First Aid.

Gosh is it Wednesday again already! Are you ready for another Mrs A's Bloomers?
Okay it's fess up time .Grab a coffee and stay a while.
So last week you know that I got the job and this little escapade happened about 18months into the job.

It was decided by the powers that be that each department should have a First Aid Officer to deal with minor accidents so a volunteer was needed to step forward for the post. Now I wasn't particularly interested but  before I knew it my name was put up and seconded before I had time to draw breath!  We all had to be duly trained by the Red Cross and a training day was scheduled to be held at another of our buildings.  

The day arrived and about 20 of us from various departments turned up for the three day course.(I did not go anywhere near the coffee machine just in case your wondering even though this was a different location). We started off by learning to do resuscitation  and before the boys (we were a mixed bunch) could get excited about it we were  told it would be on the standard plastic dummy and not on us girls. Well managed to get through that alright and we stopped for a break. Next up was learning how to put someone into the recovery position and we were paired up for this. I was  with J.C. from Engineering and he volunteered to go first. So he is lying on the floor and (cross my heart I barely touched him) I flipped him over as we had been shown and he let out the most awful howl of pain and clutched his knee.  The instructor came running over and examined his knee and said 'We need to call an ambulance I think you have dislocated your knee cap!!' In my defence he was a rugby player and this was an old recurring injury but he was off work for two weeks and I went down in history as the only person to ever put her partner in Hospital on a First Aid Course!!!!

Now I know you all want to know the answer so yes I did pass and  got my certificate but you know the funny thing ? No one was ever ill on my watch!

 

Image by Bugaboo Stamps

Coloured using Promarkers, Distress Markers and Pearlescent chalks.

Blue spotty paper freebie in Simply Homemade magazine.

Snippet of red cardstock

Sentiment generated in word.





Entering in the following challenges:
Pixie's Crafty Workshop. Use your snippets. (red card stock).
Scrappy Frogs: Free Choice.
Through The Craft Room: Anything goes.
Crafts and Me Challenges: Use a Digi.
Stamp 'n' Doodle: Anything goes.
The Paper Shelter: Anything goes.
Make It Monday: Paper crafts.

Lets Get Ringing

This is the second card for the challenge this month over at Lady Anne's  which is  to use this digi image by Priscilla Styles. Details of her site can be found here.

 

I suppose I did this the wrong way round really as I coloured the digi in first with  my Distress Markers and then went in search of papers to go with the colours I had chosen.

The red glitter card came from my star buy at NEC . £1 for a pad of 3 different colours.

The bell paper was a freebie from  Quick cards Magazine and is by Raspberry Road. The green another freebie from a magazine Forever Christmas Cards Paper Stack by Hot Off The Press. Sentiment was part of the same recycled  Christmas card that I used on the post below. Flat pearls from my stash and the card design is the current sketch over at Merry Monday 's Christmas Challenge.



 

Entering into the following challenges:

Lady Anne's #4: Use image by Priscilla Styles.

Merry Monday Christmas Challenge: Use sketch provided.

Jingle Belles: Merry & Bright.

Creative Craft World: Beat the Christmas Rush.

Crafty Hazel Nuts Extra: Anything goes.

Sparkles Christmas Challenge: Favourite festive Colours (Red/Green/Gold).

Pixie's Crafty Workshop: Use your snippets (sentiment).

 



 

Get your Skates On.

This is my first card for the challenge this month over at Lady Anne's  which is to use this digi by Priscilla Styles. Details of her site can be found here.

As soon as I saw this image I knew I wanted to put her onto a skating ring outside in the woods. I have coloured her up using Promarkers and then fussy cut round the edge and mounted on 3d pads for a raised effect. The card base is a ready made shaped one  which I added a border to using the same red Promarker. The skating ring is made from an oval Xcut Nestie. Trees are a stamp from Stampscapes which I inked up with a Versamark watermark stamp pad and then coated with white  Wow Embossing powder. The edge of the ring has embossing powder on too. (Her blades have been silver embossed).  A quick blast with my heat gun and I have a lovely snow scene. The sentiment is cut from an old Christmas card which was already covered in glitter so I just cut a smaller Nestie. Gems are from my stash.

 

Entering into the following challenges:

Lady Anne's #4: Use image by Priscilla Styles.

Crimbo Crackers: Kids.

52 Christmas Card Throwdown: Use Red & White.

Sweet Stampin Christmas: Winter Sports.

Anything Goes: Shaped not  square.

Alphabet Challenge: Glitter & Gems.

Jelly Park  Friends: Girly theme.

All Sorts: Any sport.

One Stop Craft Challenge:  Add some glitter.

613 Avenue Create: Shaped Card.

Dream Valley: No squares allowed.

Lacy Sunshine: Anything but Square. I(mage must be hand coloured).

Pixie's Crafty Workshop: Use your snippets. (sentiment).

 

 

 



 

The Doc.

It was 'The Docs' Birthday at the Weekend and this is the card I made for him and as he likes the colour green that is the colour I have gone with. Likes beer too!!

 

Digi and sentiment from Bugaboo Stamps

Coloured using Promarkers/Distress Markers/ Pearlescent chalks.

Check paper by Raspberry Road

Flat Pearls and green card stock from stash.

 

 

Entering into the following challenges:

That Craft Place: Makes for Men.

Make It Monday: Paper Crafts.

Divas By Design: Anything Goes.

Sister Act: Anything Goes:

Simply Create Too: Anything Goes.

Crafty Catz: Anything Goes.

 



A is for Aliens.

The current letter over at the Craft Barn is A. Given what the name of my blog is called I really couldn't choose any other word now could I !!!  As A is the start of my little alphabet book I have  given it a two page spread. I trawled the web and found this cute little Alien space ship digital.

Pages have been given  a wash of match pot paint  Willow Tree.

Digi and sentiment are by Hambo Stamps.

Images coloured with Distress Markers & Pearlescent chalks

Letter A is a freebie and can be found here.

 

Anyone spot anything Else?

Which just leaves me with one thing  left to say

Beam me up Scottie!!

 

Entering into the following challenge:

The Craft Barn: Alpha challenge letter A.

 



Interview Techniques.

It's fess up time again. Are you ready for another of Mrs A's Bloomers? Then grab a coffee and stop a while.
I had occasion to go for a job interview. I really wanted this job so left no stone unturned in brushing up on my Interview skills. The Doc gave me his golden book on interview tips which I read from cover to cover  so on the day of the interview I was fairly calm and collected  and felt I was ready for anything.  I presented myself early at the Personnel office (now known as HR) and was duly signed in and asked to wait in the  reception area. I declined a coffee as one of the little tips in my book said that if you were nervous not to  accept  any refreshments as a shaking hand would show in trying to hold a cup still. (Sound advice!)
I had been waiting for about 5mins when a Gentleman came rushing in through the front doors and gave his apologies' for being a tad late as he had trouble parking. He was shown the seat next to me and sank down into it looking decidedly flustered. I asked if he  was there for an interview too and he said yes. To help put him at ease I told him the little trick of not accepting any coffee  as it would show he was nervous but he just gave me a rather blank look and studied the floor instead. Each to his own I thought.  Another 5 mins  passed and then a lady popped her head round a door at the back of the room and said  "Wer'e ready for you now Bill come through" and to me that I wouldn't be kept waiting much longer for my interview. I called out Good Luck as he went out the door. Nice touch to call us by our first names I thought. Few minutes later another lady popped her round the same door and said would I come this way and led me down a long corridor. At the end was the interview room and she  stepped aside to let me enter first. Here goes I thought. In I went and as the  door clunked shut behind me a voice said "Let me introduce you to your prospective boss" and there sat BILL!!
Now the burning question on everyone's lips is going to be Did I get the job?

 

Yes I did and I was there for 10yrs!  The same job as the incident with the coffee machine!

Stay tuned for another instalment next week.



 

Digi image by Bugaboo

Spotty paper by Nancy Watt

Xcut Nestie 'Ornate Frame'

Coloured using Promarkers/Distress Markers/ Pearlescent chalks

Edging made with a snippet of paper and Tonic Punch

Sentiments generated in word.

Entering into the following challenges:
Sister Act: Anything goes.
Fuss and Fancy: Anything goes.
Catch The Bug: Anything goes.
One Stitch at a Time: Anything goes.
Electric Ellapu: Anything goes.
Challenges 4 Everybody: Anything goes.
Make it Monday: Paper crafts.
Papertake Weekly: Anything goes.
Through the Craft Room: Anything goes.
Pin and Tack: Anything goes.
Great Impressions: Celebrations.
Pixie's Crafty Workshop: Use your snippets.

Ally Pally Reveal.

So what did I make with those snippets that I retrieved from the Ally Pally . Remember these bits?

I immediately  saw  little Antlers. Did you!  So I dug deep into my snippet pile and pulled out bits and pieces that I thought would all go together and came up with the following card. No sentiment as the design is fussy enough on its own and you can all see its a Christmas Card (to add to my ever expanding pile of 27 at the last count).

Papers used were all freebies from magazines at some point layered up.

White  card is the left overs from a card made using Spellbinders Majestic Elements.

When cut it leaves a ready made series of holes around the edge perfect for stitching with.

Red card is the left over after cutting an aperture out using Xcut Ornate frame.

White oval is cut using Xcut  standard die.

Rudolph the smallest oval further trimmed down to size.

Googly eyes and pearl (for nose) from stash.

Antlers are the off cuts from a Tonic pattern punch.

 

Entering into the following challenges:

Whoopsi Daisy: Spots and stripes.

Artistic Inspirations: Lots of layers.

Tammy's Scrappin Corner: Lots of layers.

Cutie Pie Challenges: Lots of Layers.

LEJ Designs: Anything goes.

Rhedd and Rosie's: Stitching real or faux.

Crafting For All Seasons: Monochromatic.

Crimbo Crackers: Anything goes.

Crafty Hazelnuts Extra: Anything goes.

Our Creative Corner: Anything goes.

 

 Special Request by Di of Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

 

 





Stash from Trash.

Thought I would just do a  feature post on the items I have saved from the trash this week.

 

The yellow/red spotty cardboard is from a box of egg custard tarts from a well known super market beginning with C and ending in P. Whilst the green/white spotty cardboard again cut from a box of custard tarts from a super market beginning with W this time and ending in E.

The Doc  does like his Cakes.( Well wasn't going to put the other word. )

The clear Perspex is from the front packaging of  a Tonic punch.  Can you see what I see?



There! I have turned it on its side for you. Watch this space for  further developments.

Coffee Break.

After the debacle of the soap dispenser at Ally Pally the other week I have decided to fess up to some other mishaps I have had along the way. So for the next few Wednesdays we will have a little story from  Mrs A's Bloomers!

One of the firms that I worked for decided to send me on a training day at one of the other offices to learn a new accounting  system.  Pretty boring stuff but  I managed to stay awake for most of the morning and then we had a break for coffee. Now  all our offices were equipped with coffee dispenser machines (set to free ) you know the sort, they all work the same  way.  Choose your coffee style  put cup on X marks the spot press button and away you go. Simples!!!
So I'm first in the queue in the kitchen area  and spying a nice pile of clean china cups  stacked at the side of the machine (nice touch I thought instead of having those silly plastic things that are way  too hot to handle that my office had. ) popped one on the spot chose my coffee and pressed the button and stood back. Horrors. Suddenly a curved  plastic door slides round in front of the mug which couldn't quite close properly cos of the handle and a plastic cup tried to plop down in the compartment only to be confronted with the said china mug. Mayhem now ensues as the machine starts dispensing the coffee over  the plastic  cup that is now lying sideways and as it can't tell when the cup is full continues to dispense hot coffee at an alarming rate filling up the compartment and spilling out onto the floor. Me? I'm pressing all the buttons under the  sun like a lunatic in an effort to stop the darn thing. Sudden brain wave pull the plug!! Only problem is it is plugged into wall behind the machine. It took 2 burly men to man handle the machine away from the wall and switch it off. It took considerably longer to mop up the floor  and fill in an incident report. On my cry of  'well what were the china cups doing there then', I was told they were for dispensing  the plastic cups  of coffee into for when VIP visitors came so as to make a good impression. I think I did that all right !!!!

 

Digi image by Bugaboo

Large spotty paper by Raspberry Road

Coloured using Promarkers/Distress Markers/ Pearlescent chalks.

Small spotty paper a snippet from my stash.

Sentiment generated in word.

Entering into the following challenges:

Electric Ellapu: Anything goes.

Challenges 4 Everybody: Anything goes.

Pixies Crafty Workshop: Use your snippets.

Through The Craft Room: Anything goes.

Twisted Tuesdays: Free for all.

Charisma Cardz: Polka dots.

Jelly Park Friends: Make us laugh & smile.

 

 



1st Anniversary.

Another Anniversary card which I can now show as it has been received. This time all the web pages say that the 1st is Paper so I have created the background paer to show that.

 

The Stamp is a Penny Black called Letters and Flowers (thanks Hettie) and I have just lightly coloured a few of the flowers using a purple promarker  Butterflies  and hearts were Di's ex snippets. Sentiment created in word and printed off, stuck to card and die cut using a nestie. Pearls from my stash.

 



 

Entering into the following challenges:

Love to Create: Punches and/or dies.

Dream Valley: Things with wings.

Emmas Cards UK: Butterflies.

Country View Crafts: Butterflies.

Stamping Sensations: Special Occasions.

Crafty Catz: The colour purple.

Make it Monday:  Paper Crafts.

Fairy Tale Challenge: A very special occasion.

Stampin for the Weekend: Die cuts and/or punches.

 

 



W is for Winter.

The current letter to use over at the Craft Barn  is W but with a twist. You must use circles on your background. I have chosen Winter as my word. It has certainly felt like it here  today as we have had several showers of hail stones in between sunny spells and the temperature has plummeted again.
My background circles have been created using bubble wrap (now you do all keep it from your packaging don't you? Shame on you Miss Di but thanks ever so!). Cut to page size and inked up with distress ink, simply pressed down on page and a heavy book applied for a few seconds and hey presto circles or in this case sort of snow flakes.



Scene is cut from an old Christmas card  and ribbon and lace from my stash (very old stash). How do I know that ? Well I used to buy my lace and trimmings from down Walthamstow market (East London) and we have lived here in Hampshire for 30 yrs so that is the latest time I could have visited and bought any.
The  W is a freebie downloaded from here.

Entering into the following challenge:
The Craft Barn: Alpha Challenge letter W.

Linen, Lace or Pottery.

Have been busy making things but can't show  yet as most are for swaps or occasions that have not arrived  but I'm okay to show this one now as it was yesterday.
 





The Web pages that I looked up for Wedding anniversary meanings all said something different  for this particular year so I played safe and used all three to create the backing paper on this card. Done in word and coloured before printing off and cutting to size.  The Lace is from my snippets box and came originally from MIL's unmentionables.

 

 

The stamp is a Penny Black that I just lightly coloured with my promarkers  and the Butterflies and hearts are further snippets that came my way.



 

The sentiment was cut from an old card.

 

Entering into the following challenges:

Scrap Creations: Insects or animals.

Through the Craft Room: Anything goes.

Simon Says stamps: Anything goes.

Penny's Paper-Crafty: Anything goes.

Fab 'n' Funky: Love is a many splendid thing.

Sister Act: Anything goes.

All Sorts: A passion for flowers.

Pixies Crafty Workshop: Use your snippets.

Sparkles: Hearts.

Lexi's Creations: Add lace and/or ribbon.