Christmas card swap cards are done....

Yah! I know I'm running close to the wind but I just don't seem to have time at my table much at all lately, but over the last couple of days I've glued myself there to finish these cards. I must admit it was quite easy once I bought those Penny Black stamps on Sunday, but somehow I still feel very "time-poor at the moment.



These two are quite "country" really, probably influenced by the fact that I was listening Alan Jackson, country singer at the time.
I find that the music I listen to does influence what I do, does any-one else have music that really influences what they do?

Now the last one is really special, cos last night as I was finishing the last two, my wonderful friend, Faye, was sitting over at her table, beavering away and then she passed me this one and said " Will this be ok to be No.5 ? I'm blown away by this card, just love it to bits, so cool to have a friend like that.


I love the way she used the Fiskars Punch on the sides, and what did we use before we had Nestabilities I wonder?
Anyway I'm very happy they are finished, I just have to put centres in them, and bag, wrap and post phew!
Have just put my car in for it's warrant check and "check-up" before we go away on Monday.....yes Monday, can't believe our holiday is almost here. I'm really excited now, can't wait, keep looking at Akoroa on the internet, hope it's as beautiful as those pics.LOL
Anyway I have asked Faye to take photos of me, (I hate photos of me) but when I come back I really want to do my "Book Of Me", so I need pics, and the Clear album hiding somewhere in my stash is for photos of Akoroa.... yeah yeah best laid plans etc etc.

Thursday already

This week has gone so quick, (I bet not quick enough for those of you going to Senz at the weekend), she says turning green.
Anyway I have been at First Aid training for the last couple of days, not the funnest way to spend your days off, but didn't have much choice. Anyway now I'm hoping to get some scrapping done, have the Scrapboxnz October sketch on my table and the Kaiser wooden album, I started a couple of weeks ago. So hopefully hopefully.
Really disappointed that I missed the 1c photo developing at Snapfish, that's what happens when you don't check your emails I guess.
It is so cold out there, we have definitely gone back to winter, wow!
My cards arrived from Scrapboxnz, yesterday, from the September challenge, I just love this swap idea cos you get to see other people's work and everyone has such amazing ideas. Can't believe this month's challenge is Christmas cards..... still one way to get started early. Might give those ago later too.
Right off to do something!

Scrap Saturday

Well an AWESOME day today. No work and spent all day, from 10.30 till 7.30 at Scrap Saturday, and I was on a real roll today, did THREE yes three layouts. Now those that scrap with me know that this is quite unusual, and guess what I worked from sketches and just had a ball. Finished this one for the Scrapboxnz August sketch challenge and proved to myself with this one that making kits to take to crops is a good idea. The other two I did from scratch, and I didn't want to stop, my mind's buzzing with ideas. Came home ready to keep going but Gus had other ideas, he wanted to sit on my knee and have some "couch time", poor boy. he missed the company.
Anyway been watching the rowing at the Olympics, go the Kiwis.
I'll scan the others and upload soon.

Shining Saturday

Well it's definitely stopped raining here and the sun is shining in my world, I just got an email from Scrapboxnz and I won the August Layout challenge. I am totally blown away, it's the first time I've ever won any Scrapping competition and I feel like I've "come of age" LOL.
The amazing thing is that it's the layout I've most enjoyed doing for ages and the fact that it's about my niece Sam makes it even more special. So it's been a "Sammie" week, I talked to her and my sister on the phone for ages on Thursday night and that was soo special. I've been so worried about them cos they live in a part of the country that was badly effected by this weeks dreadful storm, but they were absolutely fine which was a blessing.
Right off to the supermarket and then work, I wish I wasn't going to work today cos now I'm really keen to scrap!!!!

200th Post

Can't believe this is my 200th post on my blog. When I started it I thought it was very cool but honestly didn't realise how addictive it would become. Anyhow fitting that on this post I have a photo of my latest layout. It features my niece Sam, and I took these photos of her in January 2006. It makes me sad to think that it's that long since she came and stayed with us but life and work has gotten in the way sadly. Anyway I love these photos of her and just between you and me I'm pretty chuffed with this layout. It's for the Scrapboxnz. July sketch challenge, and I got to play with the Cricut, flowers, bling and pink, black and white so I'm pretty happy about it. :)

Scrapboxnz Challenge

Just finished this layout for the Scrapboxnz monthly challenge. Once again they feature June's wonderful photos, and tell the story of how cool it is to be able to sit outside in the city and have a coffee. It still gives me a buzz to do this, I remember going to Melbourne in '92 and'97 and coming home and wishing we had a cafe scene here in Dunedin, and boy we do now. One of the cooler cafe's has even got gorgeous jewel coloured shawls draped over the outdoor chairs to warm punters who want to brave the cold and sit outside. (Note to self: must do this this week.) However this layout tells the story of our city centre "the Octagon", gorgeous historic buildings, trees and cafe's, very cool. Enough of the travelogue, although I do recommend New Zealand visitors include Dunedin in their plans cos it's gorgeous, (no bias just fact).
For this layout I used Creative Imaginations Coffee Phrases paper, Cricut letters, (Plantin Schoolbook), Kelly Panacci flower stamps which I cut out and KP stitching stamps, Coluzzle file folder.
Tried to emulate the swirls on the coffee by stamping the letters with swirl stamps and Cocoa inkpad.