WOYWW #380

....And I'm back! Good job I had no intention of doing a post last week, the internet/wifi in Tenerife was diabolical. Really, like being back in the dark ages.  I will also admit this weeks desk is a bit staged, as I've not actually crafted anything yet- too busy with the washing mountain! But I do have a few goodies that had dropped through the letterbox while we were away, so I'll share those with you instead. Now, when I first started getting into stamping, I freely admit that sentiment stamps just weren't high on my priority list. Unmounted/polymer stamps were only just starting to appear, and wood mounts were darned expensive.

  So, it was all about the images. I bought loads of peeloff sentiments, which seemed the better bargain. But nowadays, I'd like some sentiments I can stamp. And the choice is huge, so it's now a case of looking for sets that I will use most, if not all, of. Which is not necessarily an easy thing. I see loads of sets, especially Christmas ones, with sentiments I know I'll never use. Which is all leading up to some smashing sets I've seen lately, and have acquired a few of. Everyday ones as well as Christmas ones.They are all in a range from a guy called Phill Martin, and the first two are a sentiment set and a border sentiment set. The border one is repeatable too, which is a double bonus.

Another pair of Christmas ones, corner greetings with snowflakes, and the second set, also with snowflakes, are great for either inside the card, or on the front, again, double bonus.







These two are both Christmas Greetings, one with Holly, and one with Snowflakes.





These sets of scribbled sentiments, sort of handwriting font, are brilliant too. And I think with a bit of masking, or just plain cutting through the corners, the corner sentiments could be arranged in any orientation you like.




 As well as stamps, dies have become a firm favourite, but blimey they are not cheap are they? Well, I may be able to help there. I don't know if any of you have seen dies from China on E-bay?
 I did, and one in particular I'd been looking for, but I suspect it's not available over here any longer. It's a Memory Box die, Stitched Happy Birthday Frame.

I can only find it in the USA, and the currency conversion works out to £13.50, plus postage.
 Size of the die is 3.6" diameter.
 Then I found this one on E-Bay.
 Very slightly smaller, at roughly 3" diameter.
 And it cuts perfectly.
 Best of all, it was £3.50, with free postage!








So I started looking at a few others. This Butterfly border die is the same design as a Joycraft one, again it's slightly smaller than the original.

The original is approximately 133mm, this one is just under 100. Again, cuts perfectly, and was only £2.80, free postage from China.
Well, I assume I've sufficiently enabled enough people to get me sent to the naughty step!
 I'll just leave you with a couple of holiday pics you can skip over if you want to get back to more interesting desks over at Julia's place, The Stamping Ground.

Lovely sunset selfie- it's a beautiful place, but blimey it was hot! Took me till mid week to acclimatise.

Hotel was nice, but air con as standard, instead of  having to rent a mobile unit would have been better.

Doug's favourite tipple was a Black Russian, and a number of them came with Parrots  on a stick stuck into the fruit garnish. He ended up with a whole flock on his hat!












I'm quite fond of a G&T, and when this bar brought my first one out, I kid you not the glass was three parts full of Gin. Second time round they left me the bottle to help myself. That was a bad mistake, on their part, and mine!
 Saw Julia's post yesterday about the date move for the crop.  The Oct 8th date was looking dubious for us, I admit. Still no news on the surgery front, and as I have to have a couple of lung function tests, as well as see him again in clinic after the MDT have looked at the results, I think the early part of October is looking more likely than the end of September. I've also bought tickets for the Happy Stampers in Port Sunlight on October 1st, so I'm really keeping my fingers crossed he doesn't want me in till after that. Was a great show when we went earlier in the year, and as almost all the stands are from stamping companies, a great way to spend the day. And only £2.50 a ticket, which you have to buy in advance, no ticket sales at the door. Also means we'll get to meet up with the lovely Neet again, so can't be bad! Talking of tickets, I've got ours for the NEC Hobbycrafts , Nov 03-06. We're going on the Sunday, as I've also booked a mobility scooter, given that the surgeon said I'd be very breathless for a while after this op, and I well remember last years almost fainting episodes!