MMSC21 Beautiful Nana

Happy Tuesday everyone. Welcome to my blog and one of my favorite days of the week because it is Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge - you can check it out here, for all the fun happenings that are going on in the next month. You won't want to miss it!!! At this time, I would like to thank our sponsor for the month of October, Gurlee Girls and Belles'n Whistles - my stamps are winging their way here and I can't wait to use them! Here is this weeks sketch for the challenge.

The Monthly Sponsor for October is:

Gurlee Girl Designs

Our Weekly Bonus Sponsor this week is:

Belles'n Whistles

This Layout is very special to me for a number of reasons, one reason is it is my first as a Guest Design Diva for the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge

The second being that it is one I have done in memory of my beautiful Nana who passed away two years ago. I am very blessed to have come from a family that knows what it is like to have aunties and uncles, Nana's and Grandads and cousins all as an integral part of our lives...my family is steeped in heritage and legacies.




There is no legacy greater than the one my Nana left us and that is her faith...unwavering, solid and passionate - that how Nana believed and this is how she lived and I wanted to show that in this gorgeous cross from Layers of Color!


Thank you for stopping by and sharing this exciting day with me - and for your encouraging comments - I love knowing that you have visited! Don't forget to check out the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge for the MEGA Giveaway this week - there is a lot of fun to be had - be sure to check it out!! God bless you and see you there!!

LOC Live Out Loud

I have double Inspiration with this card - I have been inspired by the Inspiration Challenge on SCS with this and also with the Featured Stamper, the amazing NancyRuth!! How could I resist this adorable elephant from the Layers of Color Set Polka Dot Parade!?

I was inspired by this elephant over at this weeks Inspirational site The Pajama Squid and this card of NancyRuth's. We love elephants in our house, so I couldn't go past this one! I lightly coloured the image with chalks and then attached nail bling to each of his spots - they fitted perfectly!

The DP is sponged with Distressing Ink and I have used the Layers of Color set Dotted Delights for the flourishes at the top and the bottom of the DP, these too have been stamped with Distressing Ink.

A center panel of DP has been mounted on black CS and added across the centre of the card. The image has been attached to this with ribbon attached to the lower edge. The sentiment has been typed on the computer and layered into black CS, this has been attached with dimensionals. I have threaded silver thread through the buttons and attached these on the patterned DP above the sentiment!

This card has been easy to make, you have to have some like that sometimes! LOL! I really like the colours and the feel of it - what about you!? I love the saying 'We are here to 'LIVE OUT LOUD!' How true is that - makes me wonder what my life is saying! - hmmm - 'food for thought!'

Thank you for stopping by and for your comments - it makes my day!! I hope your day has been peaceful and happy!! God bless you!

Midnight Madness HUGE Giveaway!!!

Check out what is going on at the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge this morning....this is cut and pasted from Priscilla's BLOG. You can have 20 AMAZING opportunities to enter for - what are you waiting for , get on over there and find out how!!

Enter to win your choice of a Ribbon box or the ScrapMaBob and qualify for the amazing Workbox giveaway taking place on October 12, 2009. Yes, you read correctly. I am giving away either a Ribbon Box or a ScrapMaBob (these are so handy!) and that winner will be entered into the Grand Prize Giveaway-- a Workbox in their choice of color/style. WOW!!!!!Workbox Grand Prize
(worth $1295.00)
Qualifier Contest runs from September 28-October 8, 2009This is the huge prize giveaway I've mentioned on my blog and I'm so excited to get it started!The Original Scrapbox will give away ONE Workbox to a lucky qualifier. There will be 10 finalists selected from 10 different blogs to be entered in the final giveaway . How would you like to own every crafter's dream organizing system? The Workbox does it all for Scrapbookers,Stampers,Cricut lovers (special place to store it), Quilters, Artists, Anyone with a creative bug could fill this thing up! The whole thing folds up, hides the mess, and then easily moves wherever you need it to go on wheels. This is a sturdy piece of furniture which will hold everything imaginable in a beautiful storage space. Do you want to win your very own Ribbon Box or a ScrapMaBob and then be a finalist in The Workbox Giveaway? EARN EXTRA ENTRIES You may earn extra entries for each of the following things you do. (Please note in your comments each thing you do and post a separate comment post for each one) The more of them you do the more chances you will get toward the prize. Entries that do not follow all of the entry requirements will not be considered. A representative from the “Scrap Box” will be verifying eligibility. ****Please note: the contest will be open to residents of UK and EU countries as well as the United States and Canada ONLY and a blog is not required to enter this contest****

All the best to each of you and remember 'you have to be in it to win it!'

LOC Deepest Sympathy

Let's pretend it is last Friday and I am on time for my Twisted Sister Challenge....okay I am in denial but am having a lovely time here - you can join me sometime. The way I see it, it is a nice place to visit but just don't stay there too long! LOL!

We were to make a Sympathy card and from what I can remember it had to have a punch, ribbon and brads...so I think I have covered it all! Sympathy cards are not the easiest to make, I find I want them to be respectful but also want them to celebrate the life that is no longer here and to bring hope and comfort to those grieving the loss of their loved one!

What better stamps to reach for than the Layer of Color set Gothic Crosses. This is a personal favourite of mine, there are so many opportunities to use it, apart from Sympathy cards!! I have inked the cross with distressing inks and layered it onto the distressed flourish from the Nature Walk set, using dimensionals.

The DP has been embossed through the Cuttlebug, I love the effect of embossed DP - it adds so much texture and depth - and we love that don't we!! All edges of the DP have been sponged with distressing inks, including the Nestie Tag that I have stamped with a PTI sentiment and threaded gold chiffon through and then threaded a small flourish from the Old World Flourish set into the ribbon slot and popped the rest up on dimensionals. Dew Drops which were part of a RAK from one of my Twisted Sisters Peggy (aka Marilyn Prestonn) have been added above the tag.

I finished off my placing a strip of torn and inked DP to the top and adding nail bling onto this - I love the effect of nail bling. It adds to the look without screaming 'look at me!'

This also qualifies for the Die cut Dreams Challenge where ribbons and trims are required!!

Plus Our Creative Corner where it is all monochromatic.

It also fits the Limited Supplies Challenge for S.O.S

S = Sponging

O = Round Dew Drop or Nail Bling

S = Sympathy

Thank you for visiting and for your comments, you are so encouraging and I love seeing you have been! You add so much to my day! It is Monday here and the school holidays...our girls have friends over for their FIRST Sleep Over and are so excited, my DS has gone to a friends to get away from all of the PINK!! LOL! Have a great week! God bless you!

Honouring NancyRuth

This weeks Featured Stamper on SCS is the lovely NancyRuth - I just have to play. NancyRuth was the first person who commented on my first card in my gallery! I emailed her and thanked her and we have been friends ever since - how could I resist playing along today! There are so many cards to choose from and I am starting with this one - how could I resist that HUGE red flower, especially when I had one at home sitting in Craft Central waiting to be used!!

I used DP that came in a Blog Candy from Tracey and added the lovely Black Swirls from a Cuttlebug Die from the 'House of Smethers' last year - how great are they! The centre of the flower of an old button that I was given in a large box of buttons - how cool is that!?!

So there you go...one card put together from RAKs and Blogs - I can't even claim that the idea was mine - I am casing NancyRuth! LOL!

Thanks for looking and for your comments, you are always so kind - I love seeing that you have called in - it makes my day! It is Sunday afternoon here and I am in THERAPY - we took my Mum and my sister to the airport earlier, they have been here for two weeks and are flying home to New Zealand - it is always sad to see them go....yes, there were tears and now I am throwing myself into card making to help 'ease the pain!' SIGH!! Have a great day!! God bless you!

Double Blessing

This is the second card for Twins that I have done in the past month - how could you go past these adorable little bears. when my friend Chriss rang and needed some cards...I knew I would have to bring these adorable bears out...who can resist a cute bear!?!? I was also inspired by this weeks Inspiration Challenge on SCS and this adorable little bear.

It is also for the Stamp Something Challenge which is all about your favourite colour combinations - this has got to be a favourite - it is YUMBY (as my DH says!) ;

and for this weeks Ways to Use it Challenge on SCS, which is all about 'stepping out of the box' and this is very CAS for me!

This would have to be one of the quickest and easiest cards I have made, especially as I already had the bears stamped - they are from a box of stamps I was given by a lovely lady at the local markets - she stamped in the 80's....but bears never go out of style do they!!

I chalked the bears and layered them onto embossed CS which I had scalloped at the bottom, added some ribbon above the scallops, adhered this to the CS to which I had added some spotted CS and then added that cute sentiment, which has been layered into a pink circle!! If course everything in sight is sponged around the edges - it wouldn't be me if I didn't! LOL! So there you have it...one quick baby card - what do you think!?!

Thanks for stopping by and for your very kind comments, you bless me each time you come! Enjoy your weekend, we are going out to dinner tonight for my Mum and sister's final night - they fly off home to New Zealand tomorrow afternoon -I am already teary thinking about it - I am allergic to airports - they make my eyes leak!! I hope you have a great weekend - enjoy those you love...God bless you!

So Sweet

I have had a lot of fun colouring and this is one of the cards I have made - it qualifies for:

Our Creative Corner - Colour Challenge

Crazy for Challenges - Sketch Challenge

Flutterby Wednesday - Butterfly - Fairy with flowers

Ways to Use it Challenge on SCS - Stepping out of the box
I received this image in a Blog Candy that I won, that gorgeous lace is from a RAK from Maxine (aka Kiwime) who sent it over with my Mum...thanks Maxine I love this lace!! The DP's are from a Blog Candy I won from Stephanie and that adorable butterfly is from a friend - where would I be without my friends!! LOL!

I don't usually do these 'girlie' cards (but am enjoying it!) so I am interested to hear what you think of it - I do appreciate you calling in - I love to know you have been! I would have posted this earlier but when I went to use the camera, the batteries were flat - ahhhh!! God bless you!

Always Cherished

I have been working on a few cards on and off over the past few days with my Mum and sister here from New Zealand, we are going out and sightseeing most days, but yesterday we stayed home as there was a horrendous dust storm in Sydney and we got some of it here as well - not great weather - 75,000 tons of dirt was blown off the land and out to sea an hour - amazing!!! What else could a girl do but make cards and I am feeling pretty pleased with myself as I have got this weeks Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge finished already. I usually don't get it done until the end of the week as I take my time getting it together, but NOT this week...

I used a Sarah Kay image I received in a Blog Candy from Tracey and coloured it with chalks. I then cut her out and popped her up on foam squares. I love all of the layering we had to do with this sketch, layering is a passion of mine - along with sponging and yes...all of the edges on this card are sponged! I tore the edge on the first panel, the second being embossed with the Cuttlebug and the Paisley EF, the third layer is also from a Blog Candy that I won earlier in the year!! The crotchet lace is part of a RAK from Maxine (aka Kiwime on SCS) So as you can see this is a combined effort - LOL - you 'gotta have friends!!' Thanks girls - you know I love you!!

If you haven't been over to the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge then you NEED to - there is so much happening and so many great prizes - don't miss out!!

Thank you for stopping by - I do appreciate your comments, you know I love knowing when you have visited. Have a great day! God bless you!

Midnight Madness Has Hit Me!!

I am so excited to be the MIDNIGHT MADNESS GUEST DIVA for October, what a thrill and an honour to be asked to join these fabulous ladies for the month!! I love each and every one of their designs - I stalk the MMSC Blog when looking for inspiration and just to be 'wowed'



I have played along with the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge from the beginning and love the inspiration each one brings...I can look back from the beginning of this challenge and see how it has helped me grow and step out of my 'comfort zone!' I think I had better put on my seat belt - I am looking forward to a fun ride and hope you come along with us - check it out here and I look forward to seeing you joining in the MADNESS !! LOL!!

Shhh - I heard that there are some exciting things happening in October - so keep watching!!! It is all exciting for me - how much more excitement can one girl handle! LOL!

What a Week!!

What an exciting week for me, I hopped on over to the Our Daily Bread Designs Blog and saw that my pocket card was one of the three winners of the 'Three for Thee' Challenge - I won one of their new releases - loving this!!

As if that isn't enough I checked out the Midnight Madness Challenge to see this weeks sketch and found that I was one of the Midnight Madness Remarkables for last week, well - I am thinking my card was LOL!!

I actually wanted to show you a couple of photos of what else I have been up to this week - these photos were taken by my sister Debbie at our children's school....true! There is a herd of about 40 Kangaroo's that live just behind the school and come onto the school oval each afternoon - you have to dodge 'roo pooh' when you are walking around!! How amazing is this photo - the Kangaroos at the front is HUGE, one day I was out walking and heard footsteps behind me...turned around and saw a HUGE make kangaroo hopping down the street behind me - amazing!! I love the fact that we have some of Australia's wild life right here in our backyard!! I have some other great photos which I will share with you later - we are having a lot of fun with my Mother and sister here...camera's are clicking frequently!!

I am so grateful that I live in a place where I am able to enjoy animals in their natural environment, our children get to see God's creation daily....I look at these animals and I think 'God you blow me away!'

Thanks for calling in, I hope you have enjoyed this little bit of Australia...I will see what else I can share with you from this fabulous land!! God bless you!

LOC Architectural Blocks

I was inspired by a wall hanging which we saw at a Gardening Centre we were looking at the other day. I was amazed how close it was to the Layers of Color stamp set Architectural Blocks...straight away my mind was at work and I had this card mentally finished before we had left the shop - does this ever happen to you!?!?

I stamped the images from Architectural Blocks and coloured them with SU Chalks/Pastels and a Blender Pen, inked the edges with distressing ink and layered them onto black CS. This was then layered onto embossed CS using the Cuttlebug and the Textiles EF, which was sent to me by one of my Twisted Sisters Dawn (aka flowergal36) as part of a BRAK - thank you Dawn, this is still my favourite EF and I think of you each time I use it!!

The top wreath is from the LOC O ld World FlourishSet. I have coloured it with chalks, cut it out and layered it onto black CS, cutting around that as well and then attached it above the Architectural Blocks and added 3 small black brads underneath it - by the way, the embossed CS has been layered onto black CS, I love the way the black makes everything just 'pop! It can really add so much to a card.

That gorgeous Fob Watch is from my new Nestibilities, I am so glad that I ordered it....it is cut, embossed and distressed with distressing ink and attached on dimensionals. This finishes this card, which amazingly enough was relatively easy to make - thanks to a trip to a Garden Centre and some fabulous stamps !!

Thank you for looking and for your comments, you make my day - I love knowing that you have been!! God bless you!

Making It Count

This weeks Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge has come around so quickly - have you been and had a look yet!? They have such amazing things happening - you just have to have a look for yourself...c'mon move in a little closer now and read about it here!!

As I looked at the sketch I realised that all does not have to be as it first seems - this fabulous clock is from Tattered Angels and perfect with that fabulous arm! I could not resist inking up this baby for the first time! But before that I layered some embossed DP onto Choc Chip CS - I have to add here that the embossing was done by my sister Debbie, who has developed a passion for the Cuttlebug since arriving here!! This is my new embossing folder - Victoria - don't you just love it , I picked it up at Cold Creek Village earlier this week - I am more than thrilled with the way it looks and can see I will be using it more than once - LOL!!

The image has been stamped in black EP and then cut out. I sprayed the arm of the clock with Tattered Angel Glimmer Mist - Tattered Leather, to give it a metallic sheen. The clock has also been embossed and then lightly coloured with Chalks. I have also inked around the edges of the clock and added gold highlights with a Gold Glitter Pen. This has then been popped up onto foam dots - I love the dimension this brings! The hands have been stamped separately and glued on. For a bit of interest I have added nail bling in between the numbers and also used Dimensional Magic on the smaller face inside the clock..

The sentiment has been cut with A Windows Slot Punch and distressed - I only wanted one line of the sentiment, so I carefully just inked the lower line of the stamp - sounds easier than it is, but it worked out well! As a finishing touch I stamped the cherub and cut it out, chalked it and added some Distressed Stickles and popped it up onto the arm of the clock. Last night I could not work out what it needed on the top corner, DH took one look and suggested a cherub...he was right, plus suggested a flourish on the clock...which I did too - just as well he has a good eye for these things!

So there you have it - my Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge for this week...how many of you noticed that I made the time 2 minutes to midnight, as I am just making the deadline with this one - LOL!!

Thank you for visiting - you make my day, especially when you leave a comment - I love knowing you have been! I hope you are having a great weekend - I had a SU Workshop today and made 2 amazing cards, which I will post over the next few days...you gotta love stamping! LOL! God bless you!

Pssst - if you haven't been there before, now is the time to check out Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge - they are part of a Blog Hop and this week Priscilla is announcing a HUGE Blog Candy and also the Guest Design Team Member for this month - there is always something exciting happening there - you will kick yourself if you miss it!

CAS Christmas

This weeks Twisted Sister Challenge is to make a CAS Christmas card - well...this is so not my comfort zone, I love eclectic and vintage, which is right at the other end of the scale. Don't get me wrong I LOVE other peoples CAS cards but they don't seem right for me...and this is a classic example, although I did push the boundaries a little bit and sponged around the edges - oops!

I used an embossed piece of CS that Kathy (aka Wattle) sent me and added a strip of Apple Pie Dish that has been through the Cuttlebug - and you know how I love that! I added a stamped image that I received in a RAK from Krafty Kylie months ago, I chalked it and added silver Kindy Glitz - is that allowed in CAS style, I am not really familiar with the 'rulz!' LOL! The tree image has been attached with foam dots to give it dimension!

So...I have shown this to our household and the consensus is..DH says it look great, Mum said it would be alright for a beginner (I am guessing she is more of an eclectic kind of girl, who made her first card yesterday) my sister thinks it look good (she also made her first card yesterday)...what about you - who can guess what I think...!!??!

Thanks for looking and for you comments - I would love to hear what you think...I am going to have to refrain from adding more....wonder how long I am going to last with that! LOL! It is Saturday night here and everyone is chilling out watching 'Mall Cop' - enjoy your weekend!! God bless you!

LOC Beach Babe

This Layout is of my DD2 taken when both girls went down the coast for a weekend, they arrived in the mailbox this week and I knew straight away they would go with this Layers of Color Set Under the Sea, Dotted Delights and Royal Birds.



I have used fall tones with the DP in contrast to the summer photos and love the effect it has. The hills around this beach are covered in beautiful bush and flowers and this fitted perfectly!


I added the torn and inked DP from SU, picking up the beautiful blues in the DP and then layered the stamped and cut out images along it, popping the middle three up on Dimensionals. All of the shells have been coloured with SU Chalks/Pastels and a blender pen, the longer ones have had Kindy Glitz lightly added to try and capture the look shells can often have.

The bird is one of my favourite ones from Layers of Colors and has been chalked and had Kindy Glitz lightly added and has then been popped up on Dimensionals - what beach is complete without seagulls hovering overhead waiting for the dropped morsel! The dotted flourishes were the loveliest surprise for me, I knew I liked them but did not realise they would come up so beautifully, infact the whole Layers of Colors range has been nothing but a DELIGHT for me as I have become familiar with each set and seen how versatile they are, if you haven't checked them out already, you can find them here

The title for the page is from a Sizzix Alphabet, which I cut out in the SU DP and layered with Cranberry, to tie in with the colours. The final touch is the Chocolate Kaiser pearls - what could be more perfect for a beach scene and don't we all love pearls, whether on paper or around our necks!! Doing this page has made me look forward to summer days, we have them ahead of us and a lot of you are just leaving them behind!

This challenge fits the Our Creative Corner Challenge which is all about fall ...so I am squeezing in as the DP and colours are all about fall and the photos - well, they are what we dream of in fall! LOL! It also fits the Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge which is about MIXING IT UP and I have done that!


Thank you for looking and for the comments you leave - I love knowing you have been and your comments always make me smile - thank you!! I hope you have a great weekend and I am sure I will be back...soon...LOL! God bless you!

LOC Young Love

This weeks Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge is to 'Mix it Up' and I have doing that with this layout - this is one of those layouts that starts out with great promise and then comes to a grinding holt....does that happen to you!?! I have had to out it aside for a week and then have another look. At our Scrap booking Class we did 'Popping Pastels' and I found I love the soft effect that it has on these flourishes from the Layers of Colorset Creative Flourish. I used them alternatively along the lower edge to make my own DP and create a border.

The photo is layered into Mellow Moss CS and then again onto pink CS with a scalloped border, which has been sponged with distressing ink. The birds have been added from the Layers of Color set Birdday Party, first stamped with distressing ink and then coloured with SU Chalks/Pastels and have had light touches of Kindy Glitz on the wings and tail, i then cut them out and popped them up on 3D foam dots.

The Flourishes on the top corner are chipboard and have been sprayed with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, giving it such a lovely shimmer, pearls have been added to the centre of each flourish. The large creme flowers are part of a RAK from Sabrina (okimom2girlz) and I have just loved using these, they are fabulous shape and just a pleasure to use. I have layered them with some gorgeous flowers that I won in Abby's Blog Candy...they are textured and have chunky glitter, with various textures...yumby...the I have used brads from DH and buttons my friend Ann (and SU Demo) brought me back from the USA.

The crotchet lace panel was added as I had originally glued swirls onto the CS but when I removed them they tore the paper slightly...so I had to think quickly and improvise...I really like the lace there, as my friend Melinda (aka Melinda80) says, 'There is no such things as a mistake - just opportunities for embellishment!' I like her style!! LOL! I finished off with the sentiment, stamped in black.

Thank you for coming to visit and for the comments you leave, they are always so encouraging and make my day! We have got a beautiful day happening here, a bit fresh outside, hopefully it will warm up as we are going to have a BBQ Brunch today - DH and DD2 have taken Mum and Deb to some garage /yard sales this morning...giving me time to do this post. I hope you weekend is a relaxed and fun, I have a SU Workshop here tomorrow and they are ALWAYS fun - I believe we are doing Black Magic (owww) and Stamping on Acetate and you can be sure you will see it here over the next few days!! God bless you!

LOC Underwater World

I love the sound of the ocean as the waves hit the shore, many a summer we have taken our children to the beach and explored the rock pools and the delights that lie within. Hundreds of shells have come home with us over the years and remind us of those beautiful sun soaked days spent in the splendor of God's creation...that slight salty smell lingering in the depths of the shells.

This is just how I felt when I used this Layers of Color set Under the Sea with those gorgeous shells, coral and seaweed. Then to discover this Seahorse - how gorgeous. Making this scene was a pleasure and just came together.

I embossed the blue CS and rubbed a white ink pad over the top, giving the impression of waves and movement. Sponged a Label 1 Nestie and added the embossed coral, which has been cut out. The shells have been coloured with chalks and highlighted with Kindy Glitz, which has become a favourite bling and the Seahorse embossed with bronze and popped up on 3D foam dots. The flourishes are from the Nesties 'Doodle Parts' and the sentiment from

PTI...it fits into the SU Window Slot Punch, which is great!

The final touch was to add the pearls, a favourite embellishment - a must for any underwater scene (or crafter! LOL) and there you have it - one Under Water World!! This card fits the Stamp Something Challenge where we are to use our favourite embellishments - pearls and Kindy Glitz are favoutites of mine. It also fits the ABC Challenge using Die Cuts...

Today we are going out to the local Nurseries and Decor Shops - it's a hard life but someone has to do it!! The day here is beautiful after a night of rain - perfect! I hope your day is a good one! Thank you for looking and for your comments, they always make my day! God bless you!

National Treasures...

No card today as it as we headed off to do the 'Tourist' thing at Gold Creek Village and saw Cockington Green, which is a miniature English and International Village - so much to see!! My sister Debbie took the traditional tourist photos, but I thought I would share the treasures that I found....starting with the Kangaroo and Emu - and those 'gorgeous gals' of course (me, Mum (Lesley) and my sister, Debbie. ) Just as a matter of interested - do you know why the Kangaroo and Emu are the National birds for Australia - they can't go backwards....they have to move forwards all of the time!

Melinda (aka Melinda80) was also with us, so we had to do the 'Tourist Thing' and get our photos taken with these two as well! Melinda was so patient...I know she was busting to get to the Craft Shop....thank you Melinda - You are such a patient person and so thoughtful!

I could not believe my eyes the first time I came here, so just had to find these gorgeous 'sights' to show you - am I the only one who notices these things!?!? This 'flasher' was right next to a Church where a Wedding was about to start - how funny!!

There was so much to see - especially at the Craft Shop we went to afterwards -'Wrapped', where we banged into Michelle (happylittlestamper on SCS) We had to buy a few 'essentials' of course , but we won't go there!!?! LOL We did have to have a chuckle at this photo...a professional shopper in training if I ever saw one!! I did actually put this photo in, so you could see the scale of the buildings - they are incredible!

So there you have it - a few highlights from our day...I will be back tomorrow with a post for you...I do appreciate you stopping by - have a great day! God bless you!

Good Friends

I love this High Hopes Image that I was sent many months ago by my Twisted Sister Darla Ryan. He was just so 'squeezable!' I have used this weeks Sketch from Crazy 4 Challenges...as my inspiration. It is only new and if you haven't been there yet - you can check it out here!

I used DP that I won in a Blog Candy from Tracey, cut it onto the squares, although on my card shape it is rectangles. I layered it onto black CS, which in turn has been layered onto the green card. The image is coloured with chalks and backed with back CS. I have added a circular sentiment, which has also been coloured with chalks and had Dimensional Magic added to the centre. Photo corners have been added and the card finished off with little black button brads.

Thank you for looking and for your comments, you are always so lovely, I love to see that you have been! It has been busy here...DH and I went shopping today with Mum and Deb...funnily enough we left the Factory Outlets without buying too much and found a gorgeous housewares boutique called '1825' - outside the boutique DH whispered in my ear 'we're only window shopping aren't we!?' to which I agreed...we walk out with a number of bargains...none brought by me!! Why?!? I am saving up for Thursday when we do to the other side of Canberra and on the way stop by a gorgeous Craft and Stamping store - yay!! I hope you are all having a great week! God bless you!

Old Fashioned Love

I am just squeezing in with this week's Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge. I have my family here from New Zealand and am doing a bit here and a bit here, trying to keep up with everything, so this may not be the only challenge I am just making it for.

I have used my newest Layers of Color Set Renaissance Hearts. I embossed the image with black and coloured with SU Chalks/Pastels and a Blender Pen then cut it out with the large Oval and Scalloped Oval and sponged around the edges of the oval with distressing ink. The edges of the DP has also been sponged around, embossed with the Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Stylised Flowers, and layered into the CS, torn inked corners have been added to opposite corners.

I added eyelets down each side of the image and threaded through some chiffon ribbon, corset style, adding an eyelet to the top of the image and adding a lock and chiffon ribbon. Finally I cut a sponged punched tag in two, adding it to each end of the image and added 3 copper pearls to each and there you have it!

I love the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge and look forward to it each week, it always brings something that makes me think 'outside the square' and that is always a good thing!!

Thank you for looking and for you encouraging comments - I love knowing that you have visited!! I am relieved to have this finished, tomorrow we are heading out to 'shop 'til we drop' going to the Direct Factory Outlets...I don't know about you, but I am not a great shopper, I just like to 'get in there' get what I want and GET OUT - unless of course it is a Craft Shop...then I could spend hours - I guess it comes down to priorities. I am happy to be taking my Mum and sister though....when I have had enough, just point me to a Coffee Shop and met me there after you've finished! I will see you soon - God bless you!

Family Time!!

Finally, after 6 long months of waiting my birthday present arrived - yes....in the form of my Mother (front right) and my younger sister (third from the left) at 11 :30 this morning. It has been 5 years since the kids saw their Nana and 9 years since they have seen their Auntie - so today is exciting on so many levels.

DD2 had made a sign welcoming them and we anxiously awaited their flights arrival - the minute the board flashed 'LANDED' I was nose to nose with the glass door they were going to be coming through....anxious to catch a glimpse of them amidst the other passengers. As they walked through the doors I could feel the emotion building up and promptly burst into tears...my sister Debbie, turned to me and said in her 'matter of fact' voice, 'What are you crying for!!' to which I answered...'cause you're so ugly!! What do you think - I'm so happy to see you!' We laughed and hugged and reunited and heard about their turbulent flight from Sydney to Canberra!!

They are here for 2 weeks and we are going to make the most of every minute...and yes, they are going to venture into the world of stamping...so you will still be seeing come posts here, but please know, if they are not so frequent and I don't get to make all of the comments I usually so - it is because I am being selfish and indulging in the sheer pleasure of having my family here - such a fabulous feeling!! We lost 4 family members in 6 months and value what we have together when we have it!

Thanks for stopping by, I just wanted to share this special moment with you!! Those of you who have family near by, please take the time to enjoy them and spend time with them - these moments for us are so few and far between...God bless you!

Fall Flight

I love the Twisted Sisters Challenge each week and this week's is to make a Thanksgiving card. As we don't celebrate Thanksgiving officially I thought I would let myself be inspired by the colours of the season - fall or autumn as we say here! I love the rich warm colours of this season and always find inspiration in the leaves on the trees - what an array of beauty for the eyes!!

I have embossed the butterfly image onto white CS and sponged around the edges. The background DP is from a book that has fallen apart and I have had it sitting there for ages to throw out, but decided that I have a much better use for it....using it on cards. I embossed the page with Divine Swirls to add more texture and to also give the impression of movement. I then tore one edge and sponged around all edges, backing it with rust CS, and adhered it to the card. Ribbon was attached across the card and knotted, the main image adhered to it and then 4 moon drops added as a final touch!

Thanksgiving - we all have so much to be thankful for don't we!! I thought when I turned 50 that it was the worst thing - but since then I have seen that I am blessed to be able to get older, many don't have that chance - for that, I am so thankful!! Thank YOU for stopping by and for your encouraging comments - you bless me! Enjoy your weekend - God bless you!

Dwelling Place

I have been strolling through blogs looking at what is around and was thrilled to find this new challenge called Crazy 4 Challenges.....it is a must...wait until you see who are on the Design Team - it can't help but be a success. I have had this post ready for a few days and realised I had better post it today...or I might be too late!

They are starting with a Sketch Challenge and I love it. I have made a card with a raised circle or the such like....and really like the look of it! I have used the Layers of Colors set Garden Borders, it added just the right touch for this simple yet pretty card.



The sentiment and scalloped circle was very kindly sent to me by my friend Kathy (aka Wattle on SCS) Thanks Kathy, I love the scripture stamps and amazingly, I have none -so I do appreciate your generous gesture! The Garden Borders was coloured with SU Chalks/Pastels and has Kindy Glitz lightly added, I am always careful not to swamp the images with simmer. but just enough to highlight and add some interest! The other thing of interest is the gold paper - recycled from inside a chocolate box....you know I love to recycle and this was a find - of course the family were more than keen to assist me getting material for this card! LOL! It embossed so well and holds the texture beautifully....must buy some more of that brand...if only I could remember what ones they were - they were gone pretty quickly!!

So there you have it, this is pretty CAS for me....thank you for stopping by and for your lovely comments, you always encourage me and make my day!! It is Saturday morning here and going to be a beautiful day...I am posting early as I have a few things to get ready today for my Mother's and Sisters arrival tomorrow - I can't wait!!! Will see you a bit later with another card - I can't help myself!! LOL! God bless you!