Saturday was a wonderful day of celebrating for us as a family! Our son Shane was married to his gorgeous bride, Stacey. (Yes … We now have TWO Staceys in our immediate family!) We are so thrilled to see Shane & Stacey married and starting their own family and the wedding was an amazingly joyful event with lots of beautiful memories. I don’t have too many photos to share … But will add some more when we have them edited and when the formal ones arrive.
I wanted to share a little “crafty” project I did for the amazing DONUT WALL that was part of the celebrations! We had an afternoon tea at the church before moving onto the formal reception at the Woolshed at Yallah. This simple idea was a HUGE HIT with the guests!
Stacey’s dad painted the boards in a metallic rose gold … I did the rest of the decorating with ivy, flowers, candles … And a few handmade items … Please click on photos – you will see them in much better detail!
The donuts were hung to spell L-O-VE and we had some yummy donut holes (cinnamon sugar donut balls) in glass jars too! Shane & Stace were thrilled with the result.
I hand painted all the canvases (30x30cm) … the sentiments were found via Google! The smaller wooden signs were done simply with white chalk markers. Hope your weekend was as happy and as special as ours! Hugs xxx
We have another family wedding coming up in only 3 weeks time … so I am a little busy at the moment — just popping by to add another card quickly!
I had to make a very quick anniversary card for last weekend. (Gav & Mine — #34!!!) And … so I had a quick peek at Instagram and found this gorjuss …. THANKS Amanda, for the beautiful inspiration! I just fell in love with her design. I just added a few hearts to make it more of a LOVE card!!! 😉
I had 3 little dye ink cubes from Hero Arts that came in their most recent card kit … and they were such pretty colours that I decided to try them out. I LOVED how well they blended together. Like butter! Am very impressed! They don’t do the “water drop” effect as well … but this might be improved if I used watercolour card instead of plain white. I will have to experiment a little more!
My Favorite Things – Snuggle Bunnies
Hero Arts – Deep Blue, Aqua, Amethyst ink
Shane’s birthday
Here is a photo of our son Shane, and his fiance Stacey. Yes!!! We now have 2 Staceys in our family … it gets VERY confusing … especially as I also have a good friend called Stacey! The wedding is on June 24 and we are very excited and looking forward to the special day. Shane has had a lot of ups and downs along the way … but his Stacey is perfect for him and we are thrilled to see them get to this point! And … yes … I have my dress for the wedding … but am on a crash diet to lose some kgs before the BIG day!!!
Well better fly … I need to add my craft packs to Gumtree … I still have 16 more to sell and I need the kitchen bench back … so I have to get rid of them asap! Don’t forget to check out these SUPER GREAT VALUE craft goodies packs at my “A Big Clearance” page!
I am a little taken with the new-ish “Birthday Blooms” stamp set in the recent SU! catty. It is a super versatile little stamp set with a gorgeous flower that I have played with quite a bit lately! I actually think I bought this by mistake … but have definitely had fun with it.
So … I have done 2 identical cards using 2 different techniques.
One is coloured with Copic markers and the other is done using watercolour paints.
The Copic sample is stamped with black momento ink and finished with some pretty Clear Wink of Stella glitter.
For the second card … the image is stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with white embossing powder onto SU! shimmer white cardstock. I made sure the card was quite wet to allow the paint to flow into each section of the flower. I also did a bit of a wash around the flower. I have added some Wink of Stella to this one too.
Now … I was kinda desperate to play along with a challenge. It has been probably close to 2 years since I have done one. (It would be interesting to check back and see!) I do know that this is a bit of a stretch … but I thought the vellum scallop circlet sort of followed the latest Just Add Ink challenge wreath element???? A bit subjective … but I thought I would enter it for a little fun, anyway … cos that is what challenges are about — a bit of fun!! 😀
So … I think my favourite of the two is the soft, feminine watercoloured card … but the Copic card is also quite eye-catching and pretty too!
Hope you are having a great day. Poor Shane is having a bit of drama today after ‘spraining’ his ankle at soccer just over a week ago. It seems now that the original X-rays were ‘crap’ … and what was diagnosed at the hospital as a sprain seems now to be a couple of fractures, bone fragments and a possible dislocation requiring surgery. He has been at the hospital (the one where he works this time) for most of the afternoon and evening today. Let’s hope he gets a proper diagnosis this time and the proper treatment, too! Hugs xxx
Added 12 Jul: Well … I did check back … and I have done 2 random challenges this year … but apart from those 2 I haven’t done any since October 2014. It has been a while since I have done regular challenges … that’s for sure! 😀
Firstly … yes … I was VERY self disciplined and DID do my cleaning before anything else yesterday! I am one of those nazi mums on cleaning day, though! I like to think it will stay clean at least for one day! (Sadly, often it doesn’t! … unless everyone is out for the day!!!) Sandy pulled the coffee table over to do some maths homework … in front of the TV … (I tolerated this because he has a broken arm … and it is holidays!) My immediate response … “You will clean the finger prints off that coffee table when you are finished … won’t you!” HA! I hope when my kids come to do my eulogy … that won’t be the only thing they remember, though!? Surely … they will remember the fun times … the self sacrifice … the listening ear … the sympathetic heart … the giggles … the FOOD … etc etc? Surely??? Anyway … I am slowly but surely clearing the backlog of cards that I have already pinned to my Pinterest page that needed to be linked to a blog post! Today’s cards are HEART themed!
The first is an anniversary card I made for my sis & hubby. I was thrilled with the result … but … as is my norm lately … I have to give creative credit to someone else! One of these days my tired little brain will get its mojo back and I will create all by myself … like a BIG girl! 😀 I found this card via a search on Pinterest for “Hearts a Flutter”. It is a gorgeous creation by Chiaki Haverstick … please pop by and check out her blog … Stamps, Ink, Paper … Create! I changed the colour scheme … but the design is Chiaki’s!
I went searching for my second card after a post on Helen’s blog reminded me of it! Helen has done some brayering and embossing on vellum … such a funky idea! Make sure you check it out … it looks fab! This was a fun birthday card that I made for my niece back in April! I am a bit behind with blogging some of these cards … aren’t I!? I actually used markers and coloured the back of the vellum images (“Hearts a Flutter”) … then popped some clear sequins on each to make them look shiny! I would love to try this with some crystal effects sometime … but am pretty happy with this result! Card Inspiration: Angelique Kelly (sorry … I can’t find the original on her blog!)
This last card was also using Hearts a Flutter … must go and get that set out again and have another play! It is so pretty! I have so many random projects on the go … cards, canvases, mini packs, new blog ideas … and now I have gone and ordered some wool!!! After following Dawn McVey’s blog for awhile … her cards are scrummy … I found I was so touched with her writings and the way she shared stuff in her life that I also started following her on Instagram. I have been watching her afghan creations with great interest … and have such an urge to do some crotchet! I haven’t done any for about 25 years … I wonder if it is like riding a bike? Dawn has been doing some ripple blankets … and I am planning to try one of these. I ordered some wool yesterday from Bendigo Woollen Mills … hopefully it will be here in a few days … and I can scratch that itch! It will be nice to sit in front of the TV WITHOUT the iPad or computer … and just chill out and relax! I am not much of a late night card maker … so it shouldn’t effect my card creating! Fingers crossed! 😀 😉
We had a lovely day on Monday … Gav had the day off (a rare occurrence) … and Shane also happened to be off so we took advantage and had a day in Sydney. Gav, Me & the 2 boys! It was such a treat to spend some time together … just the 4 of us! We trained it to Sydney … then took the ferry over to Manly. Had lunch … spend some time in the surf shops … and then Gav & Shane went for a swim. A little nippy in the water but the weather was just gorgeous. The first really hot day of spring. I think it got up over 30ºC! We took the ferry back to the city and then another around via Lunar Park to Darling Harbour … finishing off with a walk and then dinner at the “Margaritaville” restaurant at DH. I so enjoyed the day! We left home at 10am in the morning and didn’t get home until 10.30pm after training it home. (Train takes almost 2 hours from Sydney!) Click on first photo to view as slideshow!
Sandy
Shane
Manly Wharf
Manly Beach
Me & the boys!
Gav & the boys @ Margaritta
Gav & Andrea
On the train home
For my US friends … ferry comes in at Manly Wharf … walk through “The Corso” (outdoor shopping mall) to Manly Beach
Sandy’s broken hand … 4th right metacarpal bone!
Back to the fracture clinic with Sandy today. It is 3 weeks since he broke his hand. He thinks he will have the plaster off today … but I am more realistic and think it will be another week to 3 weeks before it is healed. Then … it takes a couple more to strengthen. Now I just need to convince him of this!!! Hope you all have a great weekend. It is a LONG WEEKEND here in NSW … but unfortunately Gav is involved in interviews for our new school principal … Sat 8 to 5 & Mon 8 to 5!! There goes our long weekend! I’m sure I will find something to do! (wink) Hugs xxx
Well … here it is … the end of another year! Can you believe it! I look back and see another busy year but one full of blessings from God. Even in the tough times … it is good to see how He has strengthened us and helped us through. But … we have had so many joys this year … a much “better?” year than 2011! I am very thankful!
One fabulous milestone this year … was that Shane graduated from the University of Wollongong with a Bachelor of Nursing. It was so nice to see him graduate … and share that special time with him. He is beginning a new grad position at Sutherland Hospital in July … and in the meantime will continue to work casually at the nursing home .. and try and pick up some general hospital work at Wollongong Hospital. I had meant to share some photos earlier … but with all the busy-ness of the wedding & then Christmas … I haven’t had the time to upload & edit any photos. But … finally I have a couple to share today!
And … of course … the card I created to celebrate this special occasion!
I managed to get the colour of the gown edge the RIGHT colour – Wine Red … although I had to investigate the uni’s website because Shane had no idea what the colour was. (All the different faculties have different colour sashes – or whatever you call them!) So … I pulled out my never used before “Graduation Oakley” from Whiff of Joy … and finally inked it up and created this card! Do you recognise the retired “Purely Pomegranate” cardstock … that teamed so well with the new “Raspberry Ripple” stitched ribbon? 🙂
Well … it is the end of the month … so I have invoicing to do today. I have done NO bookwork for 4 weeks. I am sooooo behind … but am not stressing about it. I will sit and do the invoices today … but the rest will have to wait until Friday! Yes … another busy week for the first week of 2013! Already???? 😯 Perhaps one day I will find some time to do some stamping!? Oh … that reminds me … it is my sis-in-law’s 50th birthday on 2nd Jan! I will just HAVE to do some stamping before then … because I haven’t made her card yet! I do hope you all have a wonderful time celebrating the New Year! All the best for you and your family … and I do hope that God will bless you all in the year ahead.
PS: Shane will be in Times Square New York for New Year’s Eve. It is so exciting for him! Skye is in Grenfell with her boyfriend … and Sandy has a sleep over at a mate’s … so Gav & I are all on our own for New Year’s Eve!!! Yes … life is changing!
I hope you have all had a lovely break with your family … sharing in the special time of Christmas. Ours was hectic … but wonderful. It was so special with our little Christmas Fairy, Bree! We did have fun and enjoyed seeing all the family! (Except our Q’ld cousins!) I won’t bore you with all the details! 😉
I don’t think I shared Sheree & Murray’s wedding card. This was my 2nd attempt … I was really unhappy with the first. This one is a tad better … but still wish I had done a 3rd. But … Sheree loved it …. so I guess that is the only thing to worry about! I don’t think you can see the soft pastel paper I used between the border edges. I finished off with some tiny Pearls. All the details are on my recipe at the end of the post.
Shane 24 (left) Sandy 14 (right)
Shane left this morning for a 4 week trip to the US & Canada. I was up at 4:30am to take him up to Sydney for his flight. He will be in Times Square for New Year’s Eve … and ends up in Vancouver after some travelling through Canada & skiing at Whistler! I will miss him heaps … particularly because Sheree has gone (married on the 8th) and Skye has left today for a week in country NSW to spend time with her boyfriend and family. Also … I am more than a little sad … because our dear Jack (border collie – 13 years) is very sick. He can barely walk … and hasn’t eaten in 3 days. I think we may have to “put him down”. Perhaps I need some stamping to “pick-me-up”??? I do hope I find the time soon. Today was about keeping busy … I tidied up after Christmas … and even managed to find a home for all the left-overs from the wedding stationery. Oh … Must take some photos … and show you those too! That will have to be another day!
Hi there everyone!! It has been an exhausting 24 hours!
I might start today with the “sort of” funny story. Do you all remember “10 sec Tom” from the movie “50 First Dates”???? Well … we experienced that first hand yesterday! (And … still ongoing!) Shane & Sandy went out yesterday afternoon for a motor bike ride. (We have 100 wonderful acres here … perfect for bike riding.) Sandy came over a jump and landed awkwardly … and had a “stack”! He was lying there winded … and realised he could hear Shane coming after him … and had to scramble out of the way … but he wasn’t quick enough. Shane came over the jump and realised he was going to land on top of Sandy (BIG HEAVY BIKE!!!!!) and made a desperate effort to push the bike away. He landed heavily … and the bike spun off and hit Sandy in the hip (not excessively hard … but he has a doozy bruise on his hip!). Sandy was in a hurry to get out of the way so didn’t actually see Shane hit the ground. He seemed instinctively to know that Shane wasn’t ok … even though after a few mins he was up on his feet. Sandy had to walk up the paddock past the dam … and up the hill to the house to let us know what had happened. He came up saying “Shane ran over me with his bike … fell off … and now he doesn’t have a clue where he is!”. Ok … now that was a slight concern! Gav went down to check on him … and after the 4th time of being asked “what happened … I don’t have a clue what happened” he realised that Shane must have hit his head really hard … because he was repeating the same question over and over … even though Gav had answered him several times. He couldn’t remember the fall … but kept asking about Sandy … as if that was the last memory that he had! By the time they got back up to the house, Gav was really concerned. Shane really was very confused. I sent him into his room to get out of his motor bike gear … and he came out … cos he couldn’t remember why he went in there. Between our house & the hospital (about 15 min trip) he asked Gav the same question 65 times … that is NOT an exagerration – Gav started counting at the bottom of our driveway!) Long story short … he is now home again … after 6 hours at the hospital … a cat scan … blood & urine tests … and plenty of observation. The doc said he definitely has amnesia & must have been knocked out momentarily with the fall. He has a haematoma on the back of his head … but obviously the knock was hard enough to “rattle” his brain a little … we are very thankful for BIKE HELMETS! 😀 He is still quite confused … and still repeating himself.
He still has no memory of the fall … or his trip to the hospital … or the condition of the bikes … or whether he hurt Sandy … or the nurse in Triage etc etc. He is still asking the same questions … but the frequency has eased significantly. He is very stiff and sore … and a bad headache … but hopefully a couple of days and he will be himself once again. The doc did say that sometimes it can take weeks before the amnesia is competely restored! He has to be really careful for about 6 weeks … to make sure he doesn’t knock his head again. So … that was our excitement yesterday. God is so good … this could have been so much worse … but we are so thankful that He had his hand protecting both our boys! 😀 There are so many hilarious conversations we have had with Shane … but there is just no time to share them all. 😀 Our new nickname is “7 second Shane”. We have been having a good giggle now that we know he is going to be ok. So … I guess it is a bit of an anti-climax … after that story … but I did want to show you a special card, today!
It is Sheree’s birthday today and she is turning 21. We are having a small celebration tonight (dinner out) … just family … and then are planning a “square dance” party early in March. (Due to family & friends’ holidays … the date can’t be organised until then!!!!!!!) I was really happy with this card … and Sheree loved it! Her fav colour is green … but I wanted it to be an elegant card … so the green is just a touch here and there! Isn’t the Pinking Heart frame gorgeous? If you need help with sizing for this corner/border punch combination … then check this out -> Gretchen Barron. I am a little “obsessed” with my new “Modern Label” punch, too & the gorgeous “Scalloped Heart of Hearts” Embosslits Die that fits perfectly inside the Sweethearts stamp! Just noticed that I didn’t include that stamp on my recipe! (Sorry!) 😀 All the phrases are embossed with silver. Anyway … I think I have lingered enough. People to see … places to be! I have a stamping day at Julie’s in Sydney tomorrow. (Son-i-l’s mum & my 1st downline.) Lots fun … I am hoping to get some INK4U projects done. But … there might be more chatting than stamping done! 😀 So … perhaps I will see you again on Friday. (If I don’t manage to get here tomorrow!) Have a nice day, bloggies. C U Soon! Hugs xxaxx
I was planning to get here with a card this morning … but somehow the day has got away from me! It is Stacey (24) and Shane (22) ‘s birthday today! So … I have been a little distracted with phone calls … and cooking a yummy brekkie … and (of course) … more hair/make-up/chauffeuring stuff for Skye! I did however, actually have their birthday cards ready for them!!! Woo hoo! On time! I can’t show you Stacey’s yet … as I am not seeing her until dinner time … but … here is Shane’s card.
I know … it seems a little “baby-ish” for a 22 year old … but I just felt like using my Oakley stamp … that I haven’t used in ages. And … honestly … Shane wouldn’t have really cared what I put on his card … he is a typical 22 yr old! So … I just decided to go with what I wanted!!! 😀 😉 (And … as expected … no comment on the card … BUT … he was thrilled with his pressies!)
Our last 3 house guests leave early tomorrow morning. Skye has 4 more performances of her show. Life will slow down eventually … but I do need to start thinking about packing! Or … perhaps we will do that Sunday morning … just before we leave for holidays??? We still have to go and say goodbye to Gav’s sister (probably Sat morn) … before we go away. She & her family leave for 4 years in Vanuatu while we are away. And … we MUST see Skye’s closing night performance. So … I can’t see that packing getting done any time soon! 😉
OH … I forgot to add … the layout for this card was inspired by a “The Fresh Batch” sketch challenge #45!
Better go … still catching up on washing today! For some reason I am really behind with it?! Catcha soon!
I had to make a very quick anniversary card for last weekend. (Gav & Mine — #34!!!) And … so I had a quick peek at Instagram and found this gorjuss …. THANKS Amanda, for the beautiful inspiration! I just fell in love with her design. I just added a few hearts to make it more of a LOVE card!!! 😉
Well better fly … I need to add my craft packs to Gumtree … I still have 16 more to sell and I need the kitchen bench back … so I have to get rid of them asap! Don’t forget to check out these SUPER GREAT VALUE craft goodies packs at my 
