Living my dream

Get Picky - challenge

Take a look over on the Get Picky blog today for a new challenge. It's bright and colourful and I have to admit I found it hard to do.

I almost feel like this LO is like the old 'sticker sneeze' but instead 'flower sneeze'. LOL.

So the challenge is to use the most amazing colours - blue, green, pink, yellow (check out Get Picky for their inspiration photo!) and make sure there is some fabric on your LO too.

Here's what I came up with.

and a couple of close up's....

There's my fabric. Some medical guaze sprayed with some gorgeous Glimmermist, then stitched on.

Lots of yummy Prima flowers.

 
And I got out my old dymo machine for some journaling. Love it.

Hope you get a chance to give this challenge a go.

T

Winners

It's Friday, so here are the winners from the two raks I had on my blog this week.

Congratulations to:

so beautiful! loved all your details.

Posted by: Jona Panesa | October 17, 2011 at 07:14 PM

Randomly drawn from the Get Picky blog post.

and

I love the idea of a birthday layout for yourself:) Hope you're all having an awesome day together!hx

Posted by: topkatnz | October 18, 2011 at 02:26 PM

Again, randomly drawn, this time from my birthday post.

Ladies, congrats. Can you please email me with your postal details so I can get a rak out to you.

Thanks for playing along with me this week. It's been fun.

Whanganui Class 2 - Texture throughout

Hi everyone! Below you will see some sneak peeks of the second class I'll be teaching in Whanganui on the 5th November.

As you can see it is bright and colourful and beautiful. Just like you. And that is what the topic of this LO will be about. YOU. So please bring a photo of you to class. Just one. Size 3x3" (feel free to bring a 6x4 that you can crop down to 3x3").

TIP: I've used a black and white (B&W is wonderful for hiding the nasties) and also it will easily match the colours of the LO.

Now I know a few of you will be saying "Eeeeeek, I don't like photos of myself". I was the same until a few years ago. And then I realised something. Whether I liked it or not, this is who I was/am and what I look like, RIGHT THEN. So celebrate it. Because if you're not here, that's worse! And the people that love you will want photos. And they won't care if you've got make-up on, or have a pimple or look amazing. They will just want to see YOU!

Ok, I'll hop down off my soap box now. Grin.

So what else do you need to bring? Here's a list:

Your standard scrapbooking kit (all the things you normally use - adhesives, trimmer, etc)

Foam Dots (Magic Mount)

Craft knife and mat

Ink (if you want to ink the edges of the patterns we are cutting).

Black pen if you would like to do some hand written journaling.

And if you have them, the following punches would be helpful:

Martha Stewart butterflies (3 butterflies in one stamp)

Martha Stewart Doilie scallop.

I can't wait to see you there!

T

I am so darn excited

Today was one of the best days. The kids and I went down to Hamilton for a visit with Vicky and her lovely children. Then we all piled into the car and headed out to a farm which felt like miles from anywhere, but wasn't.

We were shown around the farm looking at soooo many different breeds of chickens, some brand new baby pigs, a brand new lamb, and teeny tiny chicks ranging in ages from a couple of days through to ones laying the next generation.

And before I go on, I have to say how CUTE ducklings are. Oh my goodness! I want some! But getting the fertile chicken eggs is enough for now. Grin.

So we did. We got a couple of Blue leghorns, a few Araucana, a Coronation Sussex and one that I can't remember right now (I'm going to email to ask).

Then we came home and 'set' the eggs with our beautiful girl Blah.

She had been looking after some golf balls and we took them out and replaced them with real eggs.

Look at them. They are so beautiful.

And then Blah was placed back over by them and she did her thing. She fluffed around and settled down.

21 days from now, all things going to plan, we will have some little chicks. Now I'm not counting on all of them hatching. And no doubt we'll get roosters which will have to go back. But, it's real. And I for one am totally excited.

And the best part is that we get to share this wee journey with a good friend and her family.

Celebrating birthdays

Hey everyone! It's my turn to host at the Prima blog today. So below is what you'll find over there. If you've already seen this at Prima, then take a look at the end for the giveaway.

With it being someone's special day today **wink, wink** I decided to create a few birthday themed projects for my Prima post this month.

(And yes, the time difference is a little bit confusing, but it's my birthday today NZ time).

Birthdays are extremely special to me. The celebration of a person for that day, the whole day, isn't much each year is it! And to celebrate properly doesn't take much time or necessarily money. What it does mean is thought. So here's a few ideas that might show how easy it is to make someone's day extra special.

First a hand made card.

My sister also has her birthday in October, so I couldn't help but make something special for her. Here's a couple of close ups

Supplies used for this card:

 550097 - Alphabet Stickers

890766 - Shabby Chic Resin Treasures

890704 - Shabby Chic Resin Treasures

843212 - Pixie Glen Devon

537791 - Athena Flowers Blue Belle

552688 - Sherwood Rose Truffle

552466 - Avon Rose Pixie Glen

930042 - Vintage Trinkets

I also like to try and wrap gifts in a special way. Although I often run out of time (don't we all?). Here are three quick and easy gift wrap ideas that don't take a lot of time....

These are only little boxes, so perfect for a 'tiny' something. I'm thinking some sweets, a piece of jewellery, a gift voucher etc.

Let me tell you how I made them.

This first one is super easy, but may need some drying time.

It will take a whole sheet of patterned paper to create.

The first thing I did was to cut the manufacturer strip off. Then I ran the whole piece of PP under my kitchen tap. EEeeeeeek. Yes, I really did!

Once it was wet through, I molded it around a small bowl tying a piece of string or ribbon around the middle to form a lovely flourish of paper at the top. Don't worry if it rips a little, you can either embellish over the top, or make this part of the design.

Once it is dry, pop your gift inside, retie it and embellish.

Number 2:

This little box is made from a template I designed myself.

The measurements are on the above template. So you can measure it all out once, then put aside to use over and over again.

NOTE: I haven't put the measurements for the bottom of the gift box on the template in case you want to make yours wider than mine. However, the sides of this wee box are 4cm wide.

To cut the handle holes, I drew out one piece on one side of the box, then folded the whole box up, joined the front and back together, then cut both handles out at once.

NOTE: the sides of the box are not square, but pushed in together.

Once everything is folded, cut and glued, you can decorate.

Gift Box number three was made using a die.

After gluing it together, I adhered a Prima ribbon around the top 1/3, then embellished with butterflies cut from Prima PP and a Martha Stewart Punch (they were also embellished with glitter glue and beads). Easy peasy.

NOTE: to make it easier to open, I punched a half circle into the middle of the top of the front of the box.

Supplies used for these projects:

842604 - Melody Gathering Leaves

843373 - Alla-Prima Encaustic

843397 - Alla-Prima Chiaro

540456 - Rose Leaves

546038 - Innoscence 2

544447 - SIIC

Other: Kindy Glitz (similar to Stickles), beads, seam binding, SU stamp and punch, ink, Fiskars circle punch. 

Finally I created a LO about birthdays as a present to myself. I have gone back to ensuring there is plenty of journaling on my LO's recently as I just love looking back at the stories of our family. This one has a huge amount of journaling so I made it the feature.

 
I've used a mix of new and old product on this page (and in fact all my projects). I just adore how Prima's products can be mixed and matched like this.

Supplies:

843489 - Printery Emperor

843403 - Romantique The Courts

843755 - 12x12 Ledger

842352 - Reflections Talavera

921354 - Elle Collection

552688 - Sherwood Rose Truffle

553319 - Coventry Rose Pixie Glen

553326 - Coventry Rose Londonerry

890759 - Resin

551438 - SIIC

545260 - Reflections Rubons

537395 - Alphabet Stickers

547776 - Valenciennes Col Mercy

553517 - Aglow Gold

Other: Dusty Attic Chipboard, ink

Thanks so much for joining me today. Over at my blog, I'm doing a wee giveway - it's a great day for presents! So please feel free to come on over and join in the fun right here.

And since you are already here, lets give you the details for the giveaway right now! All you have to do is leave me a comment (ok, shameless plug for birthday wishes! Grin) and I'll randomly pick a winner to receive a Prima pack made up by myself tomorrow.

Have a great one!

Class one Whanganui - 3 in 1

My "3 in 1" classes have proved very popular so I've designed a brand new one just for you in Whanganui.

I hope these sneak peeks will give you a little idea of the colours we'll be using.

And this is what you need to bring to the class:

Your standard class kit - trimmer, adhesives, scissors etc.

Photos:

LO 1: 2 x 3x2” portrait

LO 2: 2 x 6x4” landscape and 1 x 2x2” square photo (I included a subtitle on this photo, but it’s not necessary).

LO 3: 1 x 6x4 landscape photo.

Note: for LO 2 I've used 2 sepia coloured photos and 1 black and white. The 2 6x4 photos for this LO are the same photos, just in different colours).

Note: if you are concerned about the size of the smaller photos, then feel free to bring standard sized photos that can be trimmed down.

Foam dots (magic mount or similar)

Awl (if you have one)

Craft knife and cutting mat

Black or brown pen to journal with

I think this class is a sell out. But if you're looking at joining us, then give Doreen a call/email and pop yourself down on the waiting list.

As always if you have any questions, please drop me a line at the email listed to the left and I'll try to help out.

Can't wait!

PS: Class two details (a newly designed Texture Throughout), will be up by the end of the week.

Today

Today at the back of my mind as I've gone around doing my stuff, the game tonight is always there niggling. I just don't know which way it's going to go and I soooooo want the All Blacks to make it through.

Today I had crepes with yoghurt and fruit for breakfast.

Today I created 3 scrapbook LO's for my class in Wanganui. Yay! I just need to finish them off to ensure I get all the 'bring' list ready. I can't believe I created 3 LO's in one day!!!!

Today I got to hang out with some awesome ladies. Thanks guys!

Today I had subway for lunch. Pizza sub. Yum.

Today I gave my kids lots of hugs.

Today I had sausages in bread for dinner and strawberry marshmellow ice-cream for desert.

Today we watched aeroplanes doing cool stunts over the harbour again.

Get Picky Blog Hop

 Welcome to the Get Picky 1^st Birthday Blog Hop! 

Get Picky are celebrating their first year with a very exciting reveal as they unveil their 13^th Sketch with you today and share the beautiful creations of both present and past designers from their first year!  Some of the team members will be offering prizes so you will want to visit all of the blogs to increase your chances of winning a prize.  We are also offering a major prize along with the chance at a Guest Designer spot for the month of November if you visit and leave a comment at all of the blogs in our blog hop and participate in Sketch Challenge #13. 

The Blog Hop starts today and will remain open until midnight (Australian Eastern Standard Time) on October 28^th so this will give you all plenty of time to visit everyone’s blogs and create a layout for the sketch challenge.

Here is Sketch #13

And here is my layout

As mentioned, there are lots of great birthday pressies up for grabs along our hop today.  Some of the designers will be offering a RAK of their own and of course there is the chance to become the Get Picky Guest Designer for November....but what's a celebration without that very special gift.

Get Picky are so very excited to also announce that Imaginisce have been kind enough to sponsor them with an awesome prize for their very special birthday celebration.

Get Picky is the first stop of their birthday journey where you will find the complete list of all blogs in case there is a glitch along the way.  If you would like to play, just follow along the blog path in order so you don’t miss anyone.

Remember, if you want to be considered for the Guest Designer spot in November, once you have visited all the blogs and uploaded your entry for Sketch Challenge #13, please make sure that you go back to the Get Picky Blog and leave a comment on the challenge post.

The blog hop begins here: Get Picky Blog

Your next stop is here: Melinda Spinks

Thank you so much for joining Get Picky for this very special birthday celebration and for your continued support!

PS: Please do say hi in the comments and I'll put all your names in a draw to win a lovely prize (all entries welcome).

Get Picky

Have you seen the Get Picky blog?

I'm sure a lot of your scrappers have! No?????

If not, then check it out right here.

It's a great challenge site, challenging scrappers to use more than one photo on their LO's.

I recently applied to be part of their DT and was lucky to be picked to be part of it.

I have a special post saying 'hi' right here.

And tomorrow there might be something special happening, so please do come back or go to Get Picky to check it out.

Oh goodness...

So much going on. Yet nothing too. For once I'm not freaking out about the school holidays, and they are going so well. We have been to Mangawhai for the day to a friends batch. We've been to the movies. We've had playdates. We've been to bootcamp (turning up with 6, yes SIX children this morning raised a few eyebrows. LOL), we've had friends visit us. We've been to the ear doctor. We've played in the back yard. Lots and lots and lots. We've cleaned out the two chicken coops (more about that later!). I've also received a couple of packages so I can start preparing my classes for Wanganui. Look out for 'bring lists' soon! We've had lovely relaxed home cooked lunches. We've had a lovely sit down chat with our neighbours. We've cleaned out the cupboards and swapped the kids clothes from winter to summer. We've been and brought new summer clothes for the two big kids.  We've dropped off passport applications.

Yep, lots of stuff and lots of nothing going on.

You see I mention passport applications. Well, check out this photo of Dan for his. LOL.

And onto our chooks. Blah our little bantam has always been broody. Apparently this is a typical behaviour of this breed. She is lovely. But for all the food we're giving her, she's just not puling her weight egg wise. LOL.

So I thought we might put her broodiness to use. I've always loved little chicks and I'm figuring the kids would too. So we've been in touch with a poultry farmer and we've brought some fertile eggs. We go to pick them up next week.

See that green one in the middle? That's the type of egg we'll be getting. And if it works and we get to keep one for ourselves the new hen will produce eggs green/blue just like that. How cool is that?!

They are quite fun looking hens. They have little puffs around their faces, and often are 'rumpless' which means they have no tail.

So you can see it's quite exciting times around here....

Why I love to scrapbook

Today I found Sarah lying on the couch reading some of my old scrapbook pages. One album from about 7 years ago when the twins were just 6 months old...

After she had left the room, I had a wee squizz by myself. It was so great to read my thoughts and notes from what felt like yesterday, but was really quite a long time ago. Especially for my ole memory! Grin.

It reminded me why I scrap.

Half of the stuff I read I'd forgotten. Especially about the kids and moments they were going through.

I'm so so so glad I wrote all this stuff down and put it together with photos. What a fantastic hobby I stumbled upon. I feel very lucky.

Journaling has always been a big thing for me. And now I remember why. Again, I feel so lucky.

I have two challenges for you....

I challenge you to go through your old albums, and remember why you scrapbook. It's a fun thing to do.

And I also challenge you to journal on your next page.

Go on. Dare ya.

PS: Happy birthday lil sis, Lisa. I saw a page we created together today. The one where we took photos, then scrapped the same one to see all our different versions. It was a great page to remember. I miss those times.

What a horrible week for Dan

As you know Dan was at the dentist on Monday. Then he was back at A&E and we found out he had ulcers. Today after another restless night, but no ulcers in the morning, then a small knock that sent him through the roof with pain, we raced back to an emergency dentist.

Nothing visible on the surface, but underneath..... another story. He had an abcess. Poor wee tyke.

And of course with a weeks worth of pain and discomfort, the bravery didn't last more than about 2 seconds this time round. Lots of tears, screaming, wriggling. I feel for the poor dentist. But it had to happen.

Thankfully, he got it cleaned out a bit, a new filling put in, and now Dan is on antibiotics and pain relief. He's a different child tonight. Thank goodness. I think we all could do with a decent nights sleep.

Which reminds me of what happened last night. At 12 when he woke crying, I went in. Got him some Pamol, sat with him waiting for him to go to sleep again as I stroked his hair. Every time I got up to go, he'd suddenly wake up. I was exhausted after basically a week without sleep. And in the end said, Dan I'm tired. I have to get some sleep. I've given you pamol, there is nothing else I can do. What can I do to help you?

He replied: Mum you can help by not deserting me.

My heart crumpled. The tiredness vanished as I realised he was a little boy either scared or in pain, or both. I lifted the covers, crawled under them and went to sleep beside my brave little man.

And the rest of the night we both slept soundly.

Sometimes a boy just needs the comfort of his Mum.

Crazy Hair Day

School had a mufti and 'crazy hair' day on Friday.

Here are two of my three on their way to school.

 

 

Dan had a bright green mohawk and Sarah half her head in a pigtail. The other half in 7 plaits (then turned green).

 
They thought crazy hair meant crazy behaviour. Sigh.

Prima's PPP

Prima has a wonderful palette for you this October. Being fall in USA and with halloween right around the corner, the colours are perfect.

I used a wonderful Sizzix die to create a little suitcase that can be filled with goodies to give away to friends or family.

Check it out....

 
and here's a couple of close up's...

 
The pumpkin vine is just PERFECT for this type of project!

 
The orange tag is just one of my 'standard white tags' I use, which I've inked. Love it.

Hope you manage to find some creative time for yourself today.

T

Prima's October BAP

Yep, it's the time in the month when Prima put out their BAP. You can check it out here.

But here's a little lookie at what I did.

 
My goal was to make the photos look like polaroids. So I printed them with lots of white around the border then cut out. I also made the photo itself square.

 
See that great big pebble there? I think it's from an older range. I found it recently and just had to use it. Yum!

 
I am in LOVE with the new resin pieces that Prima released last CHA. So beautiful. So versatile. Ingvild who designed them is amazing! I just received an order with a ton of them in, so you'll see them alot in my work in the next little while. Grin.

 
If you want to take part, then head on over to the link (see above) to view the sketch then give it a go. Dare ya!