About Me

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Hi, Welcome to my Blog. I'm an eclectic kind of crafter delving into many pots. I am just about managing to keep up my Scrapbooking Diary (usually about 6 months behind), plus any cards as required. I have a new found love of watercolour and Bible Journaling plus recently Junk Journaling too. Previously I've also dabbled in ATCs, Tags, Altered Books, Mixed Media, Art Journaling, DĂ©copatch, Knitting, Crochet, and Embroidery amongst other things. I live in Surrey, UK with my husband, our son has left home now. For exercise I usually play Badminton and go Ballroom and Latin Dancing, but am plagued by a bad back. I like walking which I couple with Geocaching and sometimes Bouncing on my Rebounder (mini trampoline). I guess I am officially retired now. I am a born again Christian, currently worshiping at my local Vineyard Church.

Wednesday 8 August 2012

WOYWW #166 - WORDPLAY

Happy WOYWW everyone. Last week it was the ironing board now it is my sewing machine! As I had finished the ironing I was left with my son's school trousers to lengthen. I took them down and just machine sewed the edges as small as possible but I guess he might even outgrow these before the Summer is out! For his jogger bottoms, I just sewed the end of one pair on the end of another (think I might have done them a bit long - LOL).


As for crafting I have now tried my WORDPLAY die in a Bigshot and had the same poor results as in my Cuttlebug! which is, the centre row of letters at either end tend not to cut properly. Then we popped the Bigshot "Solo" shim on the bottom plate and hey presto it cut all the letters well. I guess I will need to make a shim for my Cuttlebug now.

Anyway, had a play with the letters and my Dylusions and even started another Art Journal (as the last has really turned into a TAG and ATC folder - LOL).

32 comments:

Neesie said...

What a giggle having to lengthen the troos...I remember I couldn't keep up with my son! Thankfully I don't have to do any of that now ;D
The trials and tribulations we go through for our art but it's certainly worth it!
I love those colours.
I started desk hopping even though Mr Linky has gone AWOL...but I only have certain times that I'm free. I hope I'm not on detention! :$
Enjoy WOYWW ~ have fun! Neesie (no number hehe)

Redanne said...

Hi BJ, not joining in but just called to say hi, good luck with the Cuttlebug shim too. A x

Helen said...

Haven't played much with my Wordplay die, but glad to hear you have yours sorted now! Helen, 4

Lunch Lady Jan said...

Cor blimey, that takes me back, lengthening boys' trousers! Did a fair bit of that in my time...if they survived having holes ripped at the knees however :)
I play in a local brass band...we do a lot of fundraising for other folk which I like. I play the E flat bass (tuba) as does my son...I was put there cos I have a lot of hot air *grin*
Hugs, LLJ ~13 xx

Claire said...

aaahhhh!! kids always grow umpteen inches in the summer - just like the grass!!
love the different effects on the lettering :)
happy WOYWW!!
no. 11

Julie said...

Hi BJ,
so you have been lengthening trousers oh joy!!!! Bet you could think of a million better things to be doing!!
Nevermind theres always a good sense of achievement when youve done something boring!! At least you got some crafting done.
Enjoy your week
Julie(paperpathway)

Glenda said...

When all else fails, create a shim! I've done this with my cuttlebug from the very beginning! Also helps to turn the sandwich different ways. Happy WOYWW!
Glenda 55

Ann B said...

Your son should think himself lucky you didn't add a bit of lace to the bottom of his trousers - that would have given his mates something to talk about.
Glad you sorted out the die cutting as the resulting cover is gorgeous - love the colours as well.

Happy WOYWW.
Ann B
#33

May said...

Bless you sewing the trousers when you could be playing with your inks..Love the effect of the letters.. glad you got it sorted out.. your front cover is fabulous.. Hugs May x x x#40

nerllybird said...

Ugh - altering trousers! Fortunately DS3 won't let me do his, although it's hard to work out exactly where the hems fall anyway as he can't make up his mind where his waist is.
Helen S #89

Hazel said...

Hope you get the right sandwich sorted for the die - very annoying when that happens. Thanks for sharing your workspace. Hope you have a good week. Hazel WOYWW #99 x

Trish Latimer said...

The cover looks great, glad the shim worked with the tricky die!! Trish #27

SandeeNC said...

Timmie is really making you work for that wordplay die, but glad you have figured out the shim and hope it works for your Cuttlebug! You are hanging in there, better than my attitude, huh? lol waving hi from the hills of North Carolina :)

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I would NEVER have gone to all that trouble, but I think you did an admirable job getting that die to work for you.

I sew. I rip fabric. I don't mend. I don't repair. I don't even sew buttons on anything. I admire you.

Cath Davidson said...

I am rubbish at altering things, even as simple as lifting or lengthening trousers. Loving the look of the alphabets on your journal, been playing with my Dylusions too... Scrummy!

Cardarian said...

I have been wanting that Wordplay die for ages - didn't realise there might be a problem with the cutting!Lovely use of the Dylusions and alphabets!
Hugs,
Cardarian

Twiglet said...

Great to see a sewing machine out and in use! x Jo

Minxy said...

Ha Ha and there was me thinking you had been sewing paper, but you actually used it for it's original intention!! Oh the workings of a crafter's mind!
Happy WOYWW
Hugz Minxy #50

Cath Davidson said...

Thanks for visiting my blog, no I've not got all inks YET, having said that I ordered five, fell in love with them so much I ordered another three straight away, now I NEED to get the rest, funny black is top of my list alone with lime, turquoise, sunshine...i now want all Dyans stamps now lol

Anonymous said...

Oh, you have a sewing machine! I have just been bought one for my birthday and don't know where to start lol.

Great letter's, TFS.

Happy WOYWW xx

Princess Judy Palmer said...

Glad to hear that you finally got that die to work. My Cuttlebug didn't cut so good in the center of the dies either near the end of its life. I think the rollers got warped. I have a couple dies that still give me fits. I ordered this thin metal shim to try out. I hope that does the trick. Shims often do. Love what you did with all the letters.

mamapez5 said...

Gorgeous colours on your letters. It is annoying when a die only partially cuts. I keep all flat pieces of acetate from craft packages, to use a s shims in my cuttlebug.

I have blog candy on offer so feel free to sign up to be in with a chance to win.

Kate #25

505whimsygirl said...

The colors on your pages look great. I just got my cuttlebug out of the closet and have been playing with it. I'm happy I have it and don't understand why it's taken me so long to have a play with it.

Today is my one year anniversary = blog candy will be announced soon. I'm taking a poll so pop on over and leave me your 2 cents!

happy WOYWW
Kay #96

Tertia said...

Love the colours on those letter pages.
I HATE mending any clothes. The creating is fun, but fixing and altering, no thank you! LOL
Happy belated WOYWW
Tertia86

Dawn said...

Ooh honey, delighted to see that you have sorted your die out. What a relief!! Love your play pages too, gorgeous colours and very effective.
Ha ha, I always used to resort to sellotape for my trousers!!!!
Hope you are well my lovely, big hugs x x x x

Anonymous said...

Hi, BJ, thanks for visiting over at my blog. Yes, I really like using a lot of pictures on pages. Glad you were able to successfully use your die! Misting over the letters made such a lovely vibrant background. ~ Laura #131

Unknown said...

Just love seeing sewing machines on workdesks!! Very pretty art journal work! --Sandy Leigh at #103

Shoshi said...

Lovely variety from you, BJ, as always - ironing and sewing lol! Sorry you had trouble getting your die to cut. All machines are slightly different and often the addition of a shim sorts it out OK. Glad you got the results you wanted in the end.

Like you I'm really enjoying the Olympics, and I'm wondering what I'm going to do with myself once they are over! Got the Paralympics to look forward to as well, and I always enjoy that! I can't get over how many gold medals GB has got...

Yes, my computer is now fine with its new power adaptor and I can do all my photos again which is a relief. I found a unit very cheaply online

Thanks for your visit. Happy belated WOYWW,
Shoshi #50

Sandy Trefger said...

Got to mend or lengthen or shorten things now and then so it's good to have a sewing machine! I have no clue about your letters your cutting but hope you get it resolved! Thanks for visiting me this week!
Sandy #109
sandy's crafty creations

Elizabeth said...

So hated doing alterations - always thought I'd rather make a pair of trousers from scratch than replace a broken zip. Looks as though you've cracked the wordplay problem - now you just need to figure out the size of shim needed for the Cuttlebug. Elizabeth x #18

Morti said...

I'm really late getting round to everyone this week! Thanks for stopping by my blog though.

Oh boy....alterations. Lil Miss B is outgrowing everything at a fast rate too - she's grown over 2 inches this year. LOL. New school shoes in a fortnight!

Love the colours on your desk this week though...

Unknown said...

Hi BJ Thanks for popping by. I am really late visiting this week. If you need any more Olympic photos please let me know. Great use of the letter die. It all matches your blog! Belated WOYWW Hugs from Helen 23