My Family & Other Animals

Sunday 18 November 2012

"It's So Funny, How We Don't Talk Anymore..."


So before I start to tell you about the delightful little candle holder I made for this weeks Kenny K Krafty Krew Challenge, I wanted to talk a little about the growing number of charges, arrests and convictions for comments being made on Facebook, Twitter and texts etc.
A couple of days ago, one of the big stories on the BBC news was about a young man who had tweeted a picture of a burning poppy and had then found himself under arrest for sending a 'malicious communication'. There have been lots of reported cases of people setting up Facebook pages meant to memorialize someone only to find offensive and hurtful comments on them, left by people who are called 'Trolls' (the clue here is in the name!) and there was even a case of one idiotic young man who made crude and offensive comments about a missing child earlier in the year and then found himself in prison.
Now I don't for one second condone their comments, in most cases they are at the bassest level possible and are only going to be forwarded or engaged with by like-minded morons but I certainly think there is a 'bigger picture' to be looked at here in that since Tony Blair came into office as our Prime Minister, we have had more and more of our civil liberties eroded than at anyother time in recent history. We have even had rights taken from us that were guaranteed in the Magna Carta!
As a society we pride ourselves on not being like communist regimes who monitor and persecute people, politicizing free speech issues and stamping all over peoples rights but we are beginning to take away people right to 'free' speech.
Nobody has ever died from a hurtful comment!
I took issue with someone (very much an ex-friend now) over his use of the C word (in reference to David Cameron taking time off work when his father was ill) on one of his posts. While I disagreed with what he had to say and as someone who has no problem with that particular word, I pointed out to him that I may be on my PC and my Goddaughter could be there and see what he had written and that if he couldn't stop using such an inflamatory word then I would have to take him off my friend list. This then turned into a rather heated debate and the outcome was me taking him off my list and not speaking to him since! But at no time did I feel the need to call the police. Like Jeremy Kyle on morning TV, when I see something offensive, I switch channels and move on.
The men we memorialize with the Poppy who have fought and died for our right to free speech, would probably be spinning in their grave to learn we are now arresting people who are demonstrating those very rights, however incendiary or vile those words may be. When someone in this country is taken into police custody and questioned for six hours over a Facebook comment, because he said he wanted to 'kill Obama', I think we should all start questioning exactly where we are heading as a society.
I would welcome your comments on this issue too.
On to the above candle holder and this weeks challenge over at the Kenny K Krafty Krew is 'We Wish You A Sassy Christmas'. I have used Stud Santa and used some traditional Christmas papers from my (extremely large) stash. I made and glittered a couple of pinecones using my Tim Holtz Sizzix die and used some Diamond Dust on Santa's white bits. The letters were taken from a Basic Grey sheet of stickers that usually come with a 12x12 paper pack, these ones being given with the Wassail collection. As for the holder itself, I basically measured the diameter and depth of a tea light candle then mapped out the box on a sheet of card and finally added the back with the image on to finish the whole thing off. I know this is not exactly 'in-depth' crafting here but that's just how I roll i'm afraid, I am more of a crafter-on-the-go than a plotter and planner. My craft space is sooooo disorganised it has to be seen to be believed but I am sure that if you Google 'create a candle holder' you will find yourself bombarded with projects.
So that's my rant over, sorry if it wasn't to your liking but this really did bother me in the week and I thought I could share it with my lovely followers who constantly leave me lovely comments about my blog and what I write.
Hope you have a good week and I hope I see you again real soon,
take care,
hugs 'n stuff,
Andy
xx
P.S. Hope you like the piccie too, Jasmine took it upon herself to check my work just as I took my picture and I really loved the image!
Entered Into: Challenges 4 Everybody Challenge #7 - Anything Goes
Dream Valley Challenges #45 - Anything Goes
Joanna Sheen Challenge - Cold and Frosty
One Stitch At A Time Challenge #140 - Use A Digi
Stamping Sensations November Challenge - Traditional Christmas
Sunday Stamper Challenge #232 - I've Just Seen A Face
The Crafty Pad Challenge #197 - It's Beginnining To Look A Lot Like Christmas
The Squirrel And The Fox Challenge #31 - Anything Goes
Craft Room Challenge - Die Cuts and Punches
Our Daily Bread Designs Challenge #131 - Thanksgiving or Christmas
Shopping Our Stash Challenge #78 - I'm Leafing It Up To You to Use Leaves!
Tuesday Alchemy Challenge #41 - Anything But A Card

22 comments:

  1. "My craft space is sooooo disorganised it has to be seen to be believed"

    I'm pretty sure mine could give you a good run for your money! :lol:

    Re: your rant, I have to admit I've been having similar concerns of late. :/

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  2. Morning Andy,

    This is a really great candle holder and card and lovely traditional colours.

    But so sorry to say that you have combined more challenges than our Stamping Sensations rules allow.

    Good news is there is still plenty of time if you would like to join in with another piece of your great work.

    B x

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  3. That's gorgeous i love it thanks for sharing at challenges 4 everybody. Hugs trishax

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  4. Have to admit I do agree with your rant. If idiots want to post on facebook and you don't like what they say there is the choice to not look for the offending material or if you find it close the page.
    Onto your beautiful candle holder. Love that image and perfectly coloured. Great use of the TH fircone..I refrained from buying as I have so much Christmas stuff, forgotten I bought half of it, especially the stamps which are still unused...tsk tsk.
    Hope all is well with you and yours
    Eileen x

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  5. A Brilliant cold and frosty creation, thank you for joining in at Joanna Sheen Challenge. Teresa xx

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  6. aw, Jasmine is gorgeous... my AlfieCat has a habit of showing up in photo's... usually the less furry end though lol Love your Santa, would love to see his white bits ;o) Thanks for joining in with the Sunday Stamper x

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  7. Nice project, lovely bright colours, thanks for playing with us at the Squirrel and the Fox, blessings Hilde

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  8. Cool candle holder and rather tasty image Andy !!
    Thanks for joining us at The Crafty Pad this week !!

    hugs Diane xx

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  9. Fabulous image Andy. I do agree with what you have said, its just a pity not everyone see's it like that. Hugs Rita xx

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  10. Great project. Thanks for joining us at Dream Valley. xx

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  11. Brilliant project and fabulous image! thank you so much for sharing with us at OSAAT this week and good luck. Hugs

    NIKKI DT

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  12. Love this project - you executed it beautifully! Thank you for playing along with us at Tuesday Alchemy!

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  13. What a fun image!! Beautifully put together! Thanks for joining the Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light challenge this week!
    blessings,
    Chris

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  14. This is a great image Andy and I love how you used it.

    Many thanks for joining in with our Use A Digi challenge over at OSAAT & hope to see you back again soon.

    Mandy (DT member for OSAAT)

    P.S. I think it is all getting a bit stupid with the amount of things we are hearing about Twitter/Facebook etc. It is getting to the point where you are afraid of making a comment in a public forum as someone may misconstrue it and all of a sudden something explodes. It would appear freedom of speech is no longer allowed......

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  15. Wow this is stunning, the image. Thank you for joining us at OSAAT this week and good luck xxx

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  16. Fabulous creation, brilliant image and I totally agree with all you have said re free speech.
    Anne x

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  17. Me again! Popping back to say thanks for joining in this week's challenge at OSAAT - I love this candle holder and, as ever, your colouring is fantastic! :)

    Ali

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  18. A fantastic gift! Thank you so much for joining us at Dream Valley Challenges this time, hope to see you again soon! Elaine DT -xxx- p.s I have candy if you would like to pop by and enter http://sparklingblackrose-craftmylife.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/new-yummy-papers-candy.html

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  19. Fabulous candle gift, stunning creation!
    Thank you for sharing at Craft-Room Diecuts and punches Challenge,
    good luck;-))m

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  20. Hey, that is the wonderful thing about blogging - it is YOUR platform to talk about whatever YOU want, and what's important to YOU. So I congratulate you for sharing something that is important to you, whether or not people share your concerns. I think we face similar issues in Canada as well.
    That said, I came to peek at your card - and whoo, that is the sexiest leaf project I've seen yet :) LOVE that guy's eyes! Thanks so much for playing at Shopping our Stash with us this week!

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  21. oh my goodness, santa has had a makeover! what a fun and FAB holiday card, thanks for SHOPPING YOUR (leafy!) STASH with us this week! :)

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  22. A fabulous candle holder, what a great idea. Love the hunky santa lol. Thanks for joining us at Craft Room Challenge and good luck. Julia xxx

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