Painting on glass

Mum, do you recognize this?

....and if anyone wants to have a go - CLICK Using Rubber Stamps as Glass Painting Templates.

You will notice when you look at the Rubber Stamping site that it looks different - but only half of the time! This is because the whole site is being redesigned and they do tests first and make sure that all the readers don't log off in shock! I quite like it, but I've got to finish setting it up properly.

I've worked like Billio (now that's a Bamps phrase) the last day or so -

Glue Dots
Medallion Stamps
Heat Embossing Resists

oh, and of course, I've been debunking audiobook myths.

I found The Apprentice on YouTube and have managed to get Ian addicted after about 2 mins. He sniffed to start with and just said NO, and said he was not at all interested until he heard the discussion about greetings cards, he could not resist - and much, MUCH, later I went to bed leaving Ian watching as many Apprentice videos he could find.

Puppy Pile

We are very lucky at the moment to have so many animals that get on together. Dookems is the little black pillow that Henry is resting his head on, and Fibs got pushed out of her place and is asleep standing up.

Our Peach Tree

Huge Moth

Light Reading...

Here are my most recent articles in case anyone has the urge to read scintillating stamping stuff...

• Interview Judi Kauffman
• Interview Martha Stewart Crafts
• Interview VistaPrint
• Buying Stamps on Ebay (Mum will know where the inspiration from this one came from!!)
• Using Stamps in Small Businesses
  
• Book Review
• Scented Embossing Powder Review (note the picture - Ian has made a light box so we (he) can take more professional looking pictures)
  

In addition I've started the Audiobook site at Suite101. Keep an eye on the blog (bottom of page) as I am keeping an eye open for free audiobooks - so far I have found a free copy of a starwars book...

I've made some changes to the blog - the links are now showing in blue which should make it easier to see where to click. I've also updated our list of websites on the right.

Audiobooks

We've started taking a walk early in the morning now. When we were going out for an afternoon paseo we were walking out of the village as we'd often be asparagus picking. Now we've started doing our old walk which is around the village. We've therefore been on the entire ring road! Most of it has been tarmacked, with just a small amount left to go. The sports hall is pretty much finished as well, and trees are being planted outside for shade so that is looking much improved. Apparently next is going to be an olive oil mill. Since we've been here there has been a new swimming pool, sports hall, olive cleaning and weighing thing, leather workshop, tarmacked roads and the convent renovated.

Yesterday there was an 'inaugral' party at Disco Tony's, however we didn't know what it was about. It might have been for the opening of the disco patio - or it could have been to celebrate the first communions. We didn't go, but judging by the sound of the noise later on that night what ever it was it was being celebrated in style.

I spent yesterday researching audiobooks and I was looking at some free ones. The quality of free audiobooks varies, as some are just read by enthusiastic amateurs, whereas others are read by professionals (you can read about LibriVox free books HERE). Anyone can read and record a book that is in the public domain - which are many of the classics - which is why there are actually a lot of free audiobooks around. I found an Agatha Christie which I downloaded as I thought that would be fun to write about - and while I do not like to be critical of books that people have taken the time to read and record and that they have made freely available, I did have tremendous problems trying to take Poirot seriously with his amazingly varying accent. It didn't help that some how or other it was playing the chapters out of sync, so we were staggeringly confused by the end.

We've set up a light box for taking photos of objects, and Ian has been taking some excellent photos. The one in the pic is what he did for me for the Audiobook Home Page, just a shame that it is squashed in that little circle.

Just like a bus...

Nothing for ages and then two blog posts at the same time!!

The picture gives you an idea of what we look like with our laptops sat outside!

Since writing my last blog post I've had confirmation that I have been appointed Audiobook Feature Writer at Suite101. I'm very happy about this - it means I will give up writing the sewing and needlework section - which I have enjoyed, however I am aware of a potential conflict of interest with my writing at About, so I thought it was better to address it now than later. Audiobooks will be an excellent thing to write about anyway, as this is something that Ian and I really enjoy. It was the only other subject that I wanted to write about so I was delighted when I saw it come up as available.

Phewey

Gosh - I can't believe how long it was since my last post. I'd like to say we'd been busy doing really exciting things - but the 'exciting' would be pushing it rather. Ian has been busy doing some print work - which seems to go on and on, and I am still busy rubber stamping. Well, not rubber stamping actually. I am aware that I must do some projects for the site. This weeks articles can all be found Click here , and here. I'm applying for a transfer to the Audiobook section at Suite101 which is why I have written a few audiobook reviews this week (see right).

The weather has been lovely. We've got our sun shade back up, and put our plants under it as our rose was starting to burn. Our peach tree will have an amazing crop this year - assuming that all the little ones that are growing don't all fall off. I counted 50 - but I guess that a few of these will drop off.

We've also bought a couple of loungers for the garden. We expected this to trigger rain, but surprisingly this wasn't the case. We have been sitting in the garden working and it has been rather nice. We were going to get some nice wooden loungers, but we ended up getting very cheap plastic ones. We'll see how we get on with these and then get something else next year if necessary.

I made some soap last week. I made all olive oil soap, and 80% olive and 20% palm and coconut so we can see the difference. I didn't put any fragrance or other bits in it as I wanted to see how the soap came out on its own. It will be a few weeks before we can try them - oh how exciting!!

Next Wednesday we are going to the town hall to find out about grants. Apparently there is money for new roofs - however as ours is fine we don't hold out much hope - although my workshop roof leaks so that might count.

We went asparagus picking last Sunday - and that may well be the last time this year. The season ends at the end of April and given that we are not that good anyway, hunting for the last few stalks at the end of the season may be beyond us. its a shame as this was something we really enjoyed. Last Thursday we found we didn't have anything for tea - so we went out and picked asparagus, and had that with some bread and a bottle of wine sat outside. The next season is berries ...