HAPPY PINK SATURDAY - CHERRY BLOSSOM TIME

Copyright Susie Jefferson for Craft Stamper magazine 2005

I had to rack my brains this week!

It's Beverly's first Pink Saturday anniversary, and warrants something that's a little different.

So I thought you might like to see an old article I wrote for Craft Stamper magazine, back in The Day.

It's Spring, it's Cherry Blossom Time, it's definitely pink!











I have scanned all the pix at high resolution, so you can actually read the text. For card makers, it might just give a couple of ideas (plus there's an origami envelope). Please allow a little time for the pages to load.












As always, I'll do my level best to visit every single blog.


Go here to visit Beverly at How Sweet The Sound and to see all the other Pink Saturday posts!

NAKED FLAME - CANDLE ART

This is another old article of mine, which I thought might give you a few ideas.



Originally published in Issue 2, Simply Stamping 2006



So I have scanned at large resolution to enable you to actually READ the technique when you click on the thumbnails.



It's basically stamping onto giftwrap tissue. The way I apply the tissue to the candle actually bonds it, so it is safe to burn.


Naked Flame article
Copyright Susie Jefferson


Have fun with it!

1st FLOORFLAT - THE WEBSITE

I'm a happy bunny - reloaded pix the Caught in Crystal section in Techniques, so you can actually read the pages now, and added a Blog Backgrounds tutorial in The Computery.




Copyright Susie Jefferson

Added to this, I have content on the website now, so there is actually something to look at. Plus a couple of tutorials as well. The advantage with a website being that you don't have to roam all over to look for an item: the pages are pretty much static in that they stay where they are put!

If looking for blog backgrounds, buttons etc on the website, go to Freebies. I'll try to remember to put a link in the Galleries section as well.

It's amazing just how much TIME it all takes, but at least I am happier with the layout now, and the email links work properly (they did from my end, but at the server end they were still directed to the old Unix site). All above my head, which is why I pay the web server guys so they can do it all for me. All I want is they keep the website up there somehow, so people can look at it and send me the occasional comment.

The new screen is amazing - at least I can see what I'm doing now!

ANOTHER HAPPY PINK SATURDAY

Yet another Bank Holiday weekend, and yet another Pink Saturday. I could get used to this!

Geisha foldout ATC copyright Susie Jefferson

This ATC is not strictly pink - though Geisha is watercoloured in pale pink, so that counts, lol.

It's been a pretty eventful week - culminating in my long-awaited new monitor, so very happy days. Strictly speaking, this also doesn't count as the casing is glossy black. Still, I'm feeling very In The Pink since I installed it (about 6 hours ago).

This week, for a change, I thought I would share some of my favourite quotes. This one probably isn't very inspirational, but it did amuse me:

Before you criticize people, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away. And you have their shoes.
- J K Lambert

Poodle skinny book page copyright Susie Jefferson

Muses work all day long and then at night get together and dance.
- Edgar Degas

I am always doing things I can't do, that's how I get to do them.
- Pablo Picasso

Boldness has genius, power and magic. Engage, and the mind grows heated. Begin, and the work will be completed. - Goethe

Think happy thoughts, and Happy Pink Saturday, folks!



Go here to visit Beverly at How Sweet The Sound and to see all the other Pink Saturday posts!

NEW MONITOR

Happy Chef - magazine image, unknown source

I'm so excited - I finally got a new monitor: 22 inches of solid lusciousness!


Landscape format with a sexy, shiny black trim - may I present the LG Flatron W2252TQ, as recommended by Computer Shopper as being great for graphics, and in my opinion the Rolls Royce of monitors in its price bracket. And it is super duper - no more hunching up to the screen.

Even with my 2nd pair of middle-distance (computer) glasses in under a year, with the old monitor (17 inches and square) I was sitting hunched over with my nose around 8 inches from the screen (even with my monitor adjusted to a larger setting and using the zoom key on my MS Smart Keyboard). I am already wondering how I ever used to manage... I'm comfortable, sitting back in my chair, shoulders down (I was getting round shouldered) at the perfect distance. I am so happy!

And I can't tell you how nice it is to actually see the SIDES of my blog backgrounds (with small monitors you only get about an inch of the outer borders).

Whoopee! Just had to share. Doesn't take much to make me happy!

TA DAAAAAAAAAA!

It's finally up!

1stfloorflat.co.uk my website - is up and running!

Not a lot on it yet as none of the old links worked, needless to say, so I have to completely reload everything.

Which is no bad thing as it was huge and clunky and hard to find your way around.

Copyright-free image from Tack-o-Rama

I changed from the one you now see to the pink website (which I didn't much like, truth to tell). I think Flash galleries are well overrated. So back to the one I had in the first place!

This time it's going to be leaner, meaner and easy to navigate.

Whew ... this has been a marathon project (I had to move web hosting platforms etc etc) but then nothing in this life is simple, lol.

Constructive criticism is welcome, as always (you might just recognise those Email Me buttons....)

I think we all deserve a glass of champagne (subsitute your favourite tipple). I really feel the world is my mollusc of choice today!

SEWING MACHINES

I had to share this one!



Thank goodness times have changed - let's hear it for the electronic machine with the one-step buttonhole! Yaaaaay!

And just because I'm a nice person at heart, I'll share this link with you:

Sewing machine tutorials
This company has put up an entire page full of FREE video clips of detailed sewing instructions - like what to do with a fringe pressing foot (??). The best I've seen - anywhere. This company will also find you old out-of-print sewing machine manuals, and odd spare parts, so it's a link worth saving.

HAPPY PINK PIX

It's Pink Saturday time again! Where does the time go?

These copyright-free photos are in the public domain - I had them saved on CD - and now can't find the link again! Rats.

This one is a fantasy castle somewhere in Germany or Bavaria (I'm thinking it would make a great background for a card or scrapbook page).














And this one is Cherry Blossom time in Japan












This castle in the clouds was built by one of those mad German/Bavarian kings back in the 16th Century (Ludwig?) and although it isn't pink, it is glorious and I just had to share!













Happy Pink Saturday, folks!



Go here to visit Beverly at How Sweet The Sound and to see all the other Pink Saturday posts!

MY "NEW" WEBSITE

Copyright-free images from Tack-o-Rama
(whose website is also written in MS Front Page)



It's been the mother of all busy weeks this week- and a comedy of errors.

I have mentioned my old website ad nauseum: written in Microsoft's Front Page (as is Tack-o-Rama, by the way) which Microsoft in their wisdom have decided not to support any longer. Yada yada yada. Which is a real bummer.

So my web server no longer supported it on the plan I had with them (and I haven't updated it in nearly a year because of this).

So I bought another programme - supposedly easy to use, nice picture galleries etc etc - and after 8 false starts and most of a week's work, I uploaded it on Wednesday. I absolutely hated it! It took forever to load onto my desktop - and around 2 hours to upload to the web (I had very little on it, too, just the basic skeleton 5 headers: Contact, About, etc - not even any galleries yet). But even with previews, you can't really tell how these things are going to work until they go live.

SO ... I got back in touch with my web server to ask for help, and lo and behold, they have ANOTHER plan which is Windows based, not Linux (?????) so after a day and a half of intensive work, I have managed to resurrect my old website... on... Front Page! Am I happy - you betcha!

Turns out when they updated their systems, I was left on the Linux one. I can't kick off about it because it was my own fault not checking things out - so now I am back to the website I had before I updated the last time. Green is not my favourite colour as a background, so I will try to change it later (it keeps defaulting back, but I'm now out of patience). So there you go.

Give it at least until Saturday to see if it loads up properly - one has to come off the system worldwide before the other one "takes". If it still defaults to the Plesk Control Panel (?) please try later. Meantime, I'll be the little voice in the corner screaming quietly whilst I try to publish it again...

Here it is: 1stfloorflat.co.uk

I have to say I have a great glow of achievement - emails transferred, web forwarding and all of that done... and the basic site looks OK for now. I'll be adding the galleries back over the weekend, as I need to check all the links and make sure everything works correctly. This was an old monster in the end, and needs a lot of pruning.

Hope you like it when you see it, and of course comments will be very welcome.

• Tell me what you think: put on all the old altered book and card galleries? Or just new stuff.
• Put up old magazine articles (full projects & how-to details)? Or would they be too out of date.

I'm going to get it right this time!

THINK PINK!

I've been digitally inclined all week, and decided to do something a little different for this week's post: a blog background and a choice of two headers.

These are free for you to use if you feel so inclined.

2-COLUMN BLOGGER BACKGROUND


Think Pink set
Copyright Susie Jefferson

<style type="text/css">
body {background-image: url("http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/9eb8a67e.jpg"); background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; }
</style>
<div id="tag" style="position:absolute; left:0px; top:50px; z-index:50; width:150px; height:30px;">
<a href="http://1stfloorflat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">
<img border="0" src="http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/dd6505d8.png"/>
</a></div>

Copy and paste ALL the code into an html/javacode box via Layouts > Add A Gadget.

THINK PINK HEADER No 1









THINK PINK HEADER No 2







To install the headers, just left-click for the full-sized picture then right-click to copy it to your own hard drive. Go to Layouts and edit your Header> Add image from your computer > show Behind title & description.

Don't forget to go to Layouts > Fonts & Colours to adjust the colours to match your new look.

I hope you like them!



Go here to visit Beverly at How Sweet The Sound and to see all the other Pink Saturday posts!

MORE FREE BACKGROUNDS

I'm on a roll - here are some more backgrounds for you!

Just copy the code exactly as you see it, and paste into an HTML/JavaCode box (Layouts > Page Elements > Add A Gadget > HTML/JavaCode).

LILAC TIME
Copyright Susie Jefferson












2-column Blogger template

<style type="text/css">
body {background-image: url("http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/3a69c5a9.jpg"); background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; }
</style>
<div id="tag" style="position:absolute; left:0px; top:50px; z-index:50; width:150px; height:30px;">
<a href="http://1stfloorflat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">
<img border="0" src="http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/dd6505d8.png"/>
</a></div>

MOODY BLUES
copyright Susie Jefferson













2-column blog background

<style type="text/css">
body {background-image: url("http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/fa68e5ea.jpg"); background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; }
</style>
<div id="tag" style="position:absolute; left:0px; top:50px; z-index:50; width:150px; height:30px;">
<a href="http://1stfloorflat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">
<img border="0" src="http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/dd6505d8.png"/>
</a></div>

CREAMS AND YELLOWS
Copyright Susie Jefferson












3-column background

<style type="text/css">
body {background-image: url("http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/292a00bb.jpg"); background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; }
</style>
<div id="tag" style="position:absolute; left:0px; top:50px; z-index:50; width:150px; height:30px;">
<a href="http://1stfloorflat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">
<img border="0" src="http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/dd6505d8.png"/>
</a></div>

I hope you like these. If you do, I'll make some more. And some headers.

TAKE THIS BACKGROUND!

My second background - would anyone like to be the first to try it out?



Copyright Susie Jefferson






This is for a 2-column Blogger blog.

Go to Layout > Add A Gadget > HTML/JavaCode box and copy & paste this code into the box, exactly as you see it.

<style type="text/css">
body {background-image: url("http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/83c8b792.jpg"); background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; }
</style>
<div id="tag" style="position:absolute; left:0px; top:50px; z-index:50; width:150px; height:30px;">
<a href="http://1stfloorflat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">
<img border="0" src="http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/dd6505d8.png"/>
</a></div>

I've already done another two, so watch this space - I'll load them up tomorrow. They are more subtle: a moody deep blue, and a pretty one with blues and lilacs (and flowers).

It's now 1.15am so definitely bed time! Yikes!

NEW BACKGROUND

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

No - it's me, bragging about the first background I've ever made!

It might not be totally perfect, but it's mine from start to finish!

I have a feeling this is going to be addictive, and once I have sorted out a load of images, I'll be doing more. Yipee, another new hobby!

Sorry to brag - but I had to share! Now I'm off to do a better header...

IT'S PINK SATURDAY AGAIN

I love Pink Saturdays - such a nice day, all happy stuff!

Here's my contribution for today: a quotation and some more blog buttons, if you would like to use them to decorate your own blogs.

Here's the quote:

Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not.
George Bernard Shaw

And here are the buttons:

Copy ALL of this code and paste it into an HTML/JavaCode box, then insert your own email address where the three *** are, between the mailto: and the " (no spaces!) for your own email button.






<a href="mailto:***"><img border="0" src="http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/tn_AllJoysEmail.png"/></a>

If you'd like to take this button to decorate your blog, just go Layout > Page Element > Add A Gadget, then copy the code below and paste it into an HTML/JavaCode box.









<a href="http://1stfloorflat.wordpress.com/"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/tn_Pinkwelcome.jpg"><img/></a>

WordPress users go here if you would like a blog button (you need different code for WordPress, so I created another blog specially for you).

And don't forget to visit the other blog I write for: BladeRubber Blog - for the giveaway - as it closes TODAY (winner announced tomorrow). All you have to do is leave a comment on the BladeRubber blog. I'd hate for you to miss out!

Go here to visit Beverly at How Sweet The Sound and to see all the other Pink Saturday posts!