wanted to share with you all.  I think she's hoping that those that are taking the All Day Card Making class will practice it before coming to class...LOL.

Here's the link.  and here's the finished bow...looks great doesn't it.

I heard from one of our Friday night scrappers that she used the freebie word art that I put in the last blog on a card that she made.  Here's another for you to use inside a card, or as a focal point on the front of the card.  Remember you have to left click on the image to enlarge it, then right click to either save it to a file or copy it into your word publishing program. You can then size it to fit what you need.
The fonts I used here were Volutes for the lower case letters and Palace Script for the two upper case.  Take care that you download the font and not advertising.

Don't forget to leave a comment at the end of the blog if you've enjoyed something from the blog content.  We're always interested in what you have to say.  It's really easy to do.  Just click on the comment section at the bottom of the post. Enter your comment and sign your name at the end of it, then post it using the Anonymous choice if you don't have a blog of your own, but don't forget to sign your name in the comment section.

Another long distance customer, my sister-in-law Di, sent me a photo of some cards she made inspired by the monogram that Evelyn put on her card in the last posting, aren't they great masculine cards.  Once again by taking the original idea and putting her own "stamp" on it she turned it into a lovely card, making it in triplicate for three different masculine birthdays, smart girl!

Here's the starting card that we made in our Technique Class, then Evelyn's interpretation and finally Di's.

  

I'm excited to show you what our paper crafting  friend Lisa was inspired to do when she saw my Distress Ink storage on the blog.  Wow she's one talented lady!  Her crafting supplies are in her dining room and although some are inside storage, her Distress Inks were on a shelf and didn't look exactly stunning in her dining room.

Here's how she disguised them as artwork.

The artwork on the front is a piece that we offered as a make and take at one of our crop weekends that Lisa attended.

 What great use for the piece. See how the cord at the top hangs from a decorative brad which in turn holds the artwork in place.

Lisa used foam core board (sold at out store) a pair of cutters and a craft knife to create the cubby ink storage.

Below you can see the artwork removed and how the Distress Inks are now accessible. Isn't that clever!  Lisa is going to have a listing of all her inks on the reverse of her artwork for quick reference.

GREAT JOB Lisa and thanks so much  for sharing.  Perhaps you will inspire someone else to create storage for their inks too.






Here are some words that may inspire you to take photos to use in one of your scrapbook pages.

And for the needle artists.  I'm still working on my cross stitch that I started last year whilst I was travelling, how about you, do you have a piece on the go right now?

No, then look here for some inspiration.    

Ellen Maurer-Stroh offers  among other free patterns, twelve flower of the month designs that you can download and use.  If you prefer your needlework to be in kit form, then drop into the store and see the great selection we have and ask about others we may be able to order in for you.

Needlework not your craft of choice?  We've just ordered some particular painting by numbers at the request of a gentleman that likes to paint them and give them as gifts.  Just ask us about the wide variety of crafting items that we can access for you.

Don't forget to look at www.ravelry.com for some great knitting and crochet patterns.  I'm not sure if you have to set up a free account to browse the patterns, but well worth doing if you are a knitter or crocheter.  We have two groups of beginner knitters at the moment and they have been working on these cowl designs.

Here and  also here.  

When I told another customer of the store, Margaret,  about Ravelry she discovered a great slipper pattern that she's really enjoyed making with the yarn colours she chose and we ordered in for her. I'm sure she'll be happy that I shared this pattern with you.  Remember if there's a particular colour or brand of yarn that you'd like, talk to us and we'll do our best to get it for you.

And finally, have you talked to your friends and family about the upcoming Crop Weekend?  Have you arranged things so that you are ready for the registration that will be opening really soon now.

How about the All Day Card Class?  The first one is full, but there are a few spaces in the second one if you want to join us.  Don't delay too long and be disappointed.

Until Later.....Happy Crafting

Lilian