belated Merry Christmas

A belated Merry Christmas everyone.

hope the jolly fella in the red suit was kind to you all.

We had family around all day and again on boxing day.

Looking forward to picking our friends up from the airport Friday night and then spending New Years with them.

Thanks for taking the time to look, take care. xx

Its over and the next lot of madness starts

Well the 80 day challenge finished a few weeks ago and i came third.  Laraine won (CONGRATULATIONS LARAINE) and Sim cam second (CONGRATS SIM) with Jodi and Maree coming in 4th and 5th.

It was a great challenge and got us thinking outside the box.

The last destination was New York. and back to the Steam punk theme.

We had to use the last mini challenge doll on the Lo and it had to have an architectural element

I also used my very first mini challenge (we had to use all the mini challenges at some point in the challenge) I Also made up the frame around the photo in photo shop and printed it out to use on the LO.

I was really happy how this turned out.

So a BIG thank you to all the girls on the Design Team for all the challenges and time and effort they put into organizing the challenges, not just for this competition but for all of the challenges each and every month through out the month.

So now Christmas mayhem starts.  the month started with a surprise party that myself, another partner in crime and the hubby of my best friend (whose party it was) going off with out a hitch.  I got to take my best girl out for the day shopping and then bring her home to a house full of family and friends.  A great day and night!!

I made her a memory album but i will upload photo's of the digi LO's another night as it is time for me to hit the hay.

If i don't get to post a new post before Christmas Please everyone take care and have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A VERY HAPPY AND SAFE NEW YEAR!!





Thanks for taking the time to look, take care. xx

Weeks 6 & 7

Oops 2 of the 80 day challenges for Artistic document have come and almost gone.

this one below is Week 6's challenge.  We set sail from China to San Fransisco and had to choose between boat 1(single Lo) and boat 2 (double Lo). we didn't know about the single and double LO until we sailed.
I obviously picked boat 1and the criteria was we had to use layering as our technique. we also had to use a huge (cover 3/4 of the page) photo, journal block, banner, at least four layers, decorative edge, our stamp and products or inspriation to do with T!m Holtz.

the pictures were taken up in the beautiful rhododendron gardensin Olinda in the Dandenong ranges in Victoria, Australia. as we has San Fransico as our inspiration i went with the bridges.  and i loved the pic of my sister & brother-in-law kissing in front of the bridge so i used that too.

We also had a mini challenge in week 5 which was to make a cluster using game pieces and again our stamp.





  

this is Week 7's challenge. Nevada was the destination and our criteria was paper-rolling and cutwork.  we also had to use bling, our mini challenge cluster from week 5, another cluster, 2 word title, 3 photo's, 4 PP, 5 lines of journalling and 6 circles.


and this was the out-come of my interpretation.


We have just done another mini challenge which was to make a paper doll. I think the concensus of mine was a little bit him and a little bit her.

in another two days our last destination on our 80 day journey will be announced.  It has been so much fun it will be sad to see it end.

keep yuou eyes open for the next installment.




Thanks for taking the time to look, take care. xx

CC challenges for Artistic Document

Well the gorgeous Design Team over at ARTISTIC DOCUMENT set som beautiful challenges on Friday night. I only managed to get two done...The Blind Scrap challenge

I did mine as a DIGI using Papers and elements from Scrap Girls Aoomba, Momento, Mulberry, Jubilant & being with you kits and also Raspberry Road Sassy lass word art and Arminas Priceless Moments. The Pic is of my daughter and her partner at her 21st birthday (3 years ago).

I can't believe they are getting the keys to their home tomorrow. So my little girl is going to be a home owner/buyer.  So proud of them both.

anyway the other challenge was Toni's Big Word (or Alpha challenge).  her instructiosn were.....

Right-o, you lot -- my challenge is for you to scrap a word (or a letter) for your home. It can be Christmas themed -- or not. It can be MDF or chippie or you can glue a bunch of sticks together, it doesn't matter. Just get decorating!!


So this is what i came up with

I made this for Melissa (again) as her first Christmas decoration for her new home.  and i'm pretty chuffed how it turned out too.



Thanks for taking the time to look, take care. xx

Week 5 - China

Its week 5 in the 80 day challenge at www.artisticdocument.com.au and this week we are in China.
The Inspiration was the Great Wall of china.
The Technique was Colour blocking I've used Kaiser's Lush range and pack your bags range.
The Criteria was:
1. compass & maps - the top centre and centre RHS blocks
2. must use red - The ribbon
3. The Stamp (the one we chose at the beginning) - I stamped it multiple times on the Top RH corner block
4. A landscape photo - this was taken in 2006 in Singapore ( the guy on the left is no longer with us and was a good work friend of my husbands)
5. a chinese/oriental element somewhere (coins, charms etc)
 - LHcentre block and the two coin charms

















I also used the tag that we had to make for one of the mini challenges as we have to use the mini challenges on one of our LO's.


Thanks for taking the time to look, take care. xx

Week 4 - India

Hi everyone,
this week our 80 day challenge competition http://www.artisticdocument.com saw us in India.  Our inspiration - Bright Colours, the Technique we had to use was Doodling (yikes)and the criteria we had to use was 1. black, white or Kraft CS + one PP (which we had to pick before we knew were we were going)
2. We had to use Tickets
3. Bling of some description
4. A group photo of 4 or more people
and
5. our chosen stamp for the comp

This was my Lo
so obviously i chose white CS
my PP (Bella! Melrose vintage paperz 'Panache') which I've used for the matting behind the photo which i coloured in, I've also used it for the flower.
tickets - i stamped using Kaisers Admit one stamp from their Pack Your Bags collection
bling - i used kaisers purple bling for the grapes
photo from a weekend away with friends
and my chosen stamp again from Pack Your Bag collection.
and I doodled the vines and leaves. and the title.
I felt a little bit overwhelmed thinking about doing this one but the girls on the DT team gave us ideas on how to start, like if you have an image in your head SKETCH IT which i did and then once i got started away I went and ended up having a blast doodling and colouring (even outside the lines hahaha)

So know i have another 5 days rest before our next destination (which will also include a mini challenge)

Thanks for taking the time to look, take care. xx

Week 2 & 3

Oops forgot to update my blog for the challenge over at Artistic document
http://www.artisticdocument.com

Week two was to tak inspiration from a French Impressionist artist.
I chose Monets Water Lily pond.

I used T!M Holtz's tattered flower die to cut out all the flowers at the bottom then i machine sewed them on in a really crazy fashion. lol. We had to use strinf which i also sewed on as the bridge. We had to have a hot air balloon and our chosen stamp somewhere on the LO. Oh and we also had to use canvas.  I used the canvas behind the photo and as i had blurred the edges of the photo i tried to paint the canvas as tho the phot blended into the canvas. (I am NO artist that is for sure). i sprayed glimmer mist on the white c/s background.



 Week three sees us in Turkey.
BNefore we knew were we were headed we had to pick a chipboard shape. I chose rectangle. then the next day we were told were we were going. We had to use the inspiration of the Turkish tiles. the technique was embossing of the stamped variety. and the criteria was - to use our chipboard shape in a repeat pattern to form a tile effect.
had to use flourishes and at least 5 different PPS and embellies (plus we could use B&W) and our chossen stamp

Although its not Turkey (I had wanted to scrap these photo's from our Hawaiian holiday for ages so the colours were perfect.

We've also had a mini challenge this week

We had to make a tag and use our stamp once again then doodle the tag.  Í am the first to admit i'm a shocking doodler so this is what i came up with.

Challenge 4 is being posted on October 1st.  can't wait





Thanks for taking the time to look, take care. xx

Blog hop Challenge

Ok so this month's Cyber crop for Artistic Document is happening on this Friday (16/9/11) and we are having a blog hop challenge.

Ok so my criteria is to..........

have a bird somewhere on your page

Thanks for taking the time to look, take care. xx

I'm back

Wow can't believe its been over a month since i last blogged. OOPs.
Whats happened in the last month.  Work, birthdays, fathers day, Operation for mum again (just a simple op, if there such a thing), my first mammogram and football and looking for furniture and a whol lot of other things.

This month saw the start of a great new competiotion over at Artistic Document (artisticdocument.com). It Around the world in 80 days. Week one finishes at midnight tonight and we started in London with a steampunk theme.We had to pick a stamp and we have to use that on each challenge through out the competition. Mine is a Kaiser clear stamp from the "Pack your bags" set. Its the Calendar wheel. We also had a mini challenge, which meant we had to make a chippie embellishment and decorate it with our stamp and then metal.

Here are the two entries for Week one.
My mini challenge entry

and my LO entry



So tomorrow see's us in another country. Where will we be? I have no idea but I'm very excited.

This will make sure i update my blog.  so stayed tuned.

Thanks for taking the time to look, take care. xx

So the next challenge i tackled was Chris's 1 2 3 card challenge.  1 greeting of your choice, 2 embellishments and 3 layers.
I was going to use this for my mother-in-laws birthday but it was comandeered by my eldest daughter for her girlfriends birthday on Thurdsay.
Chris makes beautiful cards and was a teeny weeny bit apprehensive about doing a challenge but i think she has done a wonderful job.







Thanks for taking the time to look, take care. xx

challenges for July

This was the first challenge i have done for July.
Laraine set this Challenge for Artistic Document.
A digi. Blue & Brown, sepia photo, a frame, a flourish and a monogram letter.

i did a bit of a cheat and used 2 letters (artistic license?)  The photo is of my gorgeous girls Melissa and Cherie.  I used Scrapgirls Ever So Lovely & Being with you, bits from MZimms A touch of spring & Secrets of the past and CMDZ Amelie elements

Another great challenge Laraine, Laraine was our guest Designer for March.





Thanks for taking the time to look, take care. x

July is definately here

this month over at artisticdocument.com.au the members are the design team. Yes we've had a reversal of positions so to speak. They like throwing us for a loop every now and then.
This is the challenge i have done for the monthly challenge. Its Kaisers recipe book stand.  the challenge was to decorate something the will be used within the home. suggestions were a clock, pen/pencil holder, tissue box cover........So if you like the challenge or would like to see what the other girls have set as challenges just head over to Artistic Document.

For my example, i sanded and then base coated with dark brown paint then once that was dry i covered the pieces with crackle medium and then the final coat was white.  The flower was made up of a prima printed paper flower and some Lincraft tiny roses.  Then it was just a case of a bit of bling with kaisers pearl strips.

My stand now sits proudly in the corner of my kitchen.

Thanks for taking the time to look, take care. xx

So we are a third of the way through June!!

Its been a month since my last post and since then i have been a Guest DT member for the month of May over at Artistic Document. So a big THANK YOU to the DT girls for asking me. I have no idea how these girls come up with challenges each month and gorgeous ones at that.

This the challenge i set for the Cyber crop. the challenge was to decorate a mannequin (3D or chippie) it had to be feminine. as the theme was women. the pic below was what i made as the sample. It is a 3D mannequin from Lincraft. I stamped some white tissue paper with a script stamp then tore up the tissue and then glued it all over the mannequin (which i painted white first). once it was all dry i added s strand of tassle, some prima flowers and feather angel wings and a butterfly i stamped on a piece of transparency.

this next pic was the monthly challenge. I think i blogged this last month. so i wont bore you again.

this next pic is of a digi Lo i did for Kym's Sketch challenge. the two gorgeous guys are my shorty husband Gary (he is taller than me)on the left and our lovley brother-in-law Lou (he is over 6 foot so we look like midgets next to him. lol). I used the Adventouriste collection from Studio Zstamf for this Lo.

And then i have just finished this Lo this morning. this is June's Guest DT challenge. We had to put our hands up if we wanted to do it a couple of weeks ago and then Sim sent us all a little parcel of goodies to use. The only thing we had to add was CS for the base.

As you can see i've done a punched border on the PP (martha stewart punch)then i distressed the edges of the photo and inked the edges. and the rest is there to see.

Well i think i have bored you enough for this blog. But before i do go I would like to say thank you to Noriel (gorgeous Sister-in-law) for my beautiful birthday card. If you want to have a look head over to scrappingirlsjourney.blogspot.com. Noriel has posted a pic of the card on her blog.

thanks for taking the time to look. take care. xxx

May

Wow can you believe we are nearly half way through May already?

I'm feeling pretty excited this month as i was asked to be the Guest DT this month over at www.artisticdocument.com.au Below is the Challenge I set for the monthly challenge. The challenge is to use one photo, and from that photo use the dominant colour (mine was obviously green) and use that colour for your CS, then you have use white flourish, flowers, title, and some bling. I just have find out what the theme for the CC night is going to be and then i have that challenge to create.

The book below was just a normal note book that i covered for a girlfriend who left work last week. She loves taking notes and we had given her a lovely leather portfolio and pen but i thought i'd make her something that she could put in her handbag to use where-ever she is.

I Used Graphic45's Debutante from the Fashionista collection and the Art Nouveau pics are from Moonlight Journeys Art Nouveau Beauties sheet. They have some gorgeous sheets pics so go look at www.moonlightjourney.com and they are such a great price you can buy loads.

And since it was Mothers day last weekend i made two cards. The first one i made for my mum and the bottom one was for hubbies mum. The pictures on both and the paper and elements on the bottom one came from the Creative Cardmaking magazine issue 22. Its a great little mag for the price. as you get some gorgeous papers and toppers and elements to cut out and make beautiful cards.

My daughters and i did the Mothers day classic walk (4.5km) with a couple of friends. this the pic of me and my two gorgeous girls, Melissa on the left and Cherie on the right. We had a great time chatting and laughing as we walked. then once we had finished and caught our breaths we went to a small market in town (Adelaide) and afterwards then we took my mum for lunch. Zonked it when we got home that is for sure.Well thats all i can think ooops no thats not all. We had the Spa delivered last week. YAY!!! but can't use it yet as we have to get council approval and we have to have a pool fence put around it too. But hoping it will all be done in a couple of weeks. Will definately take pics when its all finished.

thanks for taking the time to look

Almost end of April

Hi everyone, can you believe it almost the end of April. We must be having fun.
Well i have been having fun playing with my Christmas present from Hubby (photoshop elements 9) i've been purchasing a fair bit from scrapgirls.com & also peppermintcreative.com.
There are some gorgeous kits out there and i'm slowly learning how to instal and use brushes and styles for my Lo's. Here are a couple of Digi LO's i did over the looooooong Easter weekend.
the first one

"Welcome to spring i used a freebie kit (NItwit Collections) from a CD that came with the Complete Cardmaking with your PC magazine. It has 4 0r 5 other kits and 25 free romantic fonts. Well worth the money.











The second one I've used papers and elements from different ranges purchased at Scrapgirls.











So now its back to the PSE( and play around with a few more LO's
Thanks for looking.
Oh and in the next couple of days i'll up load some pic's of the page's i've received for my CJ.

I have been reminded that i neglecting my blog. (Sorry Noriel) Just trying think what has happened since i last blogged.

First, this is not something i have forgotten, but my darling mum has been in and out of hospital with breast cancer. She had to have a mastectomy 2 weeks ago. I am in awe of her. She is 71 and when asked if she was ok with what was going to happen her response was "Shit happens"! She has to have hormone treatment only at this point as there are a few other little cancers that are lying dormant. She said she was glad to get home because she was putting weight on in the hospital. all the beautiful food and no exercise.

We also celebrated mum and dads 50th wedding anniversary the weekend before her op. We went to the Bombay Bicycle Club for tea. It was a great night out just family and we had a private room and we just chatted and laughed and enjoyed each others company.

I've done a bit of scrapping too. some for the monthly challenges and some for the CC challenges

so these are just a few of the Lo's i have done. Some Digi and some paper scrapping. I have also done this birdcage. I got the idea from the Magnolia Ink magazine. A lady by the name of Monique had done one (a lot prettier) using T!m Holtz's birdcage die and some of T!m's techniques. I used my own ideas on how to put it together but i must say i'm pretty happy with how its turned out.

Mad March

The above title would have suited February just as well!

So what has been happening in February. Well we have had visitors for the last 5 weeks. for the first 4 weeks i had a cousin from Wales staying with us. 4 weeks is way to long when they don't want to go see other parts of the country and just want to stay around home.

We hired an apartment for three nights down at Glenelg. the only down side to that was i had to go to work during the day while hubby and cousin enjoyed the wonderful weather on the beach and playing golf and culture of a seaside town. ;o( Not going to let that happen again. lol

We also took him to the Barossa for a wine tour of sorts. I think Cherie (daughter) and I had more fun tasting all the wines. I got some gorgeous photos.

This one is taken under some vines at the Grant Burge winery. I'm thinking of having this one put on a canvas.

And

this pic was taken at Maggie Beers Pheasant farm/winery. There is a lake of sorts behind the shop/cafe and we had a walk around the outside. at the end of the jetty there lots of dragongflys flitting around and hovering over the water. I was able to snap this one using my zoom when he/she landed on this twig.

Gary & I had a break way from it all in the middle of Haydn's stay. We had organized a weekend away with friends 4-5 months ago to stay up at Hahndorf. We stayed at the Manna on the main street of Hahndorf. Quite a nice set of units. It was a lovely relaxing weekend. WE literally took all day to stroll down one side of the street and then back up. It was so nice. There was 6 couples and depending on the speed on each individual no one couple actually stuck to their partners while strolling. we all got mixed chatting and window shopping and actual shopping. We had tea at the German Arms one night and the Hahndorf inn the other. Both meals were huge and unbelieveably delicious.

I took this pic walking back to the Motel on the Saturday night. I was trying to get a nice pic of the moon but i was surprised the way the old buildings turned green in the photo.

And these beautiful people are the great friends that we went away with.

My husband worked the the gentleman on the left and the two on the right for nearly 30 years and stil works with the guy in the middle. We have been going out for tea and having our weekends for 15 - 20 of those years. the wives are just as good friends too. A few of us even go interstate together to watch our Beloved CROWs footy team play and there have also been a number of girls weekends in Melbourne.

so that leaves us the last week of February. Well that will have to wait for the next post (possibly tomorrow) as i think i have bored you enough for one post.

February already

Wow i cant believe 1 week of Feb has already gone.
I finished Last weeks tag last night an here it is. Last weeks (wk5) question was "what would you write on your wall (not facebook). The criteria for this week was that we had to use buttons and bows.
This is the front with the buttons and bows

ans this is the answer. I used kaiser clear and black bling inbetween the black flower buttons

Last week i picked my cousin Haydn up from the airport. He's here from Wales for four weeks and this first week has flown by. He managed to get sunburnt even though we told him to wear a hat and sunscreen. so i took a lot of pleasure slapping the freezing cold aftersun aloe vera gel on his back.

He's down south for the weekend staying with some friends that emigrated 6 years ago. So that will help us not to get sick of one another. lol. Next week we are off to Glenelg for 3 nights. He loves Glenelg so they can roam around there or they can play golf while poor me has to go to work.

In two weeks time hubby and i are off to Hahndorf for the weekend with some friends so that will be a lovely break and then the following Wednesday my sisiter-in-law and niece are over for a week. With the final night being Micahel Buble concert. i'm soooooooo excited.

Read a really lame joke yesterday but thought i might share it with you.

What's a Shitzu? A Zoo with no animals!

Yes i can hear you groan. so on that note i will sign off.

Australia Day

Well I'm sitting at home not doing a lot. (Bliss). Finished my Tag for week 4's question which is "What 3 words would others use to describe you?"

Well i asked my daughters and they came up with Special and Lovely/loving and one of the girls i work with told me i was a caring person, so i used those three words.

So here is my tag

Over at Artistic document we had our Cyber crop night on Fridayand once again the girls on the DT and their guest DT Member (my sister-in-law) excelled themselves with their challenges.

I did the Blindscrap which was set by the every lovley Megan, I used kaiser papers and some homemade flowers which i made a few months ago.

and Terri's Artistic Challenge which was making an easel card using a 10 x10cm canvas. I made mine for another girlfriend at work for her birthday.

We are going to our friends again for tea tonight so i better start getting ready.

Have a great Australia Day everyone.

TGIF

Yes its the best time of the week for me. Friday night. No work for two days!
Well the only downside is the bloke over the back with his band practise EVERY friday night.
We cant even have the windows open while watching tv cos we wouldn't be able to hear it.

Another weekend is here. Hubby is working again tomorrow so i'll get the house work done, how exciting, then either scrap or do some power point for work. I think scrapping is winning out.

2 more weeks and my cousin Haydn is coming over from Wales for four weeks. I'm hoping to take 2 weeks off so i can spend some time with him and then with my sister-in-law who is coming over to do some scrapping and also to go to the Michael Buble concert on 1st March. I'm soooooooo looking forward to that. There will be myself, of course, my daughters, Noriel, Krystal, my lovely niece and my gorgeous girlfriend Vicki going together. its shaping up to be a great night.

On a more sombre note, i would like to send my thoughts and prayers to all those who are caught up in the devastating floods in QLD. Its an absolute tragedy. We are doing a collection at work for the flood appeal. So hopefully come Monday and Tuesday we will be able to collect a nice amount.

Also there is some flooding in Victoria so send your prayers for our friends that are suffering there too.

ciao for now.

Hump day over and done with

Half way through another working week. YAY!!!
What have i done so far this week???? Watched 2 episodes of The Tudors, series 4 with my daughter Cherie. Played on the computer for work last night and tonight i went to weight watchers and found i'd gained 100gms. Yes i know its not a lot but i thought i had done all the right things this week. OH well tomorrow is a new day and start of a new week. I think i will have to change things around abit in what i eat. I do tend to only have cereal for breakfast. so tomorrow i will have some scrambled eggs on toast.

On Sunday week two of the 52 question challenge at ARTISTIC DOCUMENT was uploaded and the question this week was....How do i feather my nest. the criteria was we had to use something from a swap. My swap piece is the Tim Holtz bird cage and bird from our bird butterfly and bees swap which was held last year at ARTISTIC DOCUMENT

Front and back. (lighting wasn't the best)

Well thats it for tonight.
Take care everyone, especially everyone in Queensland. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.

thanks for taking the time.

First challenges for 2011

You must be thinking Wow 2 posts in 2 days.
Well Hubby is at work and i'm on my own (DD1 is a sleep in the family room) so i have been doing some scrapping. Oh yes, i nearly fell off my chair when i finished the LO too.
so here are what i have done in the last to days.

The first two are the back and front of The 52 question challenge that Marie at Artistic Document is holding. Each Sunday she will be posting a question and the criteria for each tag. This first Question is What i wish for in 2011 (not a resolution). the criteria was Collage. So the first pic shows the back and my answer.



this second Pic shows the front and the question.

I used BasicGrey's Chablis form the Periphery range on the front and back and Kaiser Cle from the Le Chateau range, back and front. I also used Kaiser's key, lace and flowers on the front from the Devonshire collection embellishment pack. the flower on the back i made using T!m Holtz's Tattered flowers die and paper from an old book. spritzed them with water. scrunched them and added a kaiser brad int he middle then inked the edges in distress ink, faded jeans.

No this Lo is for the challenge set by our Guest designer Noriel. MY sister-in-law. I was so proud when it was announced that she had been chosen so i though it fir for her challenge to be the very first Lo i did for this year. Her challenge was to use only 6 inches of the paper, top, bottom, left or right, but it could only be in 6 inches. We could use as many embellishments as we wanted BUT NO flowers were allowed. she's tough! So a few girls did mention that it was a good way to use up papers with patterns down one side. I love those girls and their ideas. Well i had plenty of papers given to me last mothers day that i could use. I finally settled on this one and i loved the picture of the boys in our family. It was taken at my nephew's 30th birthday back in August 2010. It's not often that we all get together like this so photo op in the making.

Well the child (26) is awake and will no doubt want some attention before she goes out.

Thanks for Looking.