Fe-Fe's World Of Craft, Creations and Kids.

This blog was started mainly for my crafting, however I also find myself writing about my family life too and in particular about my son Josh. Josh is just Josh to us and we're used to his quirky behaviour. As I don't want to have to mention Josh's autism every time I post about him, I thought I'd mention it here. Hopefully you will bear this in mind as you read and it may give you a little insight into the wonderful world of the autisic child in a very gentle way!

Thursday, 17 April 2008

Two Cards

My mum and I went to a craft fair in The Dome in Doncaster on Sunday. It was really pants! If you like decoupage and Dufex then you'd be in your element but for us hearty stamps lovers there wasn't a lot to inspire us. It was very small too, we'd gone round all the stalls in an hour! The only other craft fair I've been to is the Great Northern Papercraft Extravaganza in Harrogate and that's fab. We get there for 10am and they are having to shove us out of the doors at 4.30pm because they want to pack up but we're still trying to buy!

In the end we went to another shop in Doncaster that my mum knew of that sold all sorts of things including craft stuff. We bought quite a few bits there and then we called in at Pontefract on the way back to another craft shop and bought some fab stuff from there. One of which was the wording stamp on the card below.

This card I made for my friend Sarah. It's a little late as her birthday was on Saturday. Whoops!
The papers are by Dovecraft.
The lady stamp is by Art Impressions
and the wording stamp is byInkadinkado

The wedding card I did for my friend Meghan who is going to her friends wedding on the 10th May. I thought I'd go with a traditional look.

The paper is by Dovecraft.
The wedding words stamp and the bride stamp are by Lavinia.
The wording at the bottom I did on the computer.

14 comments:

Em said...: Loving the quote on the birthday card - fab!!

Hate it when you go to craft fairs and they are rubbish :( poor you. But glad you managed to find somewhere else to spend your cash lol!; 17 April 2008 at 13:21
ScrapMomOf2 said...: That sentiment is so very cute! I love the wedding card you made. It's elegant and classic! Very nice! Have a great day!

I've already done a PIF on my blog, so I'm not commenting below, because I don't really have time to do another one! Bye for now!!; 17 April 2008 at 13:52
CraftyC said...: Great cards, but just love the granny one!!
Clairexx; 17 April 2008 at 14:22
Unknown said...: I have never managed to get to a craft fair....not sure that I could inflict that on Andy and I tend to be a bit of a lone crafter...I love the decadent lady and such great colours :-); 17 April 2008 at 15:49
Unknown said...: I love the wedding card... just soooo elegant :)

Love the wording on the first card too... something my nana would just laugh her head off at!; 17 April 2008 at 16:44
Lee said...: Oh gosh is that Birthday sentiment sooo cute!!!! And the wedding card truly dreamy!!!! I've been to one huge Craft Fair here in Colorado Springs....it was soooo fun!!!! I'm glad you did get to have a fun day with your mom!!; 17 April 2008 at 19:04
Anonymous said...: Hi Fe ! Your stuff is looking AWESOME ! How is everyone ? Miss ya ! I have been having major dental trauma, but i got all fixed up today ! Just need one more visit on the 12th ...... Now i have to get ready for a small party for my little guy. Hes the one who hates people so i finally stopped after 6 years inviting tons , lol ..... just having about 10 or 12 this time.
Ok, have a great weekend and i will talk to ya soon ! Where ya been hanging out lately ?
HUGS
JENN; 17 April 2008 at 19:07
Dawn said...: Fe

Love the papers and that woman stamp is so funny - great sentiment too.
Lovely wedding card really elegant; 17 April 2008 at 22:35
Ana Baird said...: Wow! What a fantastic creations! Love them both!; 18 April 2008 at 09:07
Inspiration Alley said...: I love both cards but the decadent lady stamp is a must own, definitely my style.; 18 April 2008 at 11:53
tee said...: totally love your granny stamp!! Great cards both of them!; 18 April 2008 at 21:33
Dee said...: ... Fe should have added that we ended up at Pontefract where she bought the 'How many fingers...' stamp. We just howled at the funny stamps there and could have come away with a barrow full! We laughed so much it was a real tonic and tears streamed down our faces and our jaws ached. The assistant came over and joined in with us too!!!! Won't go into the heater episode eh Fe!??

mum XXXXX; 19 April 2008 at 00:04
Debbie said...: Great cards Fe - love that funny sentiment lol. :)

debbie x; 20 April 2008 at 14:13
I ♥ cupcakes to distraction said...: Fab cards. Love the first one that really made me giggle :); 25 April 2008 at 15:51

Ode to Special Mums

Ode to Special Moms(by Erma Bombeck)

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures and a couple by habit. This year, nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how mothers of handicapped children are chosen?

Somehow I visualize God hovering over Earth selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, he instructs his angels to make notes in a giant ledger.
"Armstrong, Beth, son, patron saint, Matthew.
Forrest, Marjorie, daughter, patron saint, Cecilia.
"Rudledge, Carrie, twins, patron saint, give her Gerard. He's used to profanity."
Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a handicapped child."

The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy."

"Exactly," says God. "Could I give a handicapped child to a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But has she patience?" asks the angel.

"I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it.
"I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has his own world. She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy."

"But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."

God smiles. "No matter. I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness."

The angel gasps, "Selfishness? Is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a 'spoken word.' She will never consider a 'step' ordinary. When her child says 'Momma' for the first time, she will be present at a miracle and know it! When she describes a tree or a sunset to her child, she will see it as few people ever see my creations."I will permit her to see clearly the things I see...ignorance, cruelty, prejudice...and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."

"And what about her patron saint?" asks the angel, pen poised midair.

God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."

"Welcome to Holland"

"Welcome to Holland" By Emily Perl Kingsley

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away...because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss. But...if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.