G-36, "Pickpockets", Circle Journal Group - Last Mail Date April 15th

[egod]

Note from EGOD/Gretchen:
We are still swapping pages. Mar, our hostess, has had a very hard winter with illness and loss in the family. We have fallen behind on our schedule. I have volunteered to take over the group for now; it would be helpful if people who are here check in and let us all know where they are on the schedule.

Welcome by 'The Pickpockets'
Pockets & Tags #3 Journal Group
SORRY THIS GROUP IS FULL

There are lots of ways to make a pocket that holds tags. These journal will have a Three Tag minimum per page and two pages spread. The tags can be hand-made or store bought shipping tags or be creative and think about a tag in the style of the theme. Make them anyway you would like: hand drawn, painted, collaged, clip art.


And here are our fantastic artists

1. carol schmidt/monarch......... "Little Girls & Flowers" ............8x8............USA
I guess I never embellished on my theme because it is basicly an open theme of little girls and flowers...............The little girls can be just the heads, whole bodys.........just cute little girls.....................and they can be vintage....whatever you can find and want to do.................. As for the backs with page protectors...If there is a mess on the back I would cover it up with another sheet of paper........I would like the person who does my page to sign the back and date it and if I pull it out to show someone, I don't think we want to see a mess on the back...............
BindingUse pageprotectors no margin needed

2. kysunflower............. "Asian/Oriental" ....................8x8............USA
Ok, mine is asian/oriental, and I don't care a whole lot for a modern look, no polictial or religeous, artisitc black and white nudity is ok, as long as it isn't too showy and pornagraphic, lets say mild nudity is ok. BindingI need about 1/2" on the right for the left page and 1/2" on the left for the right page free of words and embellishments, artist info on back, maybe cover the back with a printed paper9scrapbook type paper, or any style interesting paper old book, if artist is in another country a text like newspaper from that country would be great)

3. Mar (groupleader)..... "Doors" ...............................8x8............The Netherlands
My disciption for doors: You are totally free to use every medium you like, little embellies or fibers are welcome but not to bulky but when you goes bulky, please make the pages sturdy enough. By doors I think of very special doors which chatch your attention by color, could also be an old door. But also the hinges, locks, keys, numbers, names, mailboxes or knockers or other things which could belong at a door. I love collage and a vintage look, but feel yourself free, if you like it I like it to, when the pages are done with love and care. BindingI also made my own journal and needed about 1/2" on the right for the left page and 1/2" on the left for the right page.

4. craftyvox................ "?" .....................................8x8.......... ..The Netherlands
My theme. I'd love something with (foreign) text, books, literature, languages, words and descriptions.. but haven't yet found a nice short description for it yet.
I like old-fashioned looks but not too flowery or sweetsie, am a fan of collage (although I suck at making them myself I feel) and love earthtones but also the brighter colors that go with them.
You are all wonderful artists so I am sure you can come up with some beautiful stuff. And as long as it has something texty on it, it would be great!
Do's and don't's for my pages. Nothing religious please, no real nudity as I like to be able to show my journal around also to my cousins and such , some glitter is fine but don't go overboard on the glitter and glamour please.
BindingUse pageprotectors no margin needed

5. spunkygal............... "Birdhouses" .........................8x8............USA
For my pages you have Birdhouses as my theme can you also put Birds in there. For my pages, please no nudity, religious/pagan/satanic elements. (But maybe that did not have to be said with birdhouses for a theme)

6. Gretchen/EGOD................ "Foreign Travel" .....................8x8............USAI would really like it to be like a travel journal but not to the usual places. I would not care if the travel took place in the past, present, or future. For example, one could visit Venice in the time of the Doges and the Medicis, or visit a tribe of Amazonian Indians in the present, or some imagined culture in the past or future. Any thoughts? Does this sound too involved to anyone? I am, of course, a Nick Bantock fan. Needed no margins of free space


SIGNATURE CARD
--For craftyvox, Gretchen and carol schmidt:
Include an ATC with some info on yourself: your name/username, most liked material to work with, image, ..., and for instance what all you had been thinking off while creating your pages for my journal. Whatever you would like to be on there. You can use both sides of the ATC.
--for Mar's pages you can use one of the backs of one of the tag.


Mailing Rotation and Posting Dates

1st Maildate - December 15th, 2007
carol schmidt mails to kysunflower
kysunflower mails to Mar
Mar mails to craftyvox
craftyvox mails to spunkygal
spunkygal mails to Gretchen
Gretchen mails to carol schmidt

2e Maildate - January 15th, 2008
carol schmidt mails to Mar
kysunflower mails to craftyvox
Mar mails to spunkygal
craftyvox mails to Gretchen
spunkygal mails to carol schmidt
Gretchen mails to kysunflower

3th Maildate - February 15th, 2008
carol schmidt mails to craftyvox
kysunflower mails to spungygal
Mar mails to Gretchen
craftyvox mails to carol schmidt
spunkygal mails to kysunflower
Gretchen mails to Mar

4th Maildate - March 15th, 2008
carol schmidt mails to spungygal
kysunflower mails to Gretchen
Mar mails to carol schmidt
craftyvox mails to kysunflower
spunkygal mails to Mar
Gretchen mails to craftyvox

5th Maildate - April 15th, 2008
carol schmidt mails to Gretchen
kysunflower mails to carol schmidt
Mar mails to kysunflower
craftyvox mails to Mar
spunkygal mails to craftyvox
Gretchen mails to spungygal

THE RULES

Next on to the rules, so there is no confusion (Please let me know if you have any questions, I’m happy to help.)

1. You are required to check in on this thread at least once a week to let us know how things are going. If you are going to be away or on vacation or whatever, please let us know in advance so that people aren't worried about their spreads!

2. If you do not post to your group thread or to a Group Leader for more than two (2) weeks, your membership in the Circle Journals will go on suspension. Your name will be taken off the rotation and pages will not be sent to you. NO EXCEPTIONS. We expect active participation on threads.

3. Mail out dates: We will have mail out dates each 15th of the month and be mailing our 2 page spreads to each individual directly.

4. Delivery Confirmation Numbers (for USA) on packages are no longer mandatory for page spreads, but if you do use them, post the # in the group thread or post the maildate in the group after posting.

5. All members should PM me with your FULL contact information (Name, address, email address, and all telephone numbers). When I have everyone's info, I will send out the list to all members so that we can contact each other if necessary.

6. Because these are treated the same as Pick-A-Themes (PAT) each spread completed is entitled to a TRADER RATING.

[kysunflower]

Hi, I have done uptil Feb. All I have left is March and April. i think thats you and carol.

[egod]

I have finished through March, but I haven't mailed that one yet. I still have one to do for Spunkygal. I have only received one from Spunkygal, but my next two were to be from Mar and Craftyvox who havImagee both had difficult winters.

[OriginalYouth]

Gretchen, I have retrieved PAGE ONE from your thread from the old site.
Here it is:
Select it, copy and paste it into your first thread.
PM me if you need help!
Thanks!

Thanks Egod for taking over this group since Mar is unavailable. :)

[egod]

I haven't taken over except to get us up and running. I'm sure Mar will be back. I don't see it here, but Craftyvox has checked in with me and is now registered on this site. All the personal info (addresses and such) that Mar sent out is still relevant.
Erin

[OriginalYouth]

Egod, I updated the format of your first post to make it more legible. I would advise EVERY member to NOT mail your next spread to a particpant until they have checked in here on the new site. We have no way to 'guarantee' that trades worked out at the old site will be completed; but we certainly hope everyone follows through with pre-arranged swaps.
Thanks!

[craftyvox]

I am here. Made the pages for Spunky, Gretchen/Egod and Carol/Monarch. Am working on the pages for Donna and Mar.

All envies are waiting to be mailed out end of this weekend, except Mar's and I am not quite sure I'll be able to finish Donna's in time but we'll see.

I was going to post pics on my blog but yay now that this website is up and running I can do so here:) Weeeh.

[craftyvox]

I finally was able to also make photographs of the other two layouts I made. I cropped them and uploaded them to my gallery for your viewing pleasures:)

Also, good news lol, now that everything is digitally saved as well, I was able to finish up the envies and I'll do my best to get them to the mailbox tomorrow!

[monarch]

craftyvox - I'm done with your pages..........They will go in the mail tomorrow......

[Mar]

Hi all

Sorry it took a few days, but here I am too. However I had hoped that I could finished my pages the past weekend and days, I couldn't managed it because my MIL had to go to a care-house or how do you called it in English. She has Alzheimer and can't stayed longer at home and we were at her place to make arrangements and so on.

But I have done something I almost finished the pages for you all, I have to do some little things and of one page I'm not sure. So I think that I can finished them this weekend and sent them all out. of course I will post pictures of them.

When I came home yesterday I found the pages of Erin and Carol, thank you both so much they been beautiful. Sorry that I didn't respond earlier but I'm still recovering and I was so exhausted when I came home yesterday.

So I be off for trader points and be back with the photo's. Glad to see you here all too and Erin thanks for picking-up the group.

Mar

[kysunflower]

Mar, take your time,life happens and slows us down sometimes.
I think in english, care-house is nursing home, if you mean what it sounds like.
Going into the hospital on Tuesday, so theres a chance I may be late with my March pages.

[egod]

Kysunflower,
I hope your stay is brief and successful. We'll be thinking of you.
Mar,
We're so glad to see you back. So sorry too to hear of additional hard times. No one is rushing you for pages. You did such an effective job of organizing us to begin with that the group is, I think, self-running. Our thoughts are with you.
Carol, You are in our thoughts as well. I hope your family is doing well.
Erin

[monarch]

craftvox's pages................The pics are small but I can't get them any bigger but at least you have an idea...........I found 2 old children's book from Luxemburg at home...... I scanned the front covers and made tags out of some of the pages...........The writing is foreign so I don't know what the pages say:unsure::unsure: I hope you like them when you see them in person......

[craftyvox]

Welcome back to the forum Mar, and as I said in my email already: take your time! We'll be around heh.

Carol and Erin, the pages look great - can't wait to see them in person!! :) Now I have to do some camping at our mailbox again hehe.

I am currently working on Donna's pages. Got some very pretty papers and nice embellies, now just gotte make it all as a whole still. Also plan on going outside now that the weather is getting nicer again and hunt for nice doors to shoot pics of!

[craftyvox]

Donna, good luck at the hospital and I hope your visit will be a short and painless one!

[egod]

Donna,
Don't know if you have access to a computer but we'd like to hear how you're doing.
Erin

[spunkygal]

Hi, thanks to craftyvox I found the group again. I am so glad that we still have someplace like this site to play. I saw my pages on craftyvox's blog and they are great! I can't wait to get them.

Any news from Mar? I hope she is OK>

[craftyvox]

For Cindy since she just returned to our new home. As Mar wrote a few days ago, she is taking it a bit easy while recovering from all that happened in her real life the past months. Donna is currently recouperating from surgery - not quite sure whether she's home already or not. Best wishes and hugs to both (and the rest too offcourse!)

I am glad to hear you like your pages!! They should be getting close to your mailbox now! Ditto for Carol's and Erin's pages btw.

[spunkygal]

Thanks bunches for the update!

[egod]

Craftyvox, I received your lovely pages today. I love those little clothes pins and your unexpected placement of the pockets as well as the other embellishments. Thank you.
I will be giving you i-trader in a minute. Today, I finished the last bits of your pages, got them packaged and ready to mail. The weather here is about freezing with a cold rain falling which is supposed to turn to snow; therefore, I'm waiting to tomorrow or the next day to get to the post office!

[egod]

Oh Spunkygal, our fastest trader, I'm sorry I didn't update you on the site! Carol has sickness in her family as well.

[craftyvox]

Craftyvox, I received your lovely pages today. I love those little clothes pins and your unexpected placement of the pockets as well as the other embellishments. Thank you.
I will be giving you i-trader in a minute. Today, I finished the last bits of your pages, got them packaged and ready to mail. The weather here is about freezing with a cold rain falling which is supposed to turn to snow; therefore, I'm waiting to tomorrow or the next day to get to the post office!

I am happy to hear you enjoyed your journalpages!! :jiggy:
I'll be eagerly awaiting the mailman at my mailbox the coming week.

Carol, my best wishes also for you and yours!

[spunkygal]

My bird pages from craftyvox arrived today! They are even better in person than they were in pictures. I love them crafty!!! Thanks for the pages and also for the extra bits.

[spunkygal]

WOW very sad news! I am sure we all are hoping for a speedy spring and much better weather. The springtime seems to chase the illnesses far away. My best wishes to all and their families who are sick. I hope you all are feeling better very soon.

[craftyvox]

My bird pages from craftyvox arrived today! They are even better in person than they were in pictures. I love them crafty!!! Thanks for the pages and also for the extra bits.

Yay glad you like them!! :) :jiggy:

[monarch]

I'm on schedule so far........Working on pages for spunkygal - Birdhouses.......

[craftyvox]

Carol, your pages arrived today! Thanks!! I love the book and pages :) I think part of it is in German but some might be in Luxembourgish since I can't completely understand what it says. Although that could also very well be cause my German is kinda sucky.

[monarch]

That was quick and I'm glad you liked them!!!!

[monarch]

Received my beauitful pages from craftyvox!!! Thanks so much for all your work and time you put into them!!!!

[craftyvox]

Yay I am glad they made it to you! With all those kitten inchies missing I was starting to think my mailbox here in town is eating my stuff!! :) You're most welcome and I am glad you like them.

[kysunflower]

I may be a few days late mailing this month.

[craftyvox]

Erin, I recieved your beautiful pages this weekend. I love how you added all that information on the back of each tag!! :wub:

[egod]

Hey gang,
We are not a very chatty group are we? How is everybody? Spring is finally kind of here--all the daffodils are in bloom, and that makes me feel better. Our Great Dane has been through a bout of illness that frightened us but he is much better now. I still have to do Spunky Gal's pages to wrap this up and I still have only received pages from Craftyvox and Spunky Gal. I hope all of you who were ill or having other difficulties are better now. I'd love to hear from you. Craftyvox, glad you liked the tags (just the school teacher left in me, I suppose).
Erin

[spunkygal]

I am out of town still. My daughter needed me longer than planned. Her husband is out of town for a few weeks. Having a 4th baby in 6 years makes life hectic so I am helping out for a while. I cannot wait to get home and check the mail to see what surprises await me. I hope everyone is doing much better.

[craftyvox]

You're right, we have been rather silent the past weeks!! My state of craftyness: Working on finishing Donna's pages, then I'll start with Mar's. :) Good luck every one!

[egod]

Spunkygal, I once had two babies under fourteen months old--but never four under six.
Your daughter is very lucky to have you there. I will try to get "cracking" on your pages this week!

[spunkygal]

egod, I was as crazy as my daughter. I had my first 2 at 13 months apart. (big accident) The next 2 came 2 years apart. It was very busy when they were small but I really loved having them that close as teenagers. We have been empty nesters for about 5 years now. It is great being a grandma!

[craftyvox]

Wow, large families - that must be so nice! I only have one sister heh. Which at times was more then enough though ;)

Donna, not sure whether you're reading this already again after your surgery and recovery, but I finished your pages yesterdayevening and they'll be in the mail asap.

I tried making some photo's of the layout but the coloring is way of from the original pages unfortunately. The original isn't as yellow as the photo.
Here are some small photos, the bigger variant can be found in flickr!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2367/2343581675_c69ba29357_t.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/2343581733_e7d9181358_t.jpg

[egod]

Has anyone heard from Mar lately?

[craftyvox]

Hmm now that you mention, no I haven't.. Her last login was end of February. I'll pop her an e-mail!

[craftyvox]

Here are some small photos, the bigger variant can be found in flickr!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2367/2343581675_c69ba29357_t.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/2343581733_e7d9181358_t.jpg

Gah silly me. I had marked the photos as private by accident. They are visible to all now. Hope you like um :) They are in the mail since yesterday.

clicky here : http://www.flickr.com/photos/pixelvox/2343581675/ for the pages

[egod]

I thought it was me! I tried to look at them last night. But now that they are there, I can see them. Very nice!

[craftyvox]

I thought it was me! I tried to look at them last night. But now that they are there, I can see them. Very nice!

I was kind of wondering why nobody had looked at them ;-) Then yesterdayevening I suddenly saw it was marked as private! :goofy:

[kysunflower]

craftyvox, I got your pages, they are beautiful, even my husband made comment.
Please everyone, i have not forgotten this swap, it's just that recovery has been long and very difficult. More so then I expected. I will get finished, I promise, and I'm sorry to be behind. You didn't want me to make anything in the condition I've been in anyway, no real creative thoughts at all.

[craftyvox]

Donna, take your time to recover. I am glad you recieved my pages and like them, even your husband!:)

I also heard from Mar. Real life things are still really hard on her, so we have to be a bit patient with her as well.

How's everyone else doing?

[egod]

I'm still a bit stuck on birdhouses, do first one thing and then another. For most of these pages I've done at least three pages for each two I send off. I really must finish this so I can go on to other things. Glad to hear indirectly from Mar. If we finish the swap late, no one will be hurt by it. I and my family have been surprisingly healthy through the winter. Last week our Dane, Cyrus ate something that almost killed him. The doctor thought possibly some naturally occurring poison or possibly a rotten rodent complete with bones. Whatever it was, it really scared us, but we finally got some medication for him that has helped tremendously, and he is almost good as new, still a little weak and incredibly hungry. Yesterday, I bought a case of canned green beans to supplement his regular diet. He loves them and will eat a can at a time and they are good for him and not fattening. Donna, I'm glad to hear that you are on the road to recovery. I hope Mar's life will be easier soon.

[egod]

Yahoo! I'm finished. Spunkygal, I will add thumbnails here if I can. If not, look in my gallery. I can't attach them; file is too big, but they are easy to find in the gallery.

[spunkygal]

I saw the pages in your gallery .... They are terriffic! Thanks so much!!!!

[craftyvox]

Sorry to hear about Cyrus Erin! I know how scary it can be when one of our furry friends gets sick. Glad he's better now and lol @ the green beans!

I found Cindy's theme quite challenging as well but was happy with the outcome of my pages heh.

Ps. I was wondering, I have sent out 4 sets of pages now and they all have been recieved, but I only recieved 2 iTrader ratings from this group yet. Maybe we can look into that so we won't forget to leave iTrader?:) Thanks!

Have a great week all!

[egod]

As I told you, I was one of the guilty parties and now have corrected it. I think some credit may have been given before we moved. I'm pretty sure Carol and Kysunflower would have gotten mine before the move. Thanks for reminding everyone to check. You only have one not accounted for at the moment. Could that be the reason?
Cindy, I mailed your pages today.

[spunkygal]

thanks for letting me know to watch for your pages. I can't wait to get them! Thanks

[egod]

How about a quick check in, everybody? The last pages should be mailed by April 15 which is only a week away, if you are being able to keep on schedule. So far I have received pages from Spunkygal and Craftyvox. I mailed the last of mine out last week. I have given i-trader for both; although Spunkygal's was on the old site.

[spunkygal]

Thanks for the beautiful pages! They arrived today and I just love them.

spunkygal

[egod]

I'm glad they arrived safely and that you are happy with them!

[spunkygal]

three sets down, two to go for me. I am still looking forward to getting my March and January pages. This is going to be a fabulous book. Does anyone know where I can get 8x8 sheet protectors for my pages?

[egod]

Ordinary sheet protectors can be cut down to fit. I think there may be protectors made for albums that will fit also (Hobby Lobby).

[Mar]

Finally, I have just posted the pages to you all. I'm so sorry that it took so long. I wanted to take photo's of them but forget my digital camera at my MIL. It's still hectic here and I wish it was otherwise. Everytime when I thought now I can finished them, there was something else. When my MIL stayed at our place I can do nothing and when I stayed at her place I can do nothing too. I want always to give the best of myself, but it's hard to do that now. But I'm happy with the final results, I truly hopes that it was for you all worth to waiting for. Hopes the pages will travel fast. And I want to thank you all for your patience. Big hugh from this side.

[egod]

Mar,
We are so glad to hear from you. I hope it is some relief to you to be finished with the pages and that those you get will bring a little joy! So sorry to hear of all your troubles. My mother had altzheimer's and I know what you've been going through, and I was not really her caregiver. Let us continue to hear from you after the swap.
Love and all the positive energy I can summon to you.
Erin

[spunkygal]

Oh Mar, We have missed you bunches! It is good to hear from you. We are sending you good wishes and prayers. I hope things begin to get easier for you. Keep thinking good thoughts and take a few minutes for yourself each day. Please stay in touch with us. Take Care

[craftyvox]

Good to hear from you all :) My life has been a bit worrysome recently with illness in my family - I posted about it in the members news forum.

I am a bit behind on Mar's pages, but I hope to be able to finish them within 2 weeks from now, so hopefully that's okay! :)

*hugs to all*

[monarch]

I haven't forgot about this thread.......spunkygal's pages are going in the mail tomorrow......I think I just have egod's pages left.......So sorrrry I got behind.....

[egod]

Good to hear from you. I hope you are doing all right.

[monarch]

I'm fine now that my life is getting back to normal...Thanks for asking!!

[spunkygal]

Monarch my pages arrived! Thanks they are just great! you did a wonderful job on them and they look so good with the other pages in the book.

Spunkygal

[egod]

I still have not received Mar's pages and it's been fifteen days. Isn't that longer than it usually takes? Have any of the rest of you received something from her recently?

[spunkygal]

I have not received Mar's pages either. Hers will complete the swap for me. The last thing I had sent to me from outside of the US took 3 weeks to get here. That was from Australia. I wonder what is up with the snails. I hope everyone gets their pages next week if not sooner. :cute:

[egod]

So far, I've still only got four pages; so others should be coming soon, I hope. It seems that this swap has been going on forever (I do understand the reasons.) It is a little hard to maintain enthusiasm after so long. I'm sure I'll be excited again when the rest come in.

[egod]

If it is possible, we'd all like to see the completed sets. Post on Flickr maybe. Any ideas?

[kysunflower]

God news at last. I was able to finish my little girls and flowers, turned out very pretty I think. I have one page only right now of the travel pages. Just not sure what to do on it.
For a long time I just wasn't able to do anything crafty, and certainly didn't feel creative, my hands shook so much I couldn't even write.
But my last 2 sets of pages will go out next week, and the envies will be filled with goodies to help make up for being so late.

[egod]

Thanks for communicating, donnA. I'm glad you're feeling better now. I'll look forward to my pages.

[kysunflower]

Everything is done, packaged and ready for the mail. I will have the car on Thursday so everything goes out then.
Finally had a great idea for those travel pages, and I love how it turned out.

[egod]

Great! I can't wait to see them!

[kysunflower]

went out in todays mail.

[egod]

Great! Maybe I'll even get them tomorrow! I think at this point we're only lacking some pages from Mar and Monarch (that only for me, I think). Thanks to everyone for keeping on plugging along! It was a difficult winter. If you have all of your pages and can photograph them to share, posted here or elsewhere if you let us know where, please do. So many of them, we did not see at all.

[spunkygal]

Hi, Has anyone gotten their pages from Mar yet? I have all my pages except hers. I will try to remember to take pictures of them all when Mar's get here.

spunkygal

[egod]

Mine are still not in from Mar. It has been more than a month since she said she was mailing some. I e-mailed her to ask if mine was among them as she did not specify whose she was mailing. No response. I'm glad yours are almost complete. I have still only received from you and Craftvox, but Kysunflower's are on the way. I am also wondering if Mar is okay.

[egod]

I feel that I must say that this swap has been quite disappointing for me. I understand that life intervenes, but I personally think it might be better to just drop out when commitments cannot be met, or at least just change the commitment to sending pages to those people from whom you have already received pages and notifying others that you will not be participating. I do not wish to hurt feelings, but it is also not a good feeling to wait for months for pages which were to have been finished by April if not before. At this point, I think it will be a long time before I enter another journal swap! And I started out with such enthusiasm!

[spunkygal]

HI, I agree with egod. Although the pages I finally received are nice (except for one set that did not look finished so I had to finish it), the enthusiasm I started out with in the excitement of my first CJ swap quickly left me disappointed. I, too ,will need an attitude adjustment before I join another CJ trade. I thought these swaps would be better that this one was.

[adifferentstory]

Hi everyone,

I have just got off the phone from speaking to Mar. Mar did mail out the CJ pages to all she owed too and is worried as they have not been received by anyone. She is going to contact the PO as she feels the problem must be in the Netherlands. If they can't be tracked she will re-do them and send them when she can but it will be a slow process because of what is going on. some of which I will explain.

Since Mar's FIL died she has had a lot of problems with her MIL (who has Alzheimer's), she has been having to spend 5 days at a time at her MIL's with no internet access and then her MIL was staying at hers for 5 Days, she needs constant attention as she is a danger to herself and others. He MIl now has one of her neighbours staying with her day and night, a few days at a time but she is 83 and can't do it for long. The rest of the time Mar is staying at her MIL's. Although Mar has a couple of days at home now to rest it is much taken up by phoning nursing homes, visiting them and other communication. It seems it could take up to another 6mths before she will be able to get her into a home near her. She is exhausted.

If by chance the CJ pages do turn up with anyone could you please contact me and I will try to get her on the phone and let her know or leave a message with her husband.

Lynne

[monarch]

I really feel for mar!!!! That has to be a very very stressful journey that she is on...........Tell her to take care of herself and there is no rush for my pages........I completely understand!!!!!

egod - Your pages are going in the mail tomorrow.......Soooooo sooooo sorry for the delay!!!!!

[egod]

Thanks to adifferentstory for checking with Mar. I certainly can understand her problem as I had to deal with an Alzheimer's parent. It is desperately hard and comes right at the point in your own life that you would like to enjoy--some freedom from childrearing etc. I hope the pages turn up, and she does not have to redo them. If they don't, there is no pressure to hurry to redo. Maybe they'll come in today's mail.
My pages are now complete except for one set plus Mar's of course. The pages from Kysunflower arrived and were wonderfully creative.

[monarch]

egod - Your pages went in the mail today.....

[egod]

Thank you, Carol. I'll watch for them!

[Mar]

Morning all

Finally I'm here. At first I'm sorry that it took so long to contact you, but I was most of the time at my MIL's who haven't an internet connection, second when I'm at home my MIL is here too and there is so much other work that I hardly have the time to sleep. Thank you all so much for your patient.

Somewhere in the corner of my mind I realized that there could be something going wrong with the journal pages. But missed the time and energy to go after it, and also didn't want to know it, because the last thing I could handle was to make a second round of four sets of pages.

It's probably the first time I will 'really' lost something in the mail, until now even when it arrived 12 weeks later, everything had reached the artists. But I also had made new onces when it took longer as six weeks. However they been five weeks on their way now I was yesterday at the postoffice to asked what could had be going wrong, because four packages which been post the same day, sounds that something is really going wrong. Our Postal Service will see what they can do, and if they can be found at 'lost mail' but we both had the feeling that they could be lost forever.

Due my MIL is starting, yesterday, an activity project, three days a week, I have dropped everything else, because that the pages are not at your place jet is a stone in my stomach. So yesterday I started with new pages, however I still hope that the others will shown up some day at your place or came back to mine.

I had been starting with the pages which could been easy made again, which where the pages for Carol and Donna. I did it because the pages for Cindy and Erin had original photo's and illustrations of old books and I have to figur out what to use now and change layouts to make new once. Carol's had original postcards too, but I had scanned them so I could used high quality prints. Erin's photo's been scanned too, but somehow the pages been with real photo's. When I had start with the hard once I probably could get in a dip, by I wanted to finish then as quick as possible. The last thing I can handle at this moment is the stress of 'I had too, but it does not work'.

And to be honest, it had worked, however I have worked until late in the 'night', I finished Carol's and Donna's pages and I have made a setup for the new pages for Cindy and Erin. I'm happy with the result so far and can sent off the first two sets of new pages. It also have give me the creative drive I needed to go on, it relaxed me. Probably had it also to do with the fact that it seems that within a month there be a spot free for my MIL and there is finally a light at the end of the road.

Well here are the first pages which been going today in the mail, when I can finished the other pages too today I will let you know and post pictures, but I guess they been ready tomorrow or saturday.

I have upload them into the gallery because I can't made attachements or links here due I haven't enough posts.

Carol's - Theme is 'Little Flower Girl', based on a song which is about a middle aged woman who looks in the mirror and missed the 'Little Flower Girl' which she once was. At the end she promised the girl in the mirror to give the little girl some room again.

In real life it's not so busy, which had to do with the colors, which been softer in real life. Carol I hope you like it.

Donna's - The theme of your page is 'Behind the Fan' - I don't think I have to say much about it. I hope you like your pages too.

Well it was a long story, I'm off to see if everything is dry enough that I can go on with the other pages for Cindy and Erin, because I will go on with the pages every minut I can work on them until they been ready.

[adifferentstory]

Amazing CJ pages mar. I'm sure your group members will be thrilled with them. So good that you have a little time now to create again.

[Mar]

Amazing CJ pages mar. I'm sure your group members will be thrilled with them. So good that you have a little time now to create again.

Thanks Lynne and for your sweet comments, I truly needed it. And I hope my groupmembers are otherwise I start :arghh:. ;)

[Mar]

Carol and Donna your new pages are in the mail, when they didn't shown up within ten days please will you let me know.

I do hope so that everything will go fine now.

One page for Cindy is ready too, but I don't know when I have finished the last two tags if they will stay it this way. so I will post photo's of them tomorrow, because I assume that when I'm ready it's to dark to make good photo's of them.

[Mar]

Pages for Cindy are up in the gallery too, and will go in the mail tomorrow.

[spunkygal]

I just looked at the pages and I absolutely love them! Mar, you did a wonderful job on them. I am sorry the first sets got lost.... sometimes I wonder why we pay for postage at all. I wonder what happened to them.

I am so glad you are getting a little time to yourself now. I hope you can rest and find peace. Thank you for all your efforts.

spunkygal

[Mar]

I just looked at the pages and I absolutely love them! Mar, you did a wonderful job on them. I am sorry the first sets got lost.... sometimes I wonder why we pay for postage at all. I wonder what happened to them.

Thank you for the compliment.

I still have the hope that they will shown up, somewhere, somehow. I have had this three times before and finally everything had shown up, one at my place after nine weeks, totally distroyed by a postal machine, one twelve weeks later in the UK, don't know why and one ten weeks later in the USA, wet and muddy but due I always use special protection where the pages still in a great condition without damage.

And yes, the Dutch Postal rates are very high, but I also know that not much get lost and they do really the best they can when something seems to be lost. So there is hope, however I didn't wanted to wait for that. In the other cases I have had made new too after six weeks.

[egod]

Mar, the pages you have posted are truly exceptional. I know they will be treasured.

[monarch]

Received my awesome pages from kysunflower!!! Thank you so very much for your time and thoughtfulness that went into my pages!!!!!

[egod]

Are all trades complete except for Mar's at this point? Craftyvox is no longer with us, but I think she had completed her obligation here. Anyone still missing Craftyvox pages?

[monarch]

I have mine from her and everyone elses.........

[Mar]

Are all trades complete except for Mar's at this point? Craftyvox is no longer with us, but I think she had completed her obligation here. Anyone still missing Craftyvox pages?


Yes, I'm missing Craftyvox pages but I have emailed her about it.

[egod]

Thanks for the response. I hope your email gets results.

[Mar]

I have uploaded my pages for Erin in the gallery and they been on their way to the USA. I also uploaded a photo of the pages I had made for Craftyvox so that my journal is complete now.

Erin I hope you like them. I wanted to give them the feeling that is was a postpackage which had made a long journey. All the tags are made of correspondence of familymembers and which belong to my own archive. It's a very rare and unique collection.

[egod]

I posted my thanks in the gallery! These pages are wonderful. It is certainly a rare and unique set of pages. I may have to frame this one. It is a beautiful work of art!
I know you had to create it twice. I am awed and humbled by your perserverance.

[egod]

Carol, your pages have not arrived yet, but I think I remember that it took mine an unusually long time to get to North Dakota. It must be something strange in the mail paths like they have to go by way of Dallas or Chicago or something. I hope for their arrival tomorrow.

[Mar]

Sometimes I think mail in the USA goes by postalcarrier of by Dove, LOL.

I also keep an eye on the mail, and to be honest I'm getting a little 'nervy' that still none of which page is landed in the States.

I truly hopes that everything went well now and at least one or two will shown-up today or tomorrow.

For the Netherlands it's always a suprise how long it take. The fastest ever to the States was four days, the slowest twelve weeks. But overall it took a week to ten days.

[egod]

Carol, your beautiful, creative pages arrived today. They were exactly what I was hoping for in this swap! Basho is an old favorite of mine, so I especially loved that page. Stonehenge is wonderful too. Thank you so much!

[monarch]

egod - I am sooo glad that you liked them!!!!!!

[monarch]

mar - I received your most beauitful pages today!!!!!! Thanks a whole bunch for your work and your thoughtfulness!!!!! It is really appreciated!!!!!

[egod]

Mar, I'm happy to see they are making it state-side! I'll be standing by the mailbox!

[spunkygal]

WOW!!! I am awed by your beautiful pages. MY book is spectacular with your pages added to it. Thanks so much for all your hard work and the wonderful pages.

spunkygal

[Mar]

WOW, this is a great waking-up, you both made my day and I finally can sleep :daydreaming:. I'm so relieved that the first sets are making it to the US, pffffffffff. :v_spin: And so happy that you like them.

Let's hope that kysuns' and Egod page been landing soon too.

[kysunflower]

I got mine from Mar yesterday and It's gorgeous, what work I love it! I think I have recieved all of mine.

[Mar]

I'm happy that also your page is landed safe and sound, I stopped asking which one it was, because as far I can guess I think it's the second round, at least Carol's was.

I'm happy too that you like it, donnA it was fun to make.

Just one page not landed, but I hope that it will arrived soon in Egod's mailbox.

[egod]

Mar,
Your incredible pages arrived today. Wow, there is so much there! I haven't had time to digest it all, but it is truly amazing. I'll write to you when I've read everything. Thank you so much for the explanation of the tags. Full of information and beautifully put together! I will treasure it!
You must be relieved that everything has arrived. This completes all of my pages and I think all of everyone else's except for yours from Craftyvox. Is anyone missing anything?

[monarch]

Nope.....

[Mar]

Yes, yes, yes, :v_spin: :notworthy: I'm so relieved that all the pages been in and that you let me know it so fast, and ......., that you be happy with it. I truly hopes that is was worth for you all to waiting for. However when it had depends on me you should have had them earlier. Still wondering where the other pages been hanging out :mad:.

Yes I miss Craftyvox pages but I have mailed her about it.