Kinda the Same but Different

Right last one for today I think. As you can see these two are variations on a theme. The stamps are by Lavinia and Tracey, who designs and makes them, does wonderful things with them. Take a look on the website - just Google Lavinia Stamps. A bit of brayering in the background and then random (but deliberate random if you know what I mean!!) stamping of the tree vine and various flowers. One in monotone and the other in 'interesting' colours - very different colours for me! Both cards are for friends celebrating birthdays in October. Right I need to move myself. I am off to Weight Watchers right now (Doing well. Just wanted to lose a few kilos to make recovery with my knee easier) and then I have to get tonight's meal organised (Crock Pot is already on) as I am due to pick up my Nephew and Great Nephew from the airport at 5pm. They are here from the UK to support the England rugby team in the world cup. They are based down in Dunedin but have a couple of spare days between games so are coming up to us for a visit. That means I will be playing Hostess with Mostest and Tour Guide for the next couple of days so I don't expect much crafting will get done!!

Second Post

Here I am again with post number two for today. This is for our pseudo Great Niece in the UK who is turning 8 years old in October and she is a real 'live wire'. With any luck she will be visiting us here in NZ around Easter time 2012. I used one of my lovely Tilda stamps and I just love painting them - so relaxing and satisfying. I have lots of images stamped ready to paint whilst I am convalescing. The orange flowers are cut with a Magnolia Doo Hickey die put through my Cuttlebug and the Tilda image is cut with a Nesties Label die through the Cuttlebug. Paper on the front is from a gorgeous book I bought whilst on my travels. Love it!!!

Good Morning Everyone . . . .

. . . . I have several posts for you today so I hope you enjoy them. I have LOTS of birthdays in October (not me personally you understand!!! Thank goodness!!!) and as I am going into hospital next week for my new knee, I have been very busy 'getting organised'. This card in a box is for my friend Lianne who always looks 'drop dead gorgeous' and this type of shoe would look great on her. I love using the flowers but of course that means you have to make a box to house the card. I will be hand delivering this one as she is just local. I haven't tried posting one in a box yet! Can't bear to think of it getting squished after all the effort of making it. I hope you are all well and as usual thanks for visiting today.

Improving slowly!!

Hi again Everyone. Much better effort this time - only a few days since my last Blog. A very quick and simple card today - by necessity as it's my friend Bob's birthday TODAY!!! Guess where I'm going as soon as I've finished Blogging??? LOL Good job I looked in my birthday book yesterday to see what's coming up. My mind still hasn't settled back into working mode since our holiday. Anyway he will never know that I just 'threw' this together this morning will he? He used to be my boss and he is just lovely. He has a little drawer with all the cards I have made for him over the years. I should take a good look at them to see if I am improving shouldn't I? Hope he likes this one and that he has a great day. Right I'm off to play Postman Pat. Thanks for looking today and have a great weekend One and All.

Where did August go to?

Gosh it's hard to get back into a routine after seven weeks away. I think I left my Mojo somewhere en route .I did spend rather a long time constructing this concertina book/card. I had to enlist the aid of my husband as Chief Paper Engineer. We seriously modified the instructions I had in a magazine and I am VERY happy with the end result. It will make a good class I think but as I have all my classes sorted for the rest of 2011 it won't be happening until THE NEW YEAR!!! How scary is that and it will be here in no time at all. All things Christmas are crowding into my mind now and I can see last minute cards looming once again. I need to really get myself sorted and knuckle down to some serious crafting. Here's hoping for more post in September, Thanks for looking today.

What's happened to the weather???

Hello Everyone. We have been home almost a week and thank goodness the weather was kind to us last week. If it had been like it is today - white over - I think we would have stayed on the plane and headed to warmer climes. We have been in NZ for 39 years and it is the FIRST time we have EVER had snow in our garden. It takes me right back to my childhood days in the UK!! I don't do snow anymore I'm afraid. Still the children round about are having lots of fun and when I went off for my swim this morning there was a procession of assorted snowmen along the roadside. Cute. Anyway onto my pictures. All my goodies purchased on our trip. I have tried to sort them into groups to some degree. Picture 1 is Gold leaf, Perfect pearls eyelets,brads etc, fancy fabric and Glimmer Mist spray. Pic 2 Yummy embellishments by Sir Tim. Pic 3 Stamps. Pic 4 Various glues and tapes. Pic 5 Cuttlebug embossing folders, Nesties and EK border punches. Pic 6 Various ink pads, brushes, pens and special papers. Pic 7 Gorgeous 12 x 12 Christmas paper pad. Pic 8 2 Gorgeous 8 x 8 paper pads. In both the 12 x 12 and 8 x 8 pads half the papers are plain and half are glittered and ALL are double sided. I can see I will be spoilt for choice!! So now I need to settle down and use some of my lovely goodies. I am looking forward to it and to showing what I make to you ladies. I still have a few jobs to sort out before I can craft with a clear conscience though so it may be a little while yet. Nice to be back (despite the weather) and talking with you again. Thanks for staying with my Blog in my abscence and for looking today.

Nearly Time to Come Home

Hello Everyone - It is Friday morning here for me so for my NZ readers it will be Friday evening and the start of your weekend.  I hope you all have a good one.  Well our seven weeks holiday is almost at an end.  We fly home on Sunday getting back to NZ on Tuesday morning.  It has been great and we have had wonderful times with friends and family but we are ready for home now.  We have done something every day and it will be good to get back to something like normal.  Of course we miss our daughters and grandchildren too even though SKYPE helps to lessen that.  I have bought some lovely crafty things and will try to photograph and post them when I get settled back at home.  I hope my MOJO has benefitted from the holiday too = not always the case I might add.  I have seen some good ideas I am looking forward to trying them out and of course I'll post the results.  Until then take care and as always thanks for looking at my Blog.