"You Are My Sunshine..."

So this week has seen Petrol Pump Madness (good name for a band that!!) and me getting to grips with the rather wonderful FlexMarkers.

First things first though and let's address the lunacy that was the 'shortage' at the pumps. Working in a petrol station has given me a rather unique insight into the demented British psyche. The news reports that tanker drivers may go on strike in the near future, the PM telling people it's okay to fill up and that simpering dolt Maude telling people "Panic, Panic, Panic, get it all now, keep it in your garage, whatever, do it now, OMG it's so scary innit". What do we do as a nation - obviously we listen to the stupidest man on earth and whirl into a tailspin and start overwhelming all the garages and waiting in queues for hours on end in the hope of getting at least a teaspoon's worth of fuel! If only we had all listened to the end of that news story before charging out of the house eh!, the bit that said the drivers weren't striking, they were in fact in talks to take a vote as to weather or not to go on strike and if they did they would give us a week's notice first.

I heard tell of a man who queued for an hour and three quarters for £7.20 worth of fuel and was then going to put the car in the garage and not use it again until JUNE!!! and he was one of the reasonable ones. I don't wish to mock the afflicted, but what kind of mentalist fills petrol cans in their kitchen, at teatime, with the cooker on?!?! I have to tell at least three people a shift to stop smoking and nearly every one of them will look at you like you are trampling all over their civil liberties. They take great delight in telling you that diesel will not ignite with a naked flame. "Ah yes", I tell them "that's very true. However, the 150'000 gallons of fuel beneath you in the storage tanks do give of the odd 'flammable' vapour, which is easily ignited and would leave this site a gaping two mile wide crater, so please put the cigarette out as I quite like my life at the moment, even if you do have a death-wish!" Working in the retail industry has really knocked my view of people, I have seen how greedy, rude and downright ignorant they can be.

Thank God the crafting world has restored some of that faith with all the lovely people I meet whenever I go to a craft fair or club, or even on-line now! Thank You Crafters everywhere.

On to FlexMarkers and all I can say about them is WOW!!! They are so good. I have been using ProMarkers forever and when the new pens came out I got a set at a show but never really used them. I thought the pale colours were too pale if that's at all possible, but I recently got a great Multibuy deal on Create and Craft and as the sets came with some of the original colours but with the Flex tip I gave them another go and that's it, I'm hooked. So now I can't wait for the whole range to be replaced with the Flex tip (and neither can my wife Jo, who I have told can have all my pens which are replaced).

This week's card is the first one I have done with just the FlexMarkers and although it's not as good as I would normally expect, it's not far off and I know that with time and practice I'll get there in next to no time at all. The image is one of the new Kraftin' Kimmie sets from designer Cheryl Alger, which I purchased from the very wonderful site Quixotic Paperie. This lovely young lady is called Lulu and comes in a few sets (this particular one is from the 'Lovely Lulu' set), reasonably priced at £15.99. I have used my Magnolia tree die and the flower die is an old one from Marianne Designs. The double ribbon makes the flower look like a daffodil and the bows are the petals. While I would love to take credit for this, it was a 'happy accident', but I do think the final effect is really great.

Hope this week hasn't been too stressful for you and if you have made it down this far, well done, I hope my rambling doesn't put you off and keep you from coming back again!! Hope you like the card and I will see you back here again real soon,

hugs 'n stuff,

Andy

xx

Entered Into: Through The Craft Door Challenge #23 - Spring is in the Air/Must use a Butterfly

The Crafter's Cafe Challenge #3 - Spring with Pastel Colours

Tando Creative Challenge - Predominantly Yellow & Green

Sparkles Monthly Challenge #30 - Mother's Day or Spring

Fashionista Challenge #1 - Anything Goes For Girls

Really Reasonable Ribbon's Ramblings Challenge #45 - Button and Bows

Pretty Little Ribbon Shop Challenge #9 - To Die For

Oozak Challenge #1 - Anything Goes

Just Tracy's Crafts Challenge - Yellow, Green and White

Just Keep On Creating Challenge #1 - Anything Goes

Be The Next Papercraft Star Challenge #91 - Anything Goes!

Divas By Design Challenge #29 - Anything Goes

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #149 - Easter/Spring

Hanna & Friends Challenge #139 - Easter/Spring

Little Miss Muffet Challenge #32 - Spring Colours (Pastels)

Charisma Cardz Challenge #13 - Chipboard or Stickers