Happy New Year

Well Christmas is all over red rover.  I'm kinda glad that it is, kinda sad too.  Journalling and taking photos for my December Daily helped savour every moment leading up to the big day.  It was a good thing to do this year- it sure as eggs won't be happening next year LOL with a new little one on our hands.

 

So first up is the village I built, which I can show now as it's been gifted.  The base design is from 'Collections Elements' which was purchased through Lyn at The Scrapbook Store.

 

I can't take credit for the next wee treasure.  It was purchased from Felt and here is the link to the seller  http://felt.co.nz/search/all/cupcake+cutie

I have a tradition of sending an angel each Christmas to my host 'mom' in Canada.  Isn't she gorgeous.

Christmas wouldn't be the same without our beautiful New Zealand summer berry fruit!
Mum did very well to accomodate my kids, my vegan brother and pregnant me in terms of Chrissie dinner.

Last of all my beautiful wee man who is growing up before our eyes.  I still call him 'baby James' at times.  I wonder if this will change?!

Blessings!  Here's to a happy, healthy and safe 2013.  Have one (or two) for me.

2 more sleeps!!

 

Hope that this finds you chilled out and organised.  Today is a good day.  Our coffee machine is back and is finally making a good cuppa, unlike the watery blah stuff it was spitting out.  Also a good thing that it's not just about exploding when we turn it on. LOL  Gav went out to Mapua to pick it up, as the thought of no good coffee for two weeks did not thrill us. 

 

So first up, the preschool teacher gifts inspired by Pinterest.  Basically a small jar half filled with hot chocolate, half filled with marshmallows and a small bottle of baileys on the side.  Num num.  The tag is made with the PTI friendship jar.  I have also used PTI button twine.  This is a staple in my stash AND IT'S JUST RUN OUT. 

 ****Does anyone know where I can buy this thin button twine in NZ?****  Otherwise I may have have to put another PTI order through in the New Year (wink wink).

 

So after these were gifted I told the engineer that they were well received and he goes "Of course they were, they contained booze" LOL. 

Have been using old sewing patterns to wrap some of my presents- girlie ones that is!!

 
Here's the cake.  Not my best effort, but hey the kids didn't mind.  Didn't realise until viewing the photos later that the Chipmunks people had put my whole pack of candles on (not just 6!!!!) and that one of the spiders had been knocked off it's perch- or his legs as the case may be.   Oh well, noone seemed to notice. 

I branched out and instead of doing my standard kid's birthday butter cake, I used Annabel Langbein's chocolate cake, which really is divine.  I usually make the ganache to go with it but for the party just did a butter cream icing.  Here is the link for the chocolate cake  http://annabel-langbein.com/cooking/recipes/recipe/?id=279

 

And finally the fellas eating their pud on Ol's new skateboard, on our NEW CONCRETE PATH whoop whoop.  Yes it's the little things.

 

A very Merry Christmas to you and yours. xoxoxo

Christmas Blessings

How are you doing?  Surviving the crazy season?  I am quite enjoying all the festivities.  I think being organised helps.  It sure is busy though.  Master five has 3 birthday parties this week (including his own).  Have a few Christmasy things to share today.....

 

So firstly some of my tags.  You may have seen them posted already on the Scrapbox NZ blog.  I love using shipping tags.  So fun to distress and embellish. 

 

A few Chrissy cards. Most of them have PTI stamps.  Yum yum.

One of my wee owlies made using the silhouette cameo.  This must be my fav 3D item.  This wee guy was made for Ol's teacher.  I refrained from writing "thanks for making me wise" LOL.

 

Big smiles from Mstr almost 6!  Out for lunch in Mapua.

 Last but not least, some crafting with the wee fellas.

 

You never know....

You never know what's around the corner!  Too true.  Sometimes I think it's probably better that you don't know.  When you're younger people graduate, get married, have babies...then as you get older people divorce, people get sick, some people die....
Life just happens.  It's never always good.  That's life.

So if you'd told me 4 or 5 months ago that later this year we would be expecting our third child.  I would not have believed you.  Why?  Because it was not part of 'our' plan.  We were happy having our two beautiful, healthy boys.  We are past the nappy stage.  I was building my business back up.  Things are easier.  But guess what.....

Life happens!  

Happy Saturday everyone xo

A bit of this and a bit of that!

It's been nearly a month since my last post, where has the time gone!  So a bit of this and that to share today. 

 

First up, the tags I made for the 'Scrapfest by the Sea' tag swap.  Trina and Lyn sure have a lot of fun things up their sleeves for us all.  This was no exception.  Our theme was Christmas and here are my creations.........

 

 

Next another wee gable box (made with my silhouette cameo) for the black and white raffle for the school gala.  13 cos it was room 13's raffle!

The following was a recent-ish class with Lyn Jordan.  We used distress ink to colour the muslin, hand stitched and hand sewed the beads.  The sweet wee girl is my niece Charlotte who was our flower girl 11 years ago.

An anniversary card for my hubby.  Gonna love working with the friendship jar stamp set that has recently made its way into my hot little hands!

Finally VICKI this photo is for you.  Master Ollie snuck his way in!  Us at 11 years of marriage before our hot date.

Au revior. xo

Socks, pinwheels and Kathie Link

Off for a scrappy day, run by Lyn Jordan- a LO and a mini.  Will be good to escape to scrap land again and catch up with some friends I haven't seen in a little while. 

 

First up a couple of Kathie Link designs that Lyn taught.  We dry brushed the paint for the background (bad for my sensory but looks cool).  Lots of outlining in pen.

 

Tag for the FIL.  Made the pinwheel with my Cameo.

Lastly my LO from the Kaikoura weekend.  Green washi courtesy of Vicki! 

That's all folks.  Have a good weekend, whatever you might be doing. xo

Bits and bobs..

Hello there my peeps.  Well we're pretty much at the end of the holidays.  We had a good break away in the first week.  Blenheim, then the Sounds.  In addition to catching up with friends and family, highlights would be the Brayshaw Train (Blenhm), then the stunning scenery, native birds and glowworms in the Sounds.  The highlight for Ol (5) would have been the fishing off the wharf.   

 

 

A couple of LOs to share- the last of my Big Picture class.  Firstly a proud mumma moment- Ol getting a certificate at assembly.

And continuing the theme of scrapping me (ROFL) my grad from 2000.  MADE IT!  Quite apt as there were a few times when I just wanted to throw it in.  Stuck it out and glad I did.  Maybe there is a lesson in this.....

Bye for now xo

Good times

I am still pretty pumped from my girly weekend away in Kaikoura last weekend. I can't stop raving about it! Words won't do it justice. Three lovely ladies that I have met through the wonderful art of scrapbooking were kind enough to include me in this weekend escape. I only met Trace and Vicki in March this year, Brenda more recently than that. But it was easy. It was fun. Conversation and laughs just flowed. Let's face it, there's always something to talk about in the scrapping world!!  Not to mention the food.  Being cooked for is such an amazing treat.  A delicious roast cooked by Trace and a YUMMO brekkie by Brenda.  I was soooo spoilt with the RAKS.  Love language tanks are filled up! 

 

So here we are!  The fab four!  Giggle.

 

Yes we found Atomic coffee outside the quilting shop.  Shall we say that I was somewhat pleased by this!  LOL

Ollie had asked me to bring home a picture of the seals.  So Brenda was very accomodating in stopping on the way a few times?!  It was a little hair raising- in a good way.  Especially when Brenda tooted the horn and I thought I was going to be chased by a seal that I didn't even realise was there. ROFL

We had a surprise high tea for Brendie.  Trace whisked her out to buy broccoli which she had 'forgotten' and they took the scenic route back.  I madly iced cupcakes while Vicki did everything else LOL.  The question is....where did that cupcake nozzle go?????

We had resin and Opals 101 tutorials.  "Da-daaaaaaaar".  FUN.  Resin- you can't muck around and glimmer mix in the mixture- not such a good idea.  Thanks ladies these were awesome.

There you have it!  Just about covers in....haven't mentioned the shopping.  Was so cool not to be pressured by kids (and the engineer)....Found some bargains at the market, and some gifties for stockings etc.  All good and probably enough prattling.

Without futher ado I had better MOVE IT MOVE IT and get to the jobs and my boys.  Brenda be impressed that I did a post- not just a link to your three blogs bahahahahahah.

Thanks ladies, it was awesome and I appreciated (and appreciate) every minute of it.  Especially the bunny moment ROFL.  Miss you. xo

Young and Free

First 2 up are my latest big picture creations from Nic Howard's Dimensional Details.  Loving this course and I'm going to miss it when it finishes in a month.  Wouldn't hesitate to sign up for another course as the learning and inspiration makes it worth it!!

 

Hubby and I YOUNG AND FREE prekids.  Like another life in a way.

Finally one of Lyn Jordan's class pages.  I adjusted the LO to suit, as she had 3 pics on her original.

Another wet weekend day.  Kinda hard with our two energy filled boys of 3 and 5.  Bring on the spring sunshine I say.  {hugs} S xo 

Spring has Sprung

Greetings and welome to Spring!  I love Spring.  In fact I don't really mind any time of the year except for winter.  Not such a winter fan. 

 

The two tags are Big Picture Scrapbooking projects.  Firstly a Rachel Tucker inspired design.  I handmade the toadstools using felt and a button covering kit.

 



Another attempt at Steampunk.  Somehow my steampunk ends up a little shabby chic.  I think I'm going to add a little butterfly to the top right of the wooden tag.

Finally used some coredinations that arrived a wee while back.  So I dry embossed using a Tim Holtz folder, then sanded it back to reveal the green.  I think I'm going to love playing with this cardstock.

Last of all a LO using a Challenge me Happy sketch from when they had their hoopla.  Didn't quite get there to enter but here's my take anyway.  Love Simple Stories.

Thanks for popping in and have a wonderful week. xo

Big Picture Scrapbooking

All of my projects posted today I made as part of the Big Picture Scrapbooking course I am doing- Dimensional Details by Nic Howard.  Keeping up so far, which is a small miracle and am very glad to be doing it.

Below- focus was on multi photos.  Not my thing usually but very happy with the result. Notice the inking up behind the photos.  Like this idea.

The canvas wasn't a project for BP per-se, just needed a LO break.  Used Nic's concepts of the week to create the mini canvas for a friend's birthday.  Was intending to use the gel medium but didn't.  Long story. All good.  Will use it soon.

This was week one.  Can't remember the focus.  Quite different for me to use circles I realise.  Dug into my stash for this one. LOL

Titles was the theme for below.  Quite like the separating idea (i.e. pot-ter-ing).  Hadn't done a washi banner before either.  I made the dragonfly during the outing (LO theme).

LOVE this last one.  The pic doesn't do it justice.  Sewing is the theme.  Stitched the wrinkle ribbon, around the border and hand sewed the button.  And yes my boys are growing up. 

Arohanui.  Sally xox