Christines blog candy......

My friend Christine is celebrating a huge hit count on her blog, a new job .... congratulations BTW! and having a one woman campaign to get the word verification removed from blog land!

GO CHRISTINE!

So to have a chance at the blog candy go check her out and give the whole word verification thing a thought or two.....
Me personally...I have turned that part of my blog off.
I hate it!
I find it difficult to read when I am tired and must admit I have failed to get it right a couple of times and left the blog without pasting my comment.....

here is Christine's argument.......

ARGUMENTS AGAINST WORD VERIFICATION

Everyone will have their own view, but in my case, I regard the removal of word verification as a basic courtesy to my visitors who are kind enough to take the time to leave comments. Being aware of their comments through comment moderation, but not hindering them with word verification is the very least I can do to reciprocate their courtesy to me.

The problem with word verification is that it takes too long. The characters are very often hard to decipher, and it’s frustrating when you get them wrong and have to re-enter the little suckers!

So this campaign is on behalf of busy bloggers. Please spare a thought for the poor bloggers who work so hard at getting round as many blogs as possible to leave sprinkles of blessing and good vibes wherever they go. The terrible proliferation of this awful plague of word verification is a blight on their efforts to make the Land of Blog a cheerier place.

I think most people just have word verification switched on by default, not realising how easy it is to switch it off, and perhaps not realising how annoying it is for other bloggers. Either that, or they’re under the misapprehension that they will be bombarded with spam messages. This is not the case. I’ve had mine switched off now for three of the four months that I’ve been blogging, and have had two spam comments. The responses I’ve had from other bloggers to my earlier posts on this topic back this up. (You can see the comments in response to my previous post on this subject, HERE.)

For safety’s sake, have comment moderation on for sure, but please consider canceling word verification on your blog. Maybe for a trial period, and see how you get on.

Unless there are thousands of comments being left, comment moderation shouldn’t be too much of an issue for the blog owner, and other bloggers will also be more inclined to leave comments if they can see that you don’t use word verification.

However, each to their own, and if you disagree with me, that’s cool. We can agree to differ and not visit each other’s blogs! lol ;o)

OK.. rant over. If you have read all the way to the end, thank you for putting up with it, and ~ obviously ~ do what you wish on your blogs, but I had to say something. I love to get around and leave comments, but word verification spoils the experience.

Of course, when I get my new job, all this will be academic to me, as I will then have a life, and I won't have time for much blog-hopping!! Not that blog-hoppers need to get a life.. Errr... think I'll stop digging now, before I get into REAL trouble!! lol ;o)

Peace. :o)"

So there you go...food for thought.....can I just add....
I did giggle out loud the other night,
I was leaving a comment of someones blog, who has verification,
and it almost spelt out a rude word!!!....

here Birdie, Birdie......

Haven't done much crafting this week...again.....
but when I was round at Emma & Belle's we did manage a wee bit of this and that.....
Belle di a fantastic job of glueing.....

And.....

I did my first ATC.

And her is one that the lovely Emma gave me....



Awww! I love the stamps she used....

flowers, flowers everwhere .....with given love

I love flowers..... they seem to be everywhere just now, which I am happy about.

Flowers on cards.

Really enjoyed making these two cards on Tuesday night at card class in Sally's shop.

The first is made with hearts cut out on pearlised card and was fiddly and frustrating.




But the card it made was very pretty,
and just what I needed to give to my Lovely mate Emma.
It's hard when someone you care about is hurting over the death of a much loved friend.

HUGS.

Emma we are here for you, you have been such a great mate to me.
If I can do anything to help then just let me know....

And the second one is more of a fun card.
A cute purple and yellow daisy combo.



Looks very simple on the outside.

And then you get the pop up surprise when you open it.

And lastly.....I just love this fairy stamp and she looks right at home on this green background.



Then today when Emma, Belle and I went to get our veggies from the stall in the field I saw these....they are a little wilted due to being car, but have perked up after a drink.


They are just beautiful! They have all the colours in my kitchen ....

Then we went to a local small garden centre....

How sweet are these wee chrysanthemums and are pink and white all in the same pot!
They are tiny wee flowers!
This Echinaechia was just stunning! I am planning one for the garden !
Its flower head was the size of my palm!

It was just lovely wandering around the garden centre, they have such amazing plants,
and they are so healthy.

But the reason we went there was I have been looking for something special.

I wanted a rosemary plant for Emma.
not only is it her fave herb to cook with, Emma loves the plant for its look and smell.

It is also for remembrance.....

"There's rosemary; that's for remembrance.
Pray, love, remember."
~Shakespeare, Hamlet

"Rosemary has been a symbol for remembrance since ancient times.
It has been used as a symbol of love and remembrance at both weddings and funerals,
as well as a number of other ceremonies.
For newlyweds, its a symbol of fidelity and a promise not to forget the vows they made that day; for loved ones who have passed on, a symbol of love and a promise not to forget the impact they had on your life and the memories that you shared with them."

And so ....I bought it for Emma, remberence for Deb.
Emma will always remember her and the joy that she brought to her life.
Not that she needs a plant to do so.

But I love plants, and I love the fact this plant will live on and give Emma joy.
Right now thats important for my friend.

4 of 4 last but not least

Hubby as well as making all sorts of Jam's and chutneys this week....
has helped me move the spare/craft/computer room around.
the result is a much nicer space for both of us to work in,
looks so much bigger and is at the moment almost organised!!!

He even put up two new shelves for me above my desk!!

At the moment, it just has cards on it...can't have an empty shelf can you!!!
Am delighted with it! Thanks lovely ! xx

Post 3 o4 four...cats & dogs

It was our lovely niece Robyn's birthday this week....
she is away on holiday with her fiance Paul. Hope they are having a fab time!

Here is an altered Cd with her cute wee Puppy Biscuit!



and card I made for her Birthday....



Actually made them a few weeks ago for her...and even remembered to post them !!!
I usually forget and find cards lying weeks later!!

This one is for my lovely friend S who has is poorly with an abscess on her boob!!
she loves cats...and is owned herself by a lovely black and white chap cat called Archie!
So a cat in a bra is perr-fect!

post 2 of 4 ....3 challanges in one card.

I have enjoyed reading blogs this week...and nearly didnt get any challenges done at all!

but this card is sort of a three in one card....

Chrissy's Friday fable was a gypsy theme.....
Thursdays challenge needed things with bling.....
and the ABC challenge was F for fairy.....

I rather like the image and will use that again in a few ideas I have.

post 1 of 4 ~ Harverst and Preserve.

Haven't been on blog much....have done little crafting...mojo has not been around......

Time to catch up.....

I love this time of year....harvesting and preserving the last of the crops to see you through the winter....
It brings out the witch in me!
But too much rain has ment that brambles and rasps for making jam with this year will have been bought rather than wild fruits picked on rambling walks.
It is not usually this wet, and I must admit , low iron levels in me and colder weather are making this time of year less pleasant for walking Poppy. Not that she minds being wet.....

Anyway....my Lovely Hubby makes some fantastic preserves....

This last batch he has done beetroot chutney, and a few of pickled beetroot,
both now maturing and mellowing in out kitchen larder , should be ready for Christmas.

The smell in the house with the hot vinegar...is fairly pungent.....but the end result is worth it!


Look at the colour of the chutney in the pan!





Poppy loves to help....this is her after licking the bottom of a greek yougurt tub.....
Nothing to do with preserving.....but she loves to be in the kitchen chaning her luck for a tit bit!