Hoarder? Moi?

Like most crafters, I have a stash. Well, I consider mine a bit of a hoard, as there are several stashes rolled into one. Hence the new blog name -The Magpie Makerie - I hoard pretty things, and sometimes even make things with them!

Part of my new leaf/new blog is that I want to start making things, and the new class over at Shimelle.com is all about using up that lovely paper that I've been looking after for the past 4 years (and I definitely don't collect Shimelle classes. Oh no. *cough cough*)

Our first challenge is to share our stash (luckily, not literally, though perhaps I should think about that too!). So here goes, one part sorted, one part stuffed and one part somewhere in the middle!

Cut down in my prime

Just as I was pootling along quite well, I've been struck down with an 'orrible virus. So please excuse me as I defer my promises for another couple of weeks. Our family has been battered recently with illnesses (albeit minor ones, for which I am very grateful), and I need a bit of time to fully recover - or it'll just just happen all over again.

Toodle-oo for now, folks. I hope you and yours are hale and hearty x

What love can do

Love can make us do very strange things.



This photo shows me confronting my fears, for love, trying desperately to hide the fact that I'm cacking myself. "Why?" I hear you ask. Well, because in about 5 minutes after this photo, I have to get into this.

Here is a shot from the top...



And here is my "she can't see me so I'll let my feelings show a little" face.


Otherwise known as "Eek, get me off this effing thing".

What is your greatest fear? Do tell...

Family resemblances

I was always told I look like my Nana, my Mum's mum, so I suppose it's only fitting that my daughter should resemble her Nana, my mum!

This is one of my favourite photos of 2009. Prize to the person who recognises the beach...

Serendipity

I took this photo during an online course from Cheryl Johnson a couple of years ago. I was practicing focusing close-up with fuzz in the distance (can't remember the proper photography term), and had given my daughter a satsuma to keep her still. I was just lucky to get this shot of my daughter popping a piece of satsuma into her mouth, looks like it was totally the shot I was going for :)

"Fluke!" as they say.

Five things...

Image from: http://www.pillarcc.co.uk/hearts-in-service/

...that I spend most of my time doing (when I'm not doing childcare/housecare) right now:

1 My Kindle
2 Crochet
3 Dreaming about and planning for our future house extension which will allow me to do something about #4 and #5
4 Longing to make my own clothes
5 Buying fabric and obsessing about quilts

What's floating your boat at the moment?

Before I had my real babies...

...I had many surrogate children. Now, take a deep breath, oh ye of faint heart. For what I am about to tell you may shock you to the core.

I like rats. Pet rats, fancy rats that is... rattus norvegicus, rather than the black rat of the "carrying the fleas that carried the plague" fame. They are truly delightful, similar in temperament to dogs, and just as easily trained! I'm giving you fair warning, there will be a couple of photos later, that you may well not want to see - I fully understand that some people think that they are pretty foul.

As I was looking for photos for this blog post, I came to the realisation that I've not scrapbooked about any of the rats so far, hence this post. Here's hoping it doesn't send you reaching for the close tab.

I've had the pleasure of knowing 22 in all, mostly in batches, and mostly females. Female rats are inquisitive, intelligent, friendly and very sociable. Our first big group were 6 girls named after 50s film stars, of which Dot (Doris) was my favourite. She was tiny, but by far the bravest of them all.



(notice I'm easing you in by not showing a picture that shows her tail!)

At one point, we had 13 - due to a pregnant pet shop rat. We gave all the females to good homes, but kept the males, 6 in all, named after Liverpool FC managers. If I could remember the names or thought you'd be interested, I'd list them! *sexism alert* They pretty much behaved as stereotypical male animals - sat around stuffing their faces with food, peeing everywhere and didn't move much. Working on their fat storage, presumably. They were still delightful, but much less interesting to watch than the giddy girls.

I shan't go on any more, but shall leave you with a photo of another glamorous rat Mazz (named after Marilyn Monroe). She was an albino rat, the ones with the pink eyes, and was a grumpy little sod. Unsurprising though, seeing as she couldn't see past her whiskers. The head-scarf is due to hair-loss, the story of which I may well share another day...


So, tell me. Do they make you cringe? Or do you want to reach out and stroke?