Lest We Forget...

... our sweet Sam, who had to be put down today.














He contracted parvovirus and became incredibly ill very quickly.

Today has been a very sad day for me and my family. Tilly was very brave, singing him songs and patting him as we sat with him at the vet surgery. She even sat with him while he passed. James missed it as he was at work at the time, but I gave Sam a kiss on his behalf.














And at the going down of the sun, We will remember him.

Rest in peace Sam Dog. Love you!

Beware!!! Big Post!!!

I have quite a bit to share today!!!

First up, I have made another card for the Dear Lizzy Week challenge at the Studio. Here it is;














Have a Splendid Day Card
Cardstock - Bazzill, Patterned paper - American Crafts, Chipboard - American Crafts, Stamp - American Crafts, Ink - Tsukineko, Clear embossing powder - Stampin' Up!.

Pretty much along the same lines as the previous card. I think this will make a nice Mother's Day card!

Next are two tags that I created a couple of weeks back. I am particularly fond of the birdie tag... I think I may end up using it on a card.


















Hi Tag
Cardstock - Bazzill, Acetate - Hambly Screen Prints, Stamps - Pink Paislee, Technique Tuesday, Ink - Tsukineko, Alphas - Heidi Swapp, Ribbon - unknown, Raffia - craft supply, Scallop punch - Marvy Uchida.














Thankful Tag
Cardstock - Bazzill, Patterned paper - Cosmo Cricket, Stamps - Stampin' Up!, Pink Paislee, Ink - Tsukineko, Ribbon - Making Memories, Button - craft supply, Twine - craft supply.

Last night I made a Christmas-themed giftcard holder. Yes, it's early... I know, but there are a few submission calls about the place that I am considering participating in and I thought this'd make a nice project. It is basically a matchbook-style giftcard holder made from Making Memories' Mistletoe collection. I am really happy with how this has turned out - it's cute and a fun design.


















For You Matchbook-Style Giftcard Holder
Cardstock - Bazzill, Patterned paper - Making Memories, Felt sticker - Making Memories, Word stickers - Making Memories, Staple - Making Memories, Ribbon - unknown, Punch - Stampin' Up!.

That's it for my crafty shares... but I still have one more thing left to post... this little cutie;




















































This beanie was bought for Ollie when he was born by a friend of mine, and now it finally fits him! Just in time for winter!!! I took these pics while he was crawling around his bedroom, trying to grab my camera. He loves my camera... but I don't love that he sucks on it!!! LOL!

Well, sorry for the big post! If you made it to the end... well done!!!

After all the card-making I've been doing lately, I have an itch to scrap. Hopefully will get a few pages done over the weekend.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Dear Lizzy Week Challenge!

This is my entry for this week's challenge at the Studio blog;













Grow Card
Cardstock - Bazzill, Patterned paper - American Crafts, Fabric paper - American Crafts, Badge - American Crafts, Stamp - American Crafts, Ink - Tsukineko, White embossing powder - Stampin' Up!.

This week we were challenges to create a layout or card using two or more Dear Lizzy products. I used 4 - fabric paper, patterned paper, a Flair adhesive badge, and a stamp.

Oh, and have you noticed who is sitting on top of the AFL ladder?.. the Saints of course!!! Here's a pic of my little Sainter that I took on Saturday during the game;


















James corrupted Matilda a long time ago with his love of the Eagles... there is no hope for her. That leaves Ollie... and I reckon I'm entitled to encouraging at least one child of ours to support the right team!!! LOL!

Happy hump day! Back again soon!

Caardvarks Challenge!

This is my entry for the Caardvarks and Clear & Simple combination Blog Hop/Card Challenge. All that was asked was to create a 'new' baby card. Here's what I came up with;


















Oh Baby Card
Cardstock - Bazzill, Patterned paper - Cosmo Cricket, Chipboard - Cosmo Cricket, Button- unknown, Rub-on - Cosmo Cricket, Hole punch - WRMK, Twine - craft supply, Cream machine thread - craft supply.

It feels great to finally be digging into my Earth Love stash. I have been hoarding it all for while now!!!

Speaking of stash, yesterday I bought the journal cards, stickers, and papers from the Fly a Kite collection by October Afternoon. Yummo!!! I had also wanted to get the Thrift Shop stuff but I am on a tight budget this week (and had picked out about $100 worth of product!!!) so I instead put it on layby and will pick it up when I get my cheque from CSP. Cannot wait!!! Second only to Dear Lizzy, Thrift Shop would have to be one of my absolute fave releases from CHA.

Live Slow... and Celebrate!

I am posting todat to share 2 things;

The first is this quick little card that I think makes a great reminder to us all to take it easy and enjoy the moment;


















Live Slow Card
Cardstock - Bazzill, Patterned paper - Cosmo Cricket, Chipboard - Cosmo Cricket, Rub-on - Cosmo Cricket, Hole punch - WRMK, Twine - craft supply, Brown machine thread - craft supply.

And the second thing is a toot... I received my copy of Vol.16 No.1 of Cardmaking, Stamping and Papercraft magazine... and on page 54 and 55 are a set of MY cards!!! OMG!!! How exciting! I have waited for this day for what feels like forever! They have been photographed so beautifully, and look even better than in real life (LOL!). I am on cloud 9!!!

Thanks for dropping by and for any comments that you so lovingly leave!

I Scrapped!!!

I've been MIA the last few days cos we went away for a family camping trip in Kalamunda! We all had a fun time, especially Tilly as there was a family with 3 small boys who she got on well with. This was Ollie's first camping trip outside the womb! He was mostly good and enjoyed getting dirty, but slept like s#@%!!! On the first night he woke every 45 mins for most of the night, and the second night wasn't much better. I think it was mostly due to it being cold - he still has a cough from the flu he had last week so the cold air made him cough a bit during the night.

I took a few things to handcut while we were away but got none of it done. I did a few rows of knitting but that's the extent of my craftiness while we were away. I did not hesitate to jump straight back into it though once we returned home... yesterday I finished up this layout that I begun before we left;


















Howdy Layout
Cardstock - Bazzill, Patterned paper - American Crafts, Jenni Bowlin, Alphas - American Crafts, Stickers - American Crafts, October Afternoon, Badge - American Crafts, Twine - craft supply, Pen - Sharpie, Cream machine thread.

I used some of my new Botanique stash for this page using a photo of Tilly wearing the hat I was given by my in-laws for my birthday. She makes the sweetest little cowgirl, don't you think?!!

That's it for me for today! Keep dry and happy scrapping!

We Have a Winner!!!

I have no idea how to insert a screen shot or whatever so you'll have to take my word on this, cut and pasted from Random Org...

THE WINNER IS...

"True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 4
Result:
3
Powered by RANDOM.ORG"

... TINA!!!

Congratulations Tina! Email me your postal address and I'll get your prize out to you asap!

Make Your Own Spring Garden!!!

I was contacted today by a fellow scrappy friend (hi Tina!!!) asking me how I created the flower on my Congratulations card in the post below. This prompted me to post here a link to a few of the fun, innovative, and interesting paper flower making tutorials that I have found online. This is only a small selection of all the flowery goodness available for you to recreate, but these are my personal faves;

Spiral flowers

Tissue paper flowers

Curly-petal rose

Roses using ready-made flowers

Flower sprigs

Pinched paper flowers

Dahlia flowers

Lollipop flowers

Sewing pattern flowers

3D flowers using scallops

Torn lollipop flowers

Rolled flowers

Folded flowers

Accordian flowers

Which brings me back to the original question... how did I make my flower? Well it is pretty much just tutorial number one (spiral flowers are my number one fave flower atm!!!) but I used a scalloped circle as the base rather than a plain circle. I also added looser spiral layers below the tightest spiral to make the flower fuller.

I hope you find this post to be a great creative reference! If you know of any other interesting links for making your own flowers, please post them in the comments section so I can add them to the list.

Happy flower making!!!

Reduce Reuse Recycle!!!

This week I received a letter from Scrapbook Creations. The envelope it came in was 100% recycled so was a gorgeous Kraft colour. I immediately got out my punches and cut from it as any shapes and borders as I could manage. For the card I am sharing today, I took 3 scalloped circles that I had punched from the envelope and transformed them into a pretty floral embellishment. I teamed it with some of my yummy new Botanique stuff, and this is what I came up with;


















Recycled Congratulations Card
Cardstock - Bazzill, Patterned paper - American Crafts, Paper - recycled envelope, Brad - American Crafts, Colour spray - Tattered Angels, Stamps - Prima, American Crafts, Ink - Ranger, Twine - craft supply.

I am really happy with the sprayed/stamped patterned paper on this and also how the sprayed handmade flower turned out. I am only new to making my own flowers... it is so fun and really quite addictive. If you have any links to some fun flower-making tutorials, be sure to let me know!!!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway, too, while you're here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Not Here but There!

Hurry on over to For the Love of Buttons for a chance to win this;


















Be quick... it ends today!!!

Easter Cards!

I have finally got around to posting the kids' Easter cards! Here they are;


















Ollie's First Easter Card
Cardstock - Bazzill, Patterned paper - October Afternoon, Alphas - Adornit, Stickers - October Afternoon, Chipboard - craft supply, Ribbon - Fancy Pants(?), Button - craft supply, Twine - craft supply, Pearls - Kaiser.













Tilly's Easter Card
Cardstock - Bazzill, Patterned paper - American Crafts, Punches - Martha Stewart, Stampin' Up!, Pearls - Kaiser, Font - Segoe Print.

To be honest, neither child really could've given a hoot about their card, but hey, I'll store them away and maybe one day they'll look back on them and know they were so loved!

Don't forget to leave a comment at the post below to win win win! I've already snipped into my new stash and am having a blast!

Happy hump day! Enjoy the rest of your week!

OMG!!! OMG!!! OMG!!!

Yep, that's pretty much all I can manage to say at this precise moment... because I am so so so blown away by this;














A box full of all this yummy Botanique product arrived at my doorstep a few moments ago from the very generous people at American Crafts. It is my prize from the Drive-By Giveaway they hosted on their blog a few weeks back. I cannot believe just how generous they have been with the prize, especially given that they had to post it internationally. I consider myself a very very lucky girl! Thanks AC!!!

But I don't want to be lucky all on my lonesome... I learnt a while back, from none other than Oprah, that when something good happens to you, you should pay it forward. So that's just what I'm gonna do... leave a comment here telling me your fave American Crafts line (old or new) and your name will go into the draw to win a small sampling of Botanique goodness. I have put together this little kit, including enough product to make at least three cards;














You have until Friday night. I'll announce the winner on Saturday. Goodluck!!!

Easter Unwrapped 2010!

Hi all! I hope you had a wonderful Easter and are enjoying the last day of the Easter break.

My family and I had a lovely day! It began at a reasonable hour with the much anticipated egg hunt. Tilly was overjoyed by the fact that the Easter Bunny came inside the house as well as leaving eggs outside - he left one gift by her bedroom door plus a trail of little eggs through the loungeroom to the front door!!!

Ollie woke a little later and went for his own little hunt. The Easter Bunny made it easy for him and 'hid' everything on his playmat and in his bouncer in the loungeroom. I never would have thought to do that!

Then he enjoyed his first ever Easter egg! It was alot less messy than I thought it would be. He just sucked on it. But he loved it!!!

After taking DH to work, we headed to my parent's place. We spent most of the day there with my family and my Grandad who is visiting from Thailand. It was a relaxing day. Tilly had fun doing craft and flying her own handmade kite with her Aunty Molly and we had a yummy BBQ lunch.

On our way home we stopped in to visit the kids' Nanna and Pop. Poppy had organised a little egg hunt for Tilly in his veggie patch which she loved!

Below is a bunch of my fave photos from Easter day;































































































































































Thanks for stopping by! I hope your Easter was as wonderful as ours!

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Wishing you and your family a happy Easter!!!

Another Quick Share!

Made this egg-shaped basket for Challenge 14 in the Scrapz.Chickadees comp;


















Egg-shaped Basket
Patterned paper - Basic Grey, Cosmo Cricket, Flowers - Prima, Button - craft supply, Embroidery thread - DMC, Chipboard - Collections, Ink - Tsukineko, Ribbon - unknown.

DD will be giving this to her Aunty Molly. It is all ready and waiting full of eggs for Easter.

How are your Easter preparations going? I am ready except I still have to finish off Ollie's Easter card. I am only making cards for the kids this year - I have already made Tilly's. Will share soon!

Have a wonderful Good Friday!