Rhys. Machines. eBay Nuts.

Ooops... last post 21 Oct.... obviously I haven't kept that up very well, have I?  But I truly have been busy. Ridiculously. Maybe I'm just not coping with all these year-end activities from school and ECAs and birthdays.... I never used to have them until Ellen started school this year, and we started enrolling them into ECAs. Sigh... guess we asked for it. 

Let's see what has happened so far .... not chronologically.....

My brother and SIL had their baby boy on November 8 2008, they named him Rhys. Loooove that name. But till now I still haven't seen his photo... SLACK!! (pot calling a kettle black... hehehe) So that is once again, another boy in the family, and Ellen still doesn't have a girl cousin, but all the males around her have very cool names - Athan, Zack, Danzel, Rhys... not to mention her very own brother, Phaedon. Cool huh? LOL... 

I've made quite a few Christmas cards. I know hubby will need at least 2-3 dozens to give to people he works with, and we need around 2-3 dozens to send to friends and family. So I got desperate and started borrowing the Cuttlebug from friends. I didn't buy one cos I could not justify the cost against how often I use it. Besides, almost all my friends who scrap has one... I figured I can always borrow one when I need one. So I borrowed Ruey's and embossed and diecut to my heart's content. :) I tried hunting on eBay to see if I can find a 2nd hand machine but guess what? No one is parting with this tool!!! It must be a treasure!

My Zutter Bind It All arrived. It is still sitting in its box ... for 4 days now. WHY? You ask. This is exactly why I didn't get a Cuttlebug. I'm so not a machine person. I'm eager to buy papers, embellishments, alphas..... cos I instantly know what to do with them. Well, most of the time I do. I cut, I stick. But machines? I seem to have this phobia. What do I do with it? I mean I know it is a binder... I know what it does... but how do I really make use of it so it can make magic for me? I guess taking it out of the box is a good start, but that means I actually have to MAKE AN ALBUM!! It actually means I have to read instructions... put this here, put this there, press this, take that out, press that... it's too complicated, it belongs in the too-scary basket. I don't like experimenting, no patience for it. I like to get things right, first up. Ruey has been giving me lots of ideas, but that's not enough for me. I need to see it done to believe it. I'm sure she would strangle me from the other side of the phone line if she could, cos I'm frustrating the crap out of her by procrastinating on opening this machine.  She is the complete opposite to me. She will rip the box open so she can play with a new tool kind of person, whereas I have to be confident enough to conquer it before I open it. Otherwise, it will just be a white elephant for me. So for the past few days, all I've been doing, was watching You Tube videos on the Bind It All, the same ones over and over again to convince myself that it's not that hard to use that machine. Am I just weird?

I bought some clear cellophane bags from an eBay seller, to make some lolly bags for the kinder Christmas breakup party. After paying, I requested for a receipt, so I can claim from the kinder. The following was the email conversations that took place....

Me: Dear XXXX  Hi... I've purchased 4 packets of polyprop bags from you and have mad payment via Paypal. I would appreciate it if you could provide an official invoice/receipt (with ABN and business name) so I can claim it from work. Please let me know if that's ok.
Thank you.... Michelle

Reply: Dear Michelle,  Hi Im not use to providing receipts, so not sure if you want your business name and ABN on it or mine. I can send an invoice though. Hope that makes sense. 

XXXX

I don't know about you, but I was gobsmacked.  I wonder what rock she lives under but if this person has ever bought something in her life, surely she knows what a receipt is? Do you go into Woolworths to buy something and they give you a receipt with YOUR business name and your ABN on it?  I give up with some of these eBay sellers/buyers. If there was a troublesome one, I'll find him. If there was a dumb one, I'll find her too. I'm not saying that I'm the sharpest tool in the shed but come on, a receipt for me with my business name and my ABN???? 

Nevertheless, my response...

Me: Hi XXXX ... A receipt is just a proof of receipt of my payment and yes, it normally has your business name and ABN on it. But in any case, an invoice is just as good. Although I'll appreciate if you can stamp or write on it that it's been paid. Thanks.... Michelle

****I REST MY CASE****

Was watching Oprah's special event earlier on tonight, interviewing Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman about the movie, Australia. We all know how influential Oprah is in America. Apparently, after that show was aired, she would have done all the hard work for Australia Tourism they can close shop and so many Americans will be coming down under we will be reaping rewards. Jokes aside, I was suitably impressed when Hugh Jackman actually brought over packets and packets of Tim Tams for Oprah and her audience. I never knew that Arnotts Tim Tams are not available in America!!!! Oh you yankees don't know what you're missing! LOL.... Tim Tams!!!! I was soooo hoping he was going to educate them about the Tim Tam Bombs but he didn't ... but then again... the B word is kind of a taboo, maybe that's why he didn't.

OK... I'm going to pull out my Bind It All tomorrow and do something with it. I hope to post back soon with some pics (or you might want to keep emailing me to bug me about it, just to give me a kick up my behind).

Good night. :)