craft site

[stella]

I am new to this site, I love crafts of all descriptions and decoupage in particular, anyone out there like to have a chat?

[Maiitsoh]

All the places I know of just have message boards. But people have been known to chat through these mediums. Is there something you would like to talk about?

[stella]

Hi nice to hear from you, do your like Crafts too? I have several e-mail pals and one lives in Canada. I am busy making Christmas Cards I handmake all mine every year, I have to start in January!! I find it very relaxing, I also love Crossstitch and Dressmaking. What are your hobbies?
Stella

[Maiitsoh]

Well, This is my first year to make ornaments for a few of my friends. I was planning on only making 3 but that has gone up to 5 now. But they are easy patterns and it takes me about a day to do them. I have 2 finished, and I guess times running out. But I am also working on a huge cross-stitch pattern and it takes a lot of me time. I work on the smaller ones while at work, mainly during breaks. I live in Colorado in the US by the way.

I like to do all kinds of crafts as well. I love cross-stitch and am in a mad dash to finish these projects I have before my eyesight gives out. (I know it will happen) I have way too many patterns and not enough time! I also make dream catchers, walking staffs, (sanding them and painting them), I work with clay to make creatures, and love decorating. I have tried to make dresses, but they never seem to get past the "Cut out fabric" stage. I have a wonderful cloak that I wanted to make and it is still waiting for me, probably will wait until I find someone else to make it for me. (Laughs) Name a craft and I have probably tried it at one time or the other.

Anyway, it?s great to talk with you!

[stella]

Hi again nice to hear from you. What a lovely part of the world you live in. As I said I live in England in a Place called Sandhurst which is in Berkshire, about 30 miles from London and about an hour from Heathrow Airport. You do a lot of crafts dont you, I find it so relaxing as I said I love making homemade cards with Crossstitch, decoupage and other methods. I make about 100 a year, sometimes I find that I am running short of ideas, so look through the many Crafts books and mags that I have. I am married, for the second time, my first Hushand dies in 1986. I have two children, both married one boy one girl and a Grandchild with my Daughter, she was four last month and is the love of my life.
Are you ready for Christmas? We are going to my sons for three days, then my Daughter and Hushand and little one are coming down for Boxing Day. It is the first time we have been away for Christmas for many years.
How are you celebrating the festive season, do you have snow out there for Christmas? We are having wet and windy weather at the moment, not at all seasonal.
Loook forward to hearing from you, perhaps you will tell me about yourself, I am 63 by the way.
Stella

[Maiitsoh]

*pops eyes back into head* I am so proud of you! My grandmother wouldn't even get in the same room as a computer. I'm only 28, 29 in January. I'm married, but have no children yet. I have a small dog that thinks he's my child though. I love stitching as well, but I don't have a lot of time to do it. That and I don't have very many people on my Christmas list. Just my family.

The day after Thanksgiving I was busy putting up decorations at my work. I had my tree up after Halloween. I'm staying here for the holiday, but after Christmas I will be going to spend a week with my parents, and then a week with my Husband's.

We have about 16 feet of snow in the mountains, which is about 30km away from me, but here there is no snow. We are expecting some tonight, but not much, only about 3 inches. That usually melts away by the end of the next day. It has fog outside and you can feel the change in the air.

I enjoy talking to you! ~N~

[stella]

Hi again, I have used computers since 1981. I am a part time Accounts Administrator and do all the Accounts and Wages on the Computer. I was full time until last July, but decided to take things a little bit easier and find more time for my Crafts. I used to have cats, four in all, but one by one they went to the big Cattery in the sky and I decided not to have anymore as I get so upset when they demise. You are right, they are like children arent they.
Geoff, my husband, loves cats and dogs, in fact we both love all animals, we feed the birds in the Winter, we have fat balls and seed and seed cakes all over the garden. We also have a couple of mad Squirrels that will eat the lot if we dont stop them, I put peanuts on the lawn for them, and spray the seed with Squirrel Stop, it doesnt hurt them, but they dont like the smell, it is nutrious for birds.
What job to do you? I have done Accounts for many years, I love it. I am self taught, but have qualifications in Shorthand and Typing. I am also a fully qualified Scripture Teacher, but have never used it, I taught Sunday School many many years ago, but that was as far as it went. I also am very keen on Egyptology, have never been to Egypt, but would love to one day. I read Science Fiction too.
Well I have waffled on long enough, hear from you soon
Stella

[Maiitsoh]

Good day,
Yes, it his very hard to see them go. Especially when they have a painful illness. My little dog doesn't have a thyroid, and so he gets sick a lot. Many people have told me over the years to "put him to sleep" and "he won't live through the year." Well we have stuck it out and here we are, almost 10 years later. I agree, after this little one goes I don't I'll get another one. I love nature as well. I don't really have a spot to put out bird feeders, but I do what I can to help out.
Over my working career I have worked in fast food, ice cream, in libraries for may years, and chemist. I received my degree in 01 and have been working for about a year as a Chemical Engineer. It's not my first love though. I always wanted to be a female Indian Jones, and go explore the past. I have done my own research on certain subjects and have even written a book, but I'm too chicken to send it to a publisher for print. I love Egypt as well, in particular the mythology legends and magic texts.
I read just about anything and everything imaginable. When I can retire I hope to go back to being a librarian.
My job doesn't leave me with much time to play, but it's not like school either. While in school I didn't have any time at all for crafts. But now I come home from work and have a good 4 hours before I have to get ready for the next day.
You can not "Waffle" on too long around me; I love to talk in such mediums...
~N~

[stella]

Hi thanks for your letter, there might be a large gap in years between us, but we seem to have a lot in common. Put your book to a Publisher, if you dont you will always wonder could you have done it. It you dont try you will never know.
I only took up Crafts seriously about five years ago. My Sister Margaret has done them for years, but I had not indulged, the n one Christmas I thought, I will make a card for her with Crossstitch, I did and I was hooked, then I started on other things and here I am now, with not enough time and too many crafts.
The States are well into crafts of all sorts, most of the sites I look at on the net are USA. My e-pal in Aussie cannot get much in the way of patterns, so I send her a few every so often. I am an honary memeber of their Club out there. One of the patterns I sent from a Crossstitch Mag had a kit on the back and they wanted the chart, well I could not get just the chart, so I bought the kit and sent that with my love. They were thrilled and several of them did it. Well you do what you can dont you
You have had a varied working life havent you. I was at my last job for 27 years, in fact I am still going there for two afternoons a week and working for the Engineering Co. next door, so I keep busy, I do love having time off to Craft though.
Well better see to the dinner
Hear from you soon
Stella

[Maiitsoh]

I started stitching about 13 years ago. I think it was mother's way of getting me a hobby. My first pattern was a smiling cat with the quote "Lead us not into temptation, we'll find it ourselves." I don't think I have that one anymore.
That's funny what you said about the craft sites in the US. I might have looked the wrong way but it seems to me that none of the sites I have found have posting boards. I know of 4, 3 are in the UK. I have seen the sites here, mostly by artist that I like, and they mainly just have patterns and ordering information.
I know what you mean, I have WAY too many patterns and not enough time. I know of a lot of different place to go to look for patterns. I'll be happy to help as well. Just let me know what the search is for and I can probably find it!

[stella]

Hi there, we have just watched the weather forcast and they are saying snow showers tomorrow and Sunday!! We have had so much rain that we are squelching underfoot. Poor Australia could do with some rain, the bush fires out there are awful.
You say about having too many patterns, I have too much of everything in the craft line. I wanted a glue stick today for my cool glue gun, do you think I could find them, I did in the end after about an hours search!!
I have being making a Birthday Card for a friend of mine for his Wife today, it is artificial flowers glued to a card and mounted in an aperature. Took me about an hour to do, but there it keeps me off the Streets!!
Well I must away and get the Supper, look forward to hearing from you soon.
Stella

[Maiitsoh]

Hello
Well, I guess snow will be a change from wet feet. You can go from squelching underfoot, to sliding around on the ice. We are the same here. They are saying that we might get snow On wends or Thursday.
I know what you mean. It has been a dry summer everywhere worldwide. I have a friend in Australia as well, but she is far away from the fires.
Generally what happens to me is I need a glue stick, give up after hours of looking and go to the store to buyt some new ones. The minuite I get home I find the old ones. This is how I get stuck with so many.
I'm working on a Christmas ornament fro a friend. It is the first time I have done it on just plain cloth. (It's a cross stitch) I'm use to using the cloth and the holes as guides. Going off plain cloth is proving to be difficult. But it's comming along. I have to get it done by tommrow so I can mail it off. I want it to get there on time...

[stella]

Hi sorry I have took so long to answer your letter, but I have had so much to do that I have not opened my Computer for a couple of days. When I did I have many messages, a lot of them spam,they are a nuisance, but there is nothing you can do about them. How are you doing over there with your Christmas preparations? I put my decorations and tree up today. I could really do with two pairs of hands at the moment. Never mind it will all get finished eventually.
We had a couple of snow showers, now it has turned wet again.Will you have snow for Christmas? Hope we dont as we are travelling to my Sons for a few days. I would like it cold and frosty preferably.
I must get down to sending out my cards tomorrow as the last post date will soon be here. My ones to Aussie and Canada went at the beginning of December, by Airmail, only way to ensure that they get there in time. The post in Canada is quite bad apparently, so my pal tells me.
I must get down to some Crossstitch in the New Year,I have a Round Robin here that I have had a couple of months, its from my friend in Aussie, she wants shoes put on it, she love shoes, she sent the patterns, I had finished one, but not the second, then I have to send it to my Sister to do her bit!!
Well it is late and I better close and get my husband his bedtime drink, wont go to bed without his Horlicks!!
Hear from you soon.
Stella

[Maiitsoh]

Hello,
Here's a joke for you:
Aunt Edna's Doilies

As a new bride, Aunt Edna moved into the small home on her husband's ranch near Snowflake. She put a shoebox on a shelf in her closet and asked her husband never to touch it.

For fifty years Uncle Jack left the box alone, until Aunt Edna was old and dying. One day when he was putting their affairs in order, he found the box again and thought it might hold something important. Opening it, he found two doilies and $82,500 in cash. He took the box to her and asked about the contents.

"My mother gave me the box the day we married," she explained. "She told me to make a doily to help ease my frustrations every time I got mad at you.

Uncle Jack was very touched that in 50 years she'd only been mad at him twice. "What's the $82,500 for?" he asked.

"Oh, that's the money I made selling the doilies."

(double that number to get a price in England) I thought that was funny. My cousin sent if to me.

Things are well here, I had up my tree the day after Thanksgiving but I only have a 4 foot tall tree and about 8 ornaments. I sent out all my cards last week, but again, I had a small group to mail them to.

Weather here is dissapointing. It's been mild and we haven't had any kind of mositure in the past two weeks. Eveyone here is so happy not to have to deal with the weather, but I don't think they relize that this is a bad thing. Last summer we had a water shortage, and if we don't start getting some snow/rain whatever, we are going to be in big trouble next summer. But It's not like I can make it rain.

I have heard about Round Robins, Good luck finishing that and have a safe trip!
~n~

[stella]

Hi hope you had a good Christmas, we did. Although it was wet. I expect you had snow. Sorry it has been so long in writing, but for some reason I could not get logged on. Then we have been away to my Sons for the Festive Season. I had some nice Craft items for presents, now just have to find time to make them up. Have a few days before I have to go back to work so will do some then. Then I will have to start on the Birthday Cards and next years Christmas Cards!!! Do write and let me know how you are.
Stella

[Maiitsoh]

Hello!
yes we had a nice Christmas. I alos received new craft books and a new kind of thread holder. It's new to me but looks like it might work well.
We didn't get any snow, the mountains did but we haven't gotten nearly what we need. It's so dry here sometimes i feel like my hands are just going to crack.
I'm glad your trip to your son went well. Right now I'm in Oklahoma visting my parents. So we are kind of haveing our Christmas late, but we are having fun catching up. Here is a different story, it's raining here now with lots of thunder. It's a nice change. Although I dodn't think that I packed the right cloths for the weather.
It's quite all right about the delay in writing. we have a nice litte relationship where we write when we can. I found someone to exchange Christmas ornament with. Looks like I'm on my way to starting the collection of friends that you have. Good luck!
talk to you soon. ~N~

[stella]

Hi there thought I would just drop you a line, to let you know whats going on in our world over here. We are not doing a lot as the weather is too bad to go out in the garden. So am catching up with some Crossstitch. I am doing a Round Robin which my e-mail pal from Aussie sent over, then I will forward it on to the next person to add their contribution.
I have had to work most of this week, as the girl who took my place has been off sick, and they needed someone to do the Wages and take care of the phones!! They wont let me retire in peace!!!
Did I tell you we had a snowfall at the beginning of January, the first heavy one since 1995!! No doubt you are used to it over there, but it is a novelty to us here in the South of England.
Four of us went to a Craft Fair last Saturday, we had a marvellous time, spent too much money of course. We have a New Zealand girl and her English Husband running our British Legion at the moment and we took her, she loved every minute of it. She does Memory Albums so picked up quite a bit for making them. She has done some beautiful ones. I think that is quite big in America? No I cant take on another Craft!!
Look forward to hearing from you soon.
Regards Stella

[Maiitsoh]

It's nice to hear from you again. Not a lot has changed over here either. We are still in a sever drought. We haven't seen any snow since Halloween. And that was only about 3 inches. This is really bad. Our city's water reserves are down by 35%. You can tell, the lake I live by (a reserve) is shrinking everyday; it's getting to the point you can almost walk across it. Not a pond, but a huge lake, and it's just shrinking away. They also say the ?snowpack? (snow in the mountains) is 25% less than it was last year. And that?s where we get a lot of our water! It's sad to see. But it's not like I can do anything about it. I do my part by using less water, but I'm about one in hundreds that tries to help. I still see "Jerks" washing their cars and complaining that there Golf Course has been shut down. It's cool and windy, but we mainly stay around
14C.

I have just joined a RR as well. It's not due to start until June but I'm getting really excited about it! This weekend I'm going to get the fabric and start the boarder. It's a Halloween theme and I don't know where to start. I thought I would give out patterns and just tell them to go wild. But I'm not sure. I have a limited supply.

That's too bad to hear about your job. At your age you deserve to rest, and do what you want! But it just goes to show how good you are at what you do. Seems like it would fall apart it without you!

Memory Albums are pretty big here, but I haven't every put that much effort into them. I have a shoe box filled with pictures that are waiting for me to put them in some kind of book, but I look at the box and think, "I can fit more pictures in there." So until that box starts to overflow, I don't think I'll do anything about it. I know what you mean; I really don't need another hobby either. I have too much already!

Talk to you soon, ~N~

[jsmith11111]

Enjoyed all your posts! Keep crafting!