Wednesday 15 July 2015

WOYWW 319 - sad, hot, excited and horrified

Good morning deskers,

Like most of you I was so sad to hear that dear Eliza Harms had passed away... I never knew her in person, but I felt like I knew her and was genuinely upset when I heard the news. I loved reading about her professional life doing outside broadcasts, and following the stories about Yoda. Not forgetting Flat Susan who has spent quite a long time visiting Eliza and has had many adventures there. My heart goes out to her daughter Myrene and especially to her dad as Eliza's brother died recently. It must be so devastating for her father to lose two children in a short time. Horrendous!

So, what's happening here in Spain... Well, it's hot hot hot! This thermometer is in the shade, under the vine. I don't know how much 40 degrees is in Fahrenheit, but believe me, it's hot!



We use my husband's scooter quite a bit in stead of the car (car airco not working), but on the scooter it's like travelling in front of a giant hairdryer! Hot wind blowing in your face that takes your breath away. (BTW I don't ride myself but ride pillion.)




I've never been so excited about my mail as yesterday! Look what arrived in the post! The most gorgeous envelope, sent by Bibi in Norway, with all sorts of post related stamps on it. Yes. they are the stamps I ordered. A set called 'Only dull people send dull envelopes' from www.rubberdance.com . I really love these! 

I also ordered a cling cushion as the stamps are unmounted. It comes without instructions but I'll find out on Youtube how to do it. Quite a tedious job I gather....



Those of you who can't stand bugs:look away now!
I found this on the floor yesterday. It was very dead, but nonetheless very beautiful. I have no idea what it is/was..... (are you suitably horrified that I picked it up?)


The battery is there for size. It was too big for a fly and it doesn't look like a beetle. So I have no idea. Does anyone know?

That's it for today. Have a good week and CU all next Wednesday.

Lisca Olddutch





36 comments:

  1. Hi Lisca. There is so much sadness on the blogs today....I'm sure we will all miss Eliza because we are part of such a loving blogging family....she was such a lovely lady.
    I don't know what your bug is and I'm glad it didn't fly by me but it really is beautiful.
    Hugs,
    Annie x # 20

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  2. I haven´t known Eliza since I´m quite new to WOYWW, but it sounds like she was a wonderful lady. So sad for the community...
    40°C - oh my gosh, too much for my liking. That´s why I don´t go on vacation in Spain during summer ;)
    Happy WOYWW though,
    Evelyn/Evalila # 29

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  3. Oh dear....what a MIX of a post. Sad, hot. Beautiful [if dead!]bugs...... our cockroaches are pretty ginormous here, so I'm used to those sorts of 'eek' bugs:) Looooove the scooter idea & also I just received my stamps too....I LOOOOVE them! It is a bit 'sticky' doing the stamp backing..... I only do the sentiment ones....background ones I just whack on as they are!!! Good luck with that job:):)

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  4. Hi Lisca....oh so hot over there while we're experiencing chills from an arctic blast (not freezing). Very sad we're all linked with Elizas death, a WOYWW friend we've not met..Hugs for Eliza RobynO#25

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  5. It's amazing how the passing of a lady that we've never met in real life can hit us all so hard...doesn't go to show the power of WOYWW? She will be so missed......
    And I couldn't function in those temperatures..not even on a scooter! I must have Viking blood in me, lol!! Amazing insect btw, but I have no idea what it is :-)
    Hugs, LLJ 12 xxx

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  6. Hi Lisca, I'm guessing your bug is a type of cicada- the ones that chirrup in the trees all night! Lovely package of stamps there, love the colour of the paper. By the way, when you are mounting those stamps, and come to cut them out, the foam is VERY sticky! Try dusting your scissor blades with talc to help stop it from gunking them up. Also, be sure to stick them down on a flat surface, and just lay them down- it's very easy to end up with a slight 'cupping' if you hold onto the stamp too tightly when laying it down.Then they won't cling properly. Been there, done that! Have a great week, Hugs, Shaz #13 xxx

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    1. Thanks for the advice Shaz. I'm going to tackle them tonight as I am itching to use them.

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  7. And here we are freezing! At least the sun is shining, but the mornings and evenings are like someone turned the aircon on ice cold! Our summers get just as hot as you are now, so I can relate to the hairdryer concept... I too will miss Eliza's posts. #22

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  8. Hi Lisca, I always enjoy it when I get post from abroad as they have such interesting stamps on them. I don't like the sound of all that heat. It's a sad week for sure and we will all miss Eliza.
    Hope you have a good woyww and happy crafting, Angela x 30

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  9. Hi Lisca, my husband is keen on macro photography and is particularly fond of bugs, strange as it may seem. I showed him your picture and he thinks it is probably a cicada - you know the ones that make all that noise in the trees at night!

    Your stamps look really fun. Good luck mounting them. It's a job I really hate. I'll just say sticky, sticky scissors ...

    I don't know how I'd cope in 40 degrees. That is very hot! It was 35 here a week or so ago and I spent the day wearing a nightdress as it was the coolest thing I had. Fortunately I didn't need to go out. Take care. Barb #27 xx

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  10. Ahhh....Spain sounds so wonderful. I had to giggle though, because my husband wants a scooter! I guess that's safer than a motorcycle, and probably very handy, so I'm sure we'll get him one. Yours is cute though. Happy WOYWW! Sandy Leigh #42

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  11. Ooh that sounds too hot! I love your bug and it may sound strange but I collect dead bugs that I find - I have a tray full of bees, wasps, beetles etc - I've never seen anything like this before, the shiny wings are beautiful though! Lots of lovely mail and I hope you have fun mounting your stamps - the bit I hate is when the scissors get covered in sticky glue after cutting the foam mount, but a baby wipe cleans them up quite well! Thanks so much for stopping by my desk earlier, hope you have a good week,
    Diana #36

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  12. That bug! It's so big and yes, wonderful looking, that it almost looks fake. We have large bugs here called Palo Verde Beetles. One got in our house one and I was saying, "We're going to have to move!!!!" LOL! I vacuumed him up and he crawled out of the vacuum. EEK! Love the envelope that your new stamps came in. I'm sure you'll have fun with them! Judy #51

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  13. Too hot for me - we are 25C today and I am sheltering in our cool front room, it's freezing in the winter but in the summer, sheer bliss!!!
    Brill stamps - thanks for the link to the website, might have to go visit again next month!!!

    Have a good week
    Christine
    Bishopsmate #50

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  14. I love mail art, and that envelope you got classifies as one. I'm fascinated by that bug you found, but I've never seen it in my part of the world. Hope you're able stay cool in the heat of the Summer… blessings!

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  15. Thank you for visiting me lol You are too funny Lisca, first thank you so much for showing me the right way to spell peeking :P (now you can tell that English is not my native language lol) and second... you don't have to wait until next week to see my journals, hopefully I'll finish it tonight so you can take a look tomorrow :)
    and by the way, I looooove your scooter, I keep on bugging my husband for one :) one of these days he is going to be surprise to find one in the garage lol (when money allows it, of course lol)

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  16. Your envelope AND the bug are both beautiful... in their own way. :-)

    Thanks for the blog visit earlier!

    Happy Woyww,

    Sandy #17

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  17. Your envelope AND the bug are both beautiful... in their own way. :-)

    Thanks for the blog visit earlier!

    Happy Woyww,

    Sandy #17

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  18. Lovely envelope and bug! I have a couple of sheets of mounting foam, I've mounted one of my um stamps, and it was nasty with ordinary scissors. I've heard that teflon scissors would work better. I bought a TacknPeel panel that I stuck on an acrylic block, and it means I buy all my stamps as plain rubber and don't mount them at all :)

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    1. That sounds like a good idea. I'm already looking online to see who sells it. Thanks for the tip.

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  19. Love the envelope idea. Trouble is here in UK the Royal Mail doesn't like envelopes with anything much more than the address on them. I did have one envelope I had decorated a little bit returned, as they reckoned the machines couldn't read the address because of the extra things on the envelope.....rubbish.

    By heck that is a large insect. Sorry i don't know what it is either. It looks like a Beetle.

    Hope the heat eases for you.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog.

    Happy WOYWW
    Sue #28

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  20. I was also shocked to hear about Eliza, and she's been on my mind for most of the day.
    I used to live in Melbourne and we would natter through the WOYWW desk hopping. Pretty funny really that we were both in the same city but met through the UK.
    I love to receive post or snail mail especially when it's so pretty. I can imagine the postman smiling seeing arty envelopes instead of boring brown or white ones.
    Although I'm not really into bugs, I have to admit that this little chap looks quite beautiful in a bug sort of way.
    I could do with a little of you heat if you could send some over here to Bonnie Scotland. I think the hottest we've had this summer so far has been 22 degrees and that was only on one day.
    Happy WOYWW to you. Neesie #23

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  21. Thanks for visiting my blog. The 'stamp' on my musical notes card is actually a Memory Box die (Party Music)

    Spain sounds wonderful, although 40 degrees F is very HOT!

    Enjoy your new stamps. :-) Liz #39

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  22. Yep, 40deg is really hot but I'd trade that right now instead of the freezing 15deg we've got right now. That bug is gorgeous, I don't know what it is but those wings are beautiful.
    Love the envelope you received.
    Von #11

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  23. Hot in Western North Carolina too! I love Bibi's stamps! have fun! cling is easy to apply.
    Thanks for visiting and the snoop around
    robyn 7

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  24. Hope this link works for your bug.. found it ... just copy and paste it:
    https://www.google.com.au/search?q=extra+large+black+fly+with+blue+wings/spain&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAWoVChMI5PD_8N_exgIVRBemCh2EzgUs&biw=1063&bih=702#tbm=isch&tbs=rimg%3ACRtwa4AMeQNYIjgUaJ_17LKyNMYr6hWyGfZdMK-VCxGp0rZZX3jc6kqnnqo8PKt5W4n9iHutoGnLryJwxCzNXrFdSFSoSCRRon_1ssrI0xEY2jqOSCnK-1KhIJivqFbIZ9l0wR3hi3FACGU3sqEgkr5ULEanStlhFWD9Buo5yRuSoSCVfeNzqSqeeqEcXU3nCK5NONKhIJjw8q3lbif2IRKN_17NL2gwwcqEgke62gacuvInBF-CXR1GajbGCoSCTELM1esV1IVEWYomnV3Yfr8&q=extra%20large%20black%20fly%20with%20blue%20wings%2Fspain&imgrc=K-VCxGp0rZavwM%3A

    Hi Lisca, try that link for your blue winged black bee think it is .. have images on Google but couldn't find a species name.

    40c = 104F= HO-TTTTTT

    re the stamps, they are fine to mount, Shaz' tips are really good, I have special pair of rubber cutting scissors I use.

    Yes, dear friend, it is sad indeed for dear Eliza's family and friends, makes us treasure the life we are given for this day, so much more.

    Thanks so much for sharing.
    Happy WOYWW! Shaz in Oz.x #19

    {Shaz in Oz – Calligraphy Cards}

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  25. Wow, scary bug! Bibi's stamps are great! Have fun!
    Thanks for your kind comment re my knitting. Yes, it's winter here and very cold, a few degrees colder than VonnyK who is a long way north of here. Anyway, we go skiing next week, so I don't mind how cold it gets :)
    We will certainly miss Eliza. I (probably) met her once, years ago, at an art retreat, but I don't remember her from there. But I feel like I knew her via woyww. So sad, and sudden.

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  26. Not normally a bug girl either, but as I'm absorbed in stitching little creatures for Ben's busy book, I could be tempted to immortalise your little purple-winged friend in stitch! Happy crafting x

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  27. Lisca, I join you in being shocked and saddened by Eliza's death. I shall miss seeing her and lovely Yoda week by week. and how devastating that both she and her brother died so close to one another - truly too awful for any parent to contemplate such an event...

    I couldn't stand that level of heat!! You must be made of sterner stuff than weedy Shoshi lol! As for that bug, shudder shudder shudder! I am terrified of things way smaller than that, and all I can say is I'm glad it was dead!!! I wouldn't want to get close enough to such a monster in order to identify it! Again, you are made of sterner stuff lol!! As for the pillion riding, rather you than me - my goodness another example! Shoshi is coming over a real wimp this week!!! I rode pillion only once with my hubby and vowed "never again!" It was a terrifying experience! What an exciting package with all the fun stamps. I regularly mount my raw stamps on EZ-Mount Foam and yes, it can be a sticky and horrible process, but for the last ones I used my hot knife which made the whole process a lot less arduous, but the smell! I think you need to do that out of doors.

    Happy belated WOYWW,
    Shoshi #52

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  28. Well, Lisca, most of us agree that it's too hot in Spain right now. :) I guess it's really a matter of what you are acclimated to. That is a beautiful if rather intimidating bug. I shall be looking that one up with the provided link to find out all about it. Thanks for your visit, stay cool and have a fun time with your new stamps.
    Nann4 #38

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  29. What a fun post, pictures and that creepy bug. We have friends that just came back form Italy and said it was very hot there also.

    Hugs Diane

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  30. Fabulous postcards....I have a wall full of postcards in my studio and still love sending them rather than texts!
    The bug is weird....beetle of some sort but no idea what, google photo may be able to help identify?
    Thanks for visiting my desk already
    Kyla

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  31. That is a great looking envelope! I send plain envelopes with colorful things inside, like a geode lol. The hairiness and shape make me think it's some sort of bee, but the colors! It's awesome what ever it is (it might be terrifying when it's alivelol). #6

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  32. HIya Lisca
    Thanks for visiting my page and sorry about the delay in getting back to you, life is rather hectic here at present. My daughter is a curate in Cambridge which is 4 hours drive from us so a bit of a hike so we don't get down there very often.
    I love all the postcards you have been getting, they are all amazing.
    That fly you picture is very beautiful in colour, but I'm not sure I would want to meet one alive in my kitchen.
    Chris #15

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  33. Hi, Lisca, yes, it was so sad to hear about Eliza, especially since her brother just passed away. Too hard for a parent to bear.
    I have been looking thru the postcards you have been receiving. Beautiful! And the stamps are beautiful too!
    The bug wings have a lovely color, and wow, it is so big!
    Thanks for sharing! Happy WOYWW and thank you for dropping by!
    Hugs, peggy aplSEEDS

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  34. HHH ! og! At last! It works!!....I've been trying to comment for days!! so I thought I'd just keep writing jibberish! And that did it! Yes, O know I'm probably typing on the wrong post but I have tried the others too! I first heard that blindman joke on 'the vicar of dibley' so funny! love all your pictures, I've seen quite a few this week, coz of trying to comment! so happy woyww for last week and happyT for Tuesday last week too!
    ((Lyn))

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