I will try harder...

...I don't seem to have blogged any papercrafting stuff for a while and I promise I will soon.  I had a fab birthday last weekend and will put photos of all the gorgeous handmade cards I received on here next week.  Thank you to everyone for making it such a memorable birthday.

I haven't managed a lot of crafting lately - too busy getting everything prepared here for my op.  Have my pre-admission check next week so hopefully it wont be too long now.  I have been stocking up on lots of craft goodies (whats new you say) so that I will have loads to keep me occupied for those 12 weeks after the op, should become a little craft production line chez moi.

Anyway a couple of bits and pieces for now.... a friend recently attained her BSc with honours (not bad at our age) and of course I had to make her a little card....

this card and tag is for a friend's birthday..

lots more in the pipe line and I'll try and catch up very soon, meanwhile have a fun day.

No rest for the wicked.....

...I thought I would be able to take things easy while the little ones were away on holiday - no chance.  Mya found my folder of knitting patterns for dolls and decided Grace's dolls and her dolls needed new clothes.  So she picked a set each for me to knit while they were away.  Well the set for Grace's doll Harry was fairly quick and easy......

a bit more complicated for Mya's doll Lisa...

now on to the next sets they have picked out.

Oh sew easy...

...I loved this digi stamp as soon as I saw it and the cards were 'sew' easy to make with it...

and then I went for the more complicated and played with a Tilda stamp that I am particularly fond of.....

I even 'decorated' the inside..

my view

Osama bin Laden is dead - but it isn't a reason for rejoicing, yes I am glad he is gone from this earth and may he pay forever for his despicable sins.  But his death doesn't bring back all those innocents that he murdered without a thought, it doesn't give them back to those who are left to mourn.  There are those who will now see him as a martyr and I am sure there are many waiting to fill his role and to retaliate.  Hamas condemmed the US for the killing, perhaps people will stop and think about Hamas and see them for what they are and also realise the terrible attrocities they are still inflicting on a daily basis on our beloved Israel,  95% of what they do doesn't get into the press.

There is a saying "G-d repays His debts" and I am a firm believer in this, so Bin Laden you were warned and I know that right now those debts are being repaid and you are suffering for all the evil you caused.

Pesach....

....I think if you did a survey well over 50% of us would say Pesach was our favourite festival, it has always been mine.  It involves a lot of work for the wife/mother, several weeks of frantic cleaning turning out every drawer and cupboard, every nook and cranny.  Then the big change over which I always leave to the very last minute and spend the last couple of hours before Pesach managing on the draining board because the rest of my kitchen is ready.  The day of our seder is spent cooking everybody's favourite foods, special cakes and biscuits that I only bake at Pesach and Pesach rolls which are such a treat - but thats probably because we have to then wait another year before we have them again.  Of course also preparing all the food for the seder which by tradition has always been held at our house.  But this year things have changed, for several reasons we decided to hold it at my older son's home, I made the chicken soup, the chopped liver and the roast chicken, my son's wife make all the vegetables and prepared the seder plate and my younger d-i-l baked macaroons and the lightest plava. 

I have always found the seder a very special and moving occasion - thinking back to how the Israelites escaped slavery and what they went through, having the whole family round the table for several hours.  This year our 4year old granddaughter was allowed to stay up for the whole seder, hopefully next year her little sister will be able to as well.   My younger d-i-l sang Mah Nishtanah with a little help from our granddaughter, then we have a family tradition of singing a song about the plagues it was written by a friend of ours and is sung to the tune of 'One Man Went to Mow' and by the time we reach the 14th verse the whole family is singing at full voice.  It just all goes together to make a wonderful family time and creates special memories. 

After shul on the first day I try to spend some time thinking over what has happened to our family and to this world of ours - a time to reflect and to remember and to wonder what is ahead of us.  A time to pray for peace in Israel and for the brave boys and girls there who are defending the country.  To also think of the British boys and girls who are working abroad in the Armed Forces and to wish them all a safe return to their families. 

May the leaders of the world be given the desire to find true peace and may all the peoples of the world be treated equally and allowed to live in peace.

Chag Sameach

felt roses

when I saw these plain felt roses they seemed to cry out for changing.  So I added some tiny beads and fixed them to pins so that I could add them to a plain summer t-shirt just to jazz it up a bit.

and finally for now...

here is set number 3, I was just playing around with some left over bits and pieces for this one so consider it a freebie to myself - dont you just love a bargain  :o)