Try Stampin on Tuesday #36

Afternoon,

This is a quick post as i have to head home (yes i'm doing this at work again) and get ready for our big night tonight. we are off to see Def Lepard play live in Auckland.

Wow two challenges in a row, i am on a roll.

The sketch this week was a tricky one, well for my half creative mind any way.

Here is this weeks sketch.

And here is my card

The bows are done using my new tool, a standard kitchen fork. It never fails to create the most perfect bow, in fact you can use anything that has tines

i also added a bit of sparkle as i found that this card needed that little bit of something extra.

Anyway must go so i will, be back in a few days to tell you all about the concert

Try Stampin on Tuesday #35

Afternoon Stampers,

For the first time in what seems like ages i had a bit of mojo this morning, so i set to having a go at this weeks sketch challenge over at 

Try Stampin on Tuesday

I have not had any creative juices for quiet a while now.

i did set myself a personal challenge to have a go at each and every one of their sketch challenges, but with missing mojo, this was rather hard.

So until it all returned i sat back and gave my craft room a miss.

But Hello this morning my creative brain kicked in - here to stay i hope.

Anyway here is this weeks sketch

And here is my attempt.

 I haven't added any sentiment as i am not sure of it's use as of yet.

Here is a close up of the flower

I added a bit of sparkle to the edges of the flower.

Now for a update on the home front. our son is without his prized vehicle...thanks to the local police and an impound yard. i have been busy running him around between Tec and his GF, i had gotten so used to him been able to run himself around. The daughter has had many ups and downs, life seems to be a hard road for her these days, so i am hoping that things will improve soon, before her confidence is completely shattered. And last but not least our foster son has made the big move back in with his mum, and from what i hear he is still doing well, but i have told him i am not giving up on him, and will keep popping in to see how he is going, and maybe offer a boot (where it is needed) or a hug.

So anyway i had better get back to the books (at work) and i will be trying my hardest to get back into my craft room now, so keep tuned for new creative splurges.

Another male birthday

Afternoon stampers,

On Monday this past week, my son celebrated his 17th birthday. I am starting to feel old now, my two children are growing up so fast, it wont be long before they spread their wings and venture out on their own...i will admit that i am not looking forward to that day, im sure there will be many private tears when it does happen. heres hoping there are still a few more years yet before i have to cross that bridge.

I had alot of trouble with his card, as in some ways he is still young, but in other ways he is so much older now.

So instead of settling for a teenage card, i went for a more mature card.

Next year for his 18th i have a fun card already picked out for him.

I hope everybody is enjoying this wonderful spring weather, well today here in Hamilton is is a wonderful day, almost a shame i have to sit here in my office and do paper work, lets hope it lasts until the weekend so i can go out and at least enjoy some of it.

Thinking of you

Morning Stampers,

This past week has been one of many laughs, i had alot of fun at my first paintballing experience, i can say i was worried going in as i was the only female on both teams, so i was either going to be a big target or they would be nice to me, i can say once they found me i was a big target... my team won, but i am sporting a couple of great bruises thanks to a few good hits from the opposition.

I only feel them when the family cat tries to make him self comfortable on my lap in the evening. 

I hope you all have been keeping nice and warm this past week, i know it has been cold here in Hamilton, and here i was thinking last weekend was the start of spring, i even got a bit of sun, but no........ just to return us to the land of reality the cold has crept back in.

 Believe it or not i have been doing a bit of crafting, well i should say i have had to with the odd request here and there for cards, which i really love doing for others, as it normally gives me the opportunity to try something new.

This week i was asked to do a card for a friend of a friend who has just had surgery and was recovering. I don't have any "hope your feeling better" stamps, so i went with "thinking of you".

But i didn't have much time so i didn't try anything new, i just went with a bit of heat embossing.

The round stamped images are all heat embossed with clear powder, with the receiver being a male i went with my old time fav colour combination, 

Blue, Kraft and Choc Chip.

At least i heard it brought a smile to his face, that is the greatest reward to me.

Happy Birthday to the man in my life

Afternoon stampers.

This week was my darling husband's birthday, and i swear each year it is getting harder and harder to buy for him. he is not the easiest person to buy for.

After being together for nearly 24 years, i have run out of all ideas on gifts for him. But this time i ended up taking him out to the movies at the La Premiere theater, which has very comfortable leather lazyboys, we had a snack while watching the beginning of the movie, then bout half way through the movie they brought us in our desserts. It was a very enjoyable night and the movie "Crazy stupid love", was great.

I have struggled with male cards, so it is always even harder to make that special card for that special person in your life.

But i think i managed to get it just right 

Now the next challenge will be for my son's 17th on Monday, oh boy what to do there.

 Wherever you are tonight enjoy the All Blacks game, if you plan on watching it.

 I know my town is going crazy about this game, they have been all week, It is a big deal for us here in Hamilton.

"GO BLACKS"

Yes i am still here.

Hi Stampers,

Boy has it really been 3 weeks since my last post....i guess it has been.

 So much has been happening. 

I have attended a SU big day out, and boy oh boy it was so much fun, i got to met ladies that i have spent the past few months talking to online. It was just brilliant to put faces to names.

Here is a photo of us CA ladies.

FRONT: Helen Williams

SECOND ROW: (Left to Right) Dee Sturgeon, Narelle Hoggard, Louise Hopman

THIRD ROW: Raine Walton, Debi Ryan, Bev Poultney, Julia Leece, Heather Stewart, Shona Davy, Sally Williams.

FOURTH ROW: Rhonda Fawcett, Cindy Backhouse, Kristine McNickle

BACK ROW: Sharna Russell, Baby Holle & Claire Mason, Judy Kilmore, Faazia Sherrard, Karen Williamson, Katrina Bongers

Life has been so busy that it has been very hard to find time to create. I am also suffering with a sore arm, and when i do spend time stamping or creating, i seem to be spending just about as much time with an aching arm afterwards.

I can honestly say that i have only made about 1-3 cards lately.

i still have not got much mojo happening, but i have been busy doing a project or two.

Over at Crafters anonynous (CA) we have an up coming secret sister swap, so i have been busy trying to get it all finished so i can get in the post to my lucky swap sister.

I do have a card i want to share today, i was asked to make a card for my daughters new boyfriend, it was his birthday on the weekend, but with mojo lacking i went back to an old favorite of mine, but just used a different layout, i have lost count the number of times i have now used this particular stamp in this way.

So here is the boyfriends card

i am so hoping the mojo returns soon, as from here until Christmas i have a busy time with birthdays starting tomorrow it is my husbands birthday, i do have a card made for that, so i will post that in the upcoming days.

But that raises a bigger question...what to get him, he has no hobbies(too busy with our business), no real interests and if he wants anything he just goes and buys it for himself.

Anyway i must go, and rest my arm i had to make Hubby's card this morning, and the arm is showing me it is there, As if i didn't know that already

Craters Anonymous = fun fun fun

Hello Stampers,

For the past little while i have been part of a fantastic group of ladies, 

over at crafters Anonymous.

Where we have the most brilliant and funny online chats, we also share our creations, and the best part is you get to met so many other like minded ladies.

Each Monday we do an online blind class, hosted by a different very talented lady each week, who shares with us a great new idea, and every second Thursdays we have an online blind technique class.

A few weeks ago we did the Faux postage stamp look.

I have already posted the card i made on the night, but here is another card i made using the same technique, but with the added fancy fold,

( this was made before the missing mojo)

i used my all time favourite DSP, Parisian Breeze

here is the fancy fold part

It is the front square that opens not the whole piece, i am really liking how this turned out.

Also over at CA i was chosen to the featured artist of the week (last week)

so take a look over on the left hand side of my blog to see my badge.

Missing in action.......where has it gone ???

Hello stampers.

Well this is the million dollar question.

I have lost all of my mojo, i do not have any creative juices at all at the moment.

Normally after a bit of blurfing (blog surfing) my mojo hits top gear and away i go again, but lately even blurfing has failed to have this effect.

i have a few things i need to get done, but am struggling to do so

I have been doing a little bit of creating, but nothing major, it all has been very simple.

Here is a card i made for a friend of mine daughter's birthday, in the past i had made her pretty cards, and made the boys cards using sweet treat cups, so this time i made one for her as well using a sweet treat cup

I have been trying to do a few pages in my kids scrapbook.

So far i have done a couple of now pages, and almost completed their first page in their younger days albums, so once i finish those i will get some photos and pop them up.

Anyway on the home front, our new family member is settling in fine, he is loving being back in school, and is getting good marks.

Happy 15th Birthday

Morning Stampers...

This card was made for my Daughters 15th birthday back on the 31st, 

this is one that took a long time to come up with, it is hard to put things together when your mojo is lacking, or in my case gone competely

But i am really happy with the out come

Sorry for the photo, i had to be quick and get the photo before she ate the lollies, as i forgot to take a photo before i gave it to her, well almost didn't get the photo, some of the lollies are missing.

here is the card open

And a side view

See i even forgot the sentiment.

now for what has been happening in my life....well where do i start.

I now have a new family member, i have taken in a 15yr old boy who needed a family to love him, 

we are all so blessed to have the love and support from our families, but there are those out there who don't have that basic need of life. I couldn't turn my back on someone who needed this love, and as a mum i have alot of love to share around.

We all have been busy adjusting to the new addition, and there have been many meetings with winz and social workers to make it all happen.

He wasn't in school, getting regular food nor basic needs of life........ access to fresh water and toilets.

All this while living with a family member.

But since he has been living with us he is now in school, with big plans for the future. a dry and clean room and all the food he wants...being a teenager he likes his food.

He knows he has been given a golden opportunity, and he is very keen to make the most of it, or the only other choice is go back to that family member.

So yes i have been busy, and with life starting to settle, i should be able to get back into the swing of creating.

See you all soon

Try Stampin on Tuesday #26

Afternoon Crafters...

I have not blogged in a while in fact i even broke my own personal challenge of doing each and every challenge put up for the talented ladies over at

Try Stampin on Tuesday

i have had a very busy time of late, combined with a lack of mojo.

But i have been doing the odd thing, so i will post those over the next week or so.

My mojo has been so low i have taken to re-creating past favorite cards for the few birthdays i have had to do.

I have also done a couple of pages for my family's scrapbook's that i have just started to do

 This week there is a great challenge over at Try Stampin on Tuesday.

Here is their sketch

Here is my attempt,

Here is a close up of the background i used, it was done with just using a stamp versamark

 i used a digi art image from the fantastic site

Beccy's Place

anyway i must be off i have lots more to do, i will fill you all in soon, and the happenings in my life that is keeping me away from my blog and craft room