Knock knock knocking on Malta's door

When I'm away from home, whether for a day or on holiday, I enjoy studying the architecture around me.

As I looked at the houses on Malta, mostly terraces or apartments as Malta is such a small island, I noticed the door knockers.

Wherever you are on Malta, the sea isn't too far away, so it's no surprise that fish swim into view quite often.

Lions were also much in evidence, the first looks a little glum, possibly at the indignity of having a hoop through his jaw!

this one looks very angry

slightly pensive, I think

quite regal and serene

Simply elegant, don't you think?

The Maltese Cross was awarded to the whole island of Malta to recognise their war efforts in the Second World War, and it, too, appears as a door knocker.

What's your favourite door knocker design?

Meet my Maltese camel

We've been to Malta three times now, and have booked to go again; we enjoy the gentle warmth instead of our cold winters, and meet up with many of the same people each year for day long walks around the island.

There are some quite hilly patches on Malta, and a walking stick is a sensible thing to take with you on a day out.  Fortunately bamboo grows abundantly in the countryside, and a fallen stick can usually be found which will act as your third leg.  We normally pick up a couple, cut them to size, and use them for the holiday, then stick them in a hedge near the hotel for someone else to utilise later - a trick we were shown by folks who've been travelling to Malta for years!

Last year I found a camel to accompany me.  He wasn't absolutely ideal as he was a little warped, but I couldn't resist him - could you?

Ebay cheek!

Mostly, Ebay deals work out fine.  Just occasionally they don't.

I took delivery of a batch of 6 LED lightbulbs, ready for my inspection pre solar panel installation.  5 of them were fine, the sixth had one of the prongs missing from the bayonet fixing, so it won't sit in the light fitting.

I wrote to the company concerned asking for a  replacement.  They asked for a photograph.  I complied.  The resultant communication from them was ridiculous, unprofessional and downright cheeky!

I was informed that they only sell batches of 4 and 10 bulbs.  Untrue as my order was for 6 bulbs.  Therefore if I wanted one replacement bulb it would need to be ordered from abroad and would take 25-30 days to arrive!!!!!  Clearly not an appropriate timescale for a replacement.

Finally they said "How about we send you a pack of four bulbs and you just pay for three?"  You see what I mean about lack of professionalism and sheer cheek.  I don't need any  more bulbs, and if I did, I wouldn't be buying from them after such an attitude to customer service.

Naturally, I refused, and requested an immediate replacement for an item they had supplied that was "not fit for purpose".  If they don't send a bulb this week I shall name and shame them.  Watch this space!

Solar Panels - the adventure begins

Yesterday Stephen from Solar Warmth came to measure up my roof to give me a quotation for the installation of solar panels.

The back of my house faces South, the ideal direction for maximising input from the big golden globe in the sky. Consequently, I'd assumed that the sections of the house and garage roofs that face South would be the ones best suited to having the panels affixed.

Not so, in my case!  Stephen explained that because of the design of the roofline, the shadow caused by the house roof in the afternoon would fall on the garage roof, reducing the ability to gain maximum exposure.  Instead he suggested that I would generate more electricity by installing panels on the West facing house roof, which is not overshadowed.  Smart man, Stephen!

I was naturally guided by his expertise, and next Wednesday the team will come and fit ten solar panels to my roof.  I shall take photos and you can share the adventure with me.

The Life of a Cow

I saw this on Vegan Richa's site, and just had to copy it out.  The images may be cutesy, but the message is serious.  We have the phrase "it's a dog's life", but maybe it should be amended to "it's a cow's life"?

I know otherwise compassionate people who say that taking milk from a cow doesn't cause any deaths to animals, not like eating them does.  I've known for decades that this isn't true, that male calves are imminently disposed of, and the cow's life is ended when she is no longer able to produce commerically viable quantities of milk.  This graphically illustrates the point, well done PETA for producing it.

Make an 80th Birthday Card for someone special

I wanted to make an 80th birthday card for someone very special so went to some extra time and trouble.

I die cut a butterfly using my big Shot from a sheet of pink paper, then embossed the sheet with a floral embossing folder.  I mounted the embossed sheet onto lilac paper.  I took some gold heart peel-offs, and used them to infil the butterfly, trimming a couple down for the body and antennae.  I stuck a gold 80 across the top left of the panel, with a tiny gem.

I took a smaller sheet of pink paper and embossed it with a butterfly border, and mounted this on lilac paper, too.  I attached a gold peel-off greeting and another heart.  I mounted both panels to the white card, with a ribbon bow at the left, and 3 pink gems at top right.

Inside the card I put two layers of paper, pale pink and the deeper pink of the front.

I die cut a butterfly from the pale pink, so that the darker pink showed through, then mounted the pale pink butterfly on the dark pink paper, as you can see.  Below the pale pink butterfly you'll see that I cut an aperture using a thinlits dies - through the window you can see the month of June, with the date highlighted.

I had previously printed out a calendar from 1933, highlighted the birthday, and in the Important Dates section at the bottom of the calendar I inserted the birthday of the recipient.

I die cut some flowers with the Big Shot, in pinks and lilacs, and assembled them inside on the dark pink sheet.  I stamped "Happy Birthday" in purple ink, and affixed a couple of gold butterfly peel-offs to complete the card.

This is how the various layers actually work together.  It took a little time and effort, but looked really good.  I hope you like it.

A very happy new year to you all.  I hope you enjoyed a fantastic Christmas with family and friends and didn't slave over a hot stove for too long!

Have a healthy and happy 2013:)