Try Stampin on Tuesday #38

Afternoon Crafters,

It is that time of the week again, it is time for a new challenge over at

Try Stampin on Tuesday

And as usual it is a great sketch.

My mind is else where at the moment so i made a pretty simple card, but i am happy with the results.

When i first saw this sketch i had a much better card in mind, but i have so much happening on the home front that i went simple

Here is my card

(sorry for the photo quality)

I have used an older retired stamp set, which i seem to go to quite often, Bud Basics

To finish it off i have done a bit of spritizing with the early espresso pen, which i think finishes it off nicely

Now back to my home front.

 my daughter has had very long and hard road these past few years, with hassles from school and other outside issues, she had been asking since we came back to live here(NZ), if she could return to Australia, so after one low(almost depressive mood) too many, my hubby and i made the big decision to send her back to live with her Grandmother and attend school over there.

As a mum this has been a very hard decision to come to, there have been many tears already, and many more to come, as she is leaving on Tuesday next week, we need to get her settled into school as much as possible before the holidays so come next year it will be better for her.

On the bright side she will be coming home at Christmas time as her grandmother is also coming back for a holiday. 

A Special birthday

Afternoon stampers,

What a weekend, it was one that all of us kiwi's can feel proud about.

We beat the Australians in netball by one goal, and then we went on to beat the French by one point in the grand final of the Rugby World Cup,

Well done to both teams.

I had a blast on the night of the RWC final, we headed over to a friend of ours and joined them in a night of laughs, sighs, and breath holding moments, before, during and after the game.

i know i went to sleep with a smile on my face, well who wouldn't after such a great night.

And to top the weekend off the kids went back to school today, so now i can go shopping in peace, away from my own two and other kids at the mall.

In my last post i mentioned that a very dear friend of mine had just lost her father, but right in the middle of this was one of her Nephews birthday's.

 Every year for each of my friends children and one of her sisters children birthday's i always try to include a choc somewhere in the card.

This one was no different, but with the sad things happening at home, i wanted a little bit of an extra special birthday card for him.

Not long ago, i managed to get hold of some great little test tubes, which i knew i wanted to be included on the card somewhere. 

This is what i came up with.

I love this, in fact i have ear marked a couple more birthdays to do this for.

Here is a closer look

I have written on the back of the tall piece, this is right up my alley with the bright colours.

i even almost completely matched up the colours of the M&M's with our inks.

Well i am off to go and enjoy the rest of my day here in Hamilton, the sun is shining bright and the wind is finally laying low, bring on the summer tan......Don't think so i am getting to old to worry about that now, my swimsuit body has been laid to rest, bring on the cover ups *Giggle, Giggle*.

Try Stampin on Tuesday #37

Afternoon Stampers,

The sketch this week over at Try Stamping on Tuesday is a great one.

I had a sympathy card to do, so i used this sketch to do so.

Unfortunately i have had to make two sympathy cards this week, one for a family member of one of our staff, and the other one was for a very special friend of mine who lost her dad last week, My heart has gone out to her and her 3 sisters as they also lost their mum 6 years ago, the girls nursed both their mum and their dad until the end. 

The youngest sister is not quite 30, this was such a sad occasion, we are all so grateful that they have a very special and close knit bond, so they will always be together. My friend and i have been best buds since we were 2, and during my teen years, her dad became my weekend dad.

 R.I.P Paul, you have gone home to be with your beloved Jenny.

Here is the sketch i used for the staff member's card

i knew i had to use one of my new stamp sets that was yet to see and ink. So i choose my new set

 "Awash with flowers"

I can see this one getting a fair bit of ink time.

Here is my card

The need for a sympathy card for my best friend, came as such a surprise that i didn't have time to make one (in fact i wasn't in the mood to make one), we knew he was sick, but didn't expect him to go quite so soon, so i grabbed one from my "opps almost forgot" box,

it is not a favourite one of mine, but she loved it.

I gave her the concord crush one, as she is a purple girl.

So i had have a very busy and eventful week, one that included my - tried to forget, birthday, one in which i got spoiled with love and attention, but at least it is now over for another year.

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.