Fabulous Friday!

 Why is the heading on this post Fabulous Friday?  Because I'm happy! The sun is shining, the weather is sweet! And because it is so nice I've been outside a lot...after all the sun doesn't shine on Tv now does it?  

Strange intro?  Spot the song references! I wonder, can  you find them all?

Well the sun is indeed shining which makes a huge difference to how I feel.  I'm very much a sun person and it is just as well because otherwise my week would have stunk.

Want to know how much crafting I got done?  None. Well, I did start a crochet blanket which is an xmas pressie for my mum but there isn't enough done to warrent a photo.

So what went wrong?

Well, I went on my etsy page and found that I was now being 'followed' by a well known naughty person who has stolen charts from other designers and who then sells them on as her own.  She was operating under Etsy but has now moved to Deviant Art.  I know! I bet you didn't know we all got together and shared information about such things did you?  This must be the only industry where designers get together to help and support each other.  That's cross stitch for you!  Of course some don't but that's fine.  Life is too short for such negativity so we leave them too it.

As you may know, I design what I like, not what is marketable necessarily, and my charts are my legacy to my children, proof I was here so thinking someone else was stealing them broke my heart.  I was understandably very, very upset.

DH saw this and dragged took me out for the day.  Where did he take me? Well, not shopping which made a nice change.  My usual outings are to Lidle, Aldi and Supervalu.  No, my wonderful hubby took me to Lough Key park in Boyle (Moon Boy was filmed here) which is about 25 minutes away from where we live.

And we hired bikes for the cycling trail which has just started there.  Hubby cheated and got an electric bike.  I was braver and went for a pedal bike: I asked the lady running it to set it up on one gear so I don't have to change it (chemo brain and technical stuff doesn't go together at all) and off we went!

The swans looked lovely and were getting ready for breeding season: this young swan is obviously hopeful as he puffs his wings up.  He looks like a ship with sails doesn't he?

 The castle in the Lake

I had to stop to catch my breath  take photos of the flowers. The bluebells were just starting to come out.

The veiws from the back of the lough (lock = lake) were amazing and it was so peaceful.

I managed to get some great pictures of the ruins.

All in all we cycled over 10 km and boy, am I saddle sore. I hadn't ridden a bike in over 12 years!

When I got back I was in a much better state of mind.  I've closed my Etsy account, moved everything over to the website Stitchers Anon.  That meant a whole day working with my provider to try and make a very basic shop look a little tidier and organising it so my paper charts and pdf charts were in seperate categories.

And another whole afternoon was spent trying to work out how to do the postage so customers only pay one set amount, no matter how many charts they buy (2.00 euros in Ireland, 3.00 euros worldwide).

Then, after picking up some charts from the printers, I decided I didn't like the cover pages.  That meant another afternoon was spent altering my logo and bar (as you can in my new blog design).

I am now very happy with the look of the cover sheets which are sent with the charts. It looks clean, tidy, sharp and professional.

And you may remember (if you do, you have a better memory than me) that I wanted to donate a percentage from Holmsey and Fergus  charts to a Youth Cancer charity.  I looked and looked and couldn't find one that clicked with me.  They are all such worthwhile causes but I needed something that was hands on AND which taakes part in research.  All research helps the whole world, whereever it is based so no matter who buys the charts, their area benefits.

I finally found the charity I want to support.

I've decided to donate 50% from the profits (after immediate costs, not after my profits because if you waited for the business to make a profit the poor charities wouldn't get anything teehee) from Holmsey and Fergus charts to the Teenage Cancer Trust.

I chose this for two reasons.  Firstly because of the story of this brave, wonderful young man who has raised over a million for the Teenage Cancer Trust despite coming to the end of his own palliative care.
Please, please, read Steven's Story here on facebook.

He is a real reminder that life isn't about length of time on this Earth: it is about what we do with the time we have.  He is to my mind, a real hero.

The second reason I chose this charity is because I was a teacher of teenagers in college and university.  I loved my job and I know how hard it is to be a teenager full stop: can you imagine being a teenager and living with a cancer diagnosis?  My heart weeps for them, yet when you read their stories they put us to shame because on the whole, they are just getting on with it, doing the best they can for the world around them.

So: updated website, charity chosen, and last night I reorganised my craft room for the new professional me!

No craft but I guess a lot was achieved..I was given lemons, and I made lemonade.....and on a bright note, you know what that means don't you?

A weekend of none-stop crafting!!!!!
Yipee!!!!!

 Oh, and thanks for your comments re; Mary the Cow.  We visited her on our way to the lake and she was in fine form, none the worse for her delve into freshwater swimming!

Have a great weekend everyone!