General Chat

In sunny, snowy Canada - wonderful country! Even have hundreds of my own Christmas trees and it really looks Christmassy from out my window. Have my own 'elf' too. He just ran through the house. I have a weasel in my woodpile (which is in part of the house) so I don't have any mice either. He's pure white with a chocolate tail.

Thanks Rosemary I will have to try the website. I don't get the same TV over here.

Just finished my Xmas presents - copper plaques of a family crest which has been handed down through the family as a painting (now owned by my son). Photographed the painting and used a 'sketch' printout in one of my programs. It is easy to do (if you are at all arty) and the results are phenomenal. When framed they look extemely expensive but are very inexpensive to make. Sprayed them with clear laquer as I know the recipients would hate to have to polish! Love all kinds of crafts. I once spun the hair from an Old English sheepdog and knitted it's owner a pair of mitts. Sylvia - what on earth is 'tea bag folding'? For X-stitchers - you can download a program from the net which allows you to make your own X-stitch patterns - great for doing photos.

I don't have much time for crafts these days and really took up family history as a promise to myself to regain some "me time" in amongst the time I spend working, looking after kids, and hubby. In the past I've done painting (watercolour/acrylics), pastil and charcoal drawings, pencil drawings - once got an offer of a uni place to do art that I didn't take up. More recently I've done surface embroidery, cross stitch, hardanger, beadwork, blackwork, rubber stamping, quilling, and lots of other things I've invented myself under the heading of "recycling art". Now my main arty/crafty activity is with the kids. At Easter I and my son built an Easter Egg mounted on an Easter bonnet using papier mache and recycled straw hats. Angela

Too many hobbies: cross stitch, making cards, genealogy, pen friends, computer, knitting, sewing, working with serviettes, trying to do tea-bag folding (I've not succeeded yet), keeping up my Spanish (I have a subscription on a Spanish magazine every month), cooking. Sylvia

I paint ceramic ornaments and Christmas lights etc. I used to have my own kiln and moulds, but I always changed the moulds slightly so that mine were unique. I no longer have my own kiln but a friend fires for me now and then I paint them myself.

Good morning Mandy, I'm from westbury in wiltshire but originated from Wells in somerset (a true somerset cuckoo!) I've not been to the cadbury garden centre, keep meaning to go there but I do go to the knit, stitch and craft show and the stamperama show at the shepton showground both are brilliant day's out, in fact I'm like a big kid in a sweet shop - there's so much to see and - what to buy!!! I ventured over to Clark's village last Sunday and bought some lovely card of various colours in the 'the paper mill shop' very reasonably priced too. Audrey.

I enjoyed cross stitch until I got interested in my family tree! I have completed several pieces of work but have one piece which is destined to remain in the sewing box until I have found a few more rellies! As you say there are not enough hours in the day, and as for housework - well forget it! Frances

Hi Audrey, are you Westbury Wilts or Westbury-on-Trym? Neither are too far from me! Have you ever seen the lovely craft section at Cadbury Garden Centre at Congresbury?

I'm an art/craft fanatic and you hit the nail on the head there Dedrah when you said a shame we only have 24 hrs in a day! I paint in pastels (not too hot but I have a go), write poetry, make greetings cards, lavender bags, gift boxes and even xmas crackers it's a great hobby and I get so carried away sometimes that it's well past midnight by the time I get to bed, a confession - housework is second on my list, my hobby definitely comes first! audrey from westbury

Dedrah I agree i love anything craft wise but not very arty Love sewing ,patchwork and quilting,knitting and used to dabble in flower arrainging and love helping at my neices school at any thing craft wise. Don't seem to have that much time since getting the computer and staring Fam Tree1!*??

Yes, I'm into all things arty-crafty! I make my own greetings cards and sell them in our staffroom in aid of our local hospice. As part of this, I also do glass/acetate painting and quilling. Two years ago, I got myself a qualification in Interior Design. And as you might have seen from the other thread, I'm a school administrator! Mandy :)

This seems to be another area that goes with family trees, and working with children and that is enjoying crafts. I enjoy flower arranging, painting (very badly - my hand wont paint what my eyes see!!! -but I still enjoy trying), making cards, knitting and sewing. My daughter did some rag rugging with the children at school last week and I really fancied having a go. What a shame we only have 24 hours in a day! Dedrah