Goodbye 2010

Final post for 2010 and what a lot to give thanks for; blue skies, teenage antics, new kitty, loving family and friends, good health and time to create.  I don't think it could be better .... although I think I left out meeting like minded souls through the web.  Such fun.

I have added a purple version to the damask atc and then was called to help the teenager.

Shock horror she has never taken an interest in my craft activities.  On occasion she will comment on the crafted item, sometimes sweetly other times with a dash of acid.   But today was different.  She asked if I could help her make some signs for her friend's end of year party. I stopped what I was doing and I tried to play it cool and not overwhelm her with my enthusiasm.  Handed out paint, glimmer, stamps, glue, bling whatever she wanted.  Her ideas ... I gently offered suggestions and loads of product choice (my stash is bursting out of the cupboards).   I have no idea what the signs are for but, was thrilled to be asked to help.

She was happy with the end result and even said it was fun.  I thought it too early to open the champagne so had a cup of tea instead.

Have a wonderful new year and hope to see you in 2011.

Damask ATC

A quick post of the damask atc.  Will play around with the damask stamp and see what else evolves.  Still have to put a back on these and I think a black edging should see them complete.

Alcohol inks are a funny thing ... I watch TH create and push them around and create the most amazing things.  I find it such an unpredictable product that it is a bit of a love/hate relationship.

WOYWW after xmas

Hoping you all had a wonderful christmas with family and friends.  Thank you for all the sweet comments about the kitty thief, she enjoyed her pressie even more on christmas day.  We added an extra mouse so that she got a surprise.

Now to WOYWW.  Working on some ATC's just for the sheer pleasure of playing with all my stuff.  Not trying to meet a swap deadline or working to a theme  ... just playing with alcohol inks, damask and butterfly stamps and of course bling.  

Enjoy your wednesday and I hope to catch up with other WOYWW.

Christmas Kitty thief ...

So while I sit peeking at all the WOYWW kitty is going through the xmas presents.  I can hear all the noise, she is making no attempt at doing it quietly.

Finds her pressie and takes off with her little mouse!!!

Ummm and I thought the teenager had been poking around, got that wrong.
Enjoy your christmas preparations everyone.

WOYWW 81

Got such a shock "No Mr Linky!!!!".  What a difference a good nights sleep makes, got up and there it was.  WOYWW 81 and all linked. Working on a little scrapbook that I might give as a gift.  Time may not be on my side ... so much too do and so little time.  But its all fun I do love xmas.

Not a neat desk as teenager was here before me left DVD, animal hooks and other bits and pieces.  Other bits on my woyww include scraps of paper that include all the information for my paypal "dispute now escalated to claim".  I am sure there is a reasonable explanation, the item is probably caught in the mail, busy time of year and I'm sure the seller is a really nice person, but.....

Enjoy your wednesday or Thursday in my case.

Kitty's 1st Birthday

She made it to her first birthday. Not bad for a kitty who really doesn't like anyone else in the family except me!  It has taken almost 8 months for kitty to let DH pat her, she will bite the teenager and still runs away from DS.  But, I feel she is settling in to the household and every year will get better and better.  DS response "So, are we keeping her?"  Yes, she is part of the family ........ grrrr!  Happy birthday kitty.

WOYWW - she is cream and green and fabulous!!

Christmas cards made, written and in the post!!! That was exhausting.  There was a moment when I did think "I'm over it."  But I pushed through and the handmade cards are on there way to friends and family.  Now to some serious peaking at WOYWW.  I am seriously in love with my new cream/green bug.  Loving all the embossing folders my fave at this stage is birds and swirls  and a range of borders called with love.  Tried and tried to find swiss dots (sold out, you are right Ciara it is everyones favourite) bought polka dots instead.  Tried a couple of TH embossing folders love the flourish  not so enamoured with the damask.  Having a lovely time embossing and realising it doesn't take a lot to keep me happy. Enough rambling here she is .......

Also including a pic of the Christmas tree which I finally got up and decorated even though the family thought it was soooo uncool.  Teenagers what do they know?  I also dragged out the paperbag "pudding" made by the uncool teenager when in preschool.  It is the only craft thing she ever made that resembled the said object.  Poor tree is looking a little worse for wear being cramped in the box for a good 11 months.  So far Kitty has left it all alone.  Enough rambling I'm off to see all the other WOYWW.

WOYWW, cards & shopping

What's on my desk? well another scrapbooking shop is closing down or going online.  A sign of our times!  Bought quite a few goodies and stocked up this morning.  No time to even start playing before I got a pic so that I could join in WOYWW.

Almost finished making cards for Xmas and a few pics to share.  Always fun to sit with a friend and create some cards and chat.  We used the "Darkroom Door  Noel "stamps.  Tried to make a card without lumps and bumps that can go in the mail.  Once I got bored with the colour swapped over to different cardstock and that kept me going for another stretch.  Off to see what everyone else has been up to.

Summer Jacaranda

So odd reading about everyone's cold winter while I look out into a summer sky with the jacaranda in flower.  Bliss....

But, in other parts of New South Wales floods everywhere.  It's just so unfair the farmers struggle with drought for years and then get flooded.   Photo of Dubbo my hometown under water .... Pic from "The daily Liberal".  What a topsy turvy world we live in.

WOYWW & xmas cards

some craps of paper left over from the beginnings of xmas card making.  Trying a couple of different styles so that I can produce multiple copies before I get bored.  An aerial pic of the desk. Not too messy.  Becoming aware that I also clean up as I craft.  This is really becoming quite pathetic as I document my obsession with being tidy!!

Also including a close up of my favourite card so far.  Playing with my new cuttlebug machine and embossing folder.  I must be the last crafter to buy an embossing machine.  Only just discovered them.

  

The lovely xmas tickets are a free  download from http://misscutipieinspiration.blogspot.com

blooming magnolia

A lovely photo of my blooming magnolia.  Planted about 4 months ago and now it is flowering.  Just gorgeous.

WOYWW

A quiet start to the day with a cup of tea and getting ready to work on the blue theme colour cards for Nic's workshop.  Have just realised after peeking at so many other work desks my obsession with cleaning up after the end of each project.  Will be moving on to xmas cards and it is still November!!

Cat photo just to show she does not share the obsessive streak.  Here she is under the quilt and yes it is summer.  Shortly after the photo she took off running up and down the hall.  I imagine she got quite hot and needed to cool down.

Marie and seaside atc in the post.

Finally finished both sets of ATC's for the two swaps.  Mailed them today and can't wait to see what comes back.  A photo of the sets to give you a general idea.

 Funny how some atc's just come together so quickly and the other a creative struggle.   In the end happy with both???  As my DD would say "yes/no/maybe".

WOYWW

A very quick second post and photo of my current project.  Marie Antoinette atc swap for paperarts.  Just sticking the backs on then they will be in the post.  Whew...  I really do work with more light than this.

Sun lovers ozzie style

A final picture of the wonderful metal "sculptures by the sea".  Not sure what it was titled (i never get the guide book) but it looks like ozzie sun lovers and dog, to me.

  Final picture is the yellow/gold layout for the "colour or is it color?" workshop.  Good to use a colour that is outside of my normal choices and I really had to hunt for a photo.  Working on green lo for week 3 and I might even show a pic later on the ATC I am currently working on.  2 posts tonight if I can get it together in time.

Soaking up the sun!

I love the chicken too!!   For the chicken lovers out there..... you have to see the back view.  Only true chicken lovers will appreciate the full panoramic view.

I also liked the flotsam sculpture which was made from plastic bottle tops.  It must have taken months/years to collect the number needed for this piece.  Love how organic it looks and yet totally made of plastic.

WOYWW

Just getting ready to do the yellow lo for the workshop with Nic.  Quickly remembered to take a pic of my desk just as I get everything out so I can join WOYWW.  Discovered I don't have a lot of yellow.....  why or why didn't I buy even more stuff at the Penrith paper festival??

Started the day with a lovely morning walk along the beach to look at  "sculptures by the sea".  Not often I get a day off in the middle of the week and we didn't do the whole walk.  Sharing one of my favourite sculptures.... enjoy.

Penrith paper buys

A great day at Penrith even if it rained on and off all day.  Bought lots and have added a quick pic of all the goodies.  Have also finished my LO for week 2 of Color /Colour??  Have only completed orange and still working on yellow.  Not enough time in the day or night in my case!

A big thanks to all who said hi....

Wow I am thrilled that you dropped in and said hi on my first WOYWW.  Now that will inspire me to keep persevering with the blog.  Thank you, thank you and a big thank you.

Lots of lovely surprises when I got home, a small package with my new ribbons from 2 gypsy girls and the washing dried.   Yeahhhh...  Dear H cannot understand why either make me happy.  But then golf and ebay bidding just don't do it for me.

Off to the Penrith Paper festival on Saturday and will  have to buy those few little extras that I am sure I can't do without.  Well you know how it is ... christmas coming and I have to prepare.

A little photo of the cat.  Would not open her eyes no matter how many times I called, shock the bed etc.

Next photo will be of the essential buying on Saturday.

WOYWWD and current projects

I have loved having a peek at everyones WOYWDW  and thought I would give it a go.  So here it is.

The current project out so I can quickly take a photo of my version of the gorgeous advent tags that are on the "one Lucky Day" blog.  (One day I will learn how to link to other blogs or teenage children might take pity on me and help!!)  I don't have the list of products used on the "one lucky day" blog so have just been using what I have in my stash.  A good way to use up all those bits and pieces and try to be a bit more creative.

So far quite happy with how they are turning out.  Only slightly resembling the gorgeous advent tags.  Mine have a distinct home made glow?

BPC layout and other ramblings

I got my first lo finished for week 1 of Nic Howard's  BPC class (color or is it colour).  Quite happy with how it turned out in real life.  Although the photo is poor quality.  What could I do I only had my phone at the time.  So far enjoying the class and always lovely comments from everyone when I have posted a pic.

This is Charlee (named by dd) a very sweet cat with a slight anxiety problem.  She is definitely a one woman/person cat.  She still runs off most times if hubby or teenage son try to pat her.  Unless they are at home by themselves and then she might hang around and check out what they are doing.  But being a cat person I am accepting of her cat like ways and find her traits quite endearing!!!

pre class tags

Can't wait for Nic Howard's class on Big Picture (whatever it's called now).  Nic has instructions for the pre class tags and they were fun to make and I think are quite pretty.  Very happy with how they all turned out.  I can see myself using these colour combinations again and again.  Really looking forward to the class starting.

Must organise some cat photos to balance out the craft!

Just getting started

I spend so much of my time checking out everyones blog so now is the time to start my own.
  I plan to add some photos and perhaps some art/craft and just see what happens.  Oh and there will be cat photos.  You have been warned.