On a mission ...

Yep, I've been a woman on a mission these past few days [to be honest, read more than a few days here].

You know that I have been cleaning out and clearing out my scrap room ... well it's still a work in progress, but I am now officially back in my scrap room ... no idea for how long ... but for the moment, I'm in there - just saying.

But I have to say ... it took me well over 1/4 of an hour to find my twine before ... grrrrhhhh!!!

Why is it that when you tidy up, you can never find anything???

I had seen that ball of twine earlier on today, but when it came time to actually use it, do you think it could be found - nope - it was hiding. Made me a wee tad p'd off to be honest.

I mean to say, here I have been tidying and when I actually took time out to play a little, I spent just as much time looking for something as I would have, had my scrap room been in a mess - doesn't seem fair really.

Just saying.
CYA
M

I'm having a clean out ...

Do you know someone that is perhaps starting off either card making or scrapbooking or doing the OTP thing? Truly, I have found that much Maya Road chippie stuff ... crikey!!!

Do you know someone that is starting to build up a stash that might need a little something added to it?

I'm having a clean out and yes, I've got pizza boxes filled with goodies for a girlfriend's young girls to be creative with.

But I thought that I might fill up an envelope or two, or a box or two and send them on their merry way in the New Year.

Let me know ... there could be half packets of this and that, there could be a whole lot of flowers ... well there might just be! There's even bound to be stuff that comes under the category - OMG, what was she thinking ...

And I have to say, I have far too many magazines, they were obviously must haves at the time ... but holy skamoley they would cost me a small fortune to send them anywhere, so might just have to pass on that one me thinks.

CYA
M

Under the Christmas tree

and just for me ...







I was more than a little bit happy ... quite spoiled really ... now I just have to get myself into my scrap room and tidy it ... yes siree ... I plan on being more than a little ruthless this time around ... it aint pretty in there ...


And just for the record, best day weatherwise on Christmas Day in the deep south for many years ... you could say that I saw too much sun ... in fact it would be true to say, that I am quite badly sunburnt ... and you could say ... it kinda hurts!!! Cos it does.

And today, it would be blue skies ... again!!!

Summer is here.

Merry Christmas everyone.
CYA
M

A special Christmas cracker

I've been playing again ... being a little creative and now that this wee treasure has gone up on the Scottie Crafts blog I can share it with you all.


A Christmas cracker - made with the gorgeous papers from Bo Bunny, add a little white muslin, a few pearls, a little seam binding, pop a flourish and holly die through your Cuttlebug, add a tag from the Bo Bunny collection and voila - you're done.

And in this Christmas cracker is a piece of jewellery wrapped in muslin, tied with a little seam binding with a Christmas bauble glued to it.

It doesn't get much easier than that. Almost to pretty to open.

Just sharing
Later
M

Sweet Nothings is right ...

I have to be honest ...

Gorgeous collection - totally gorgeous ... honestly!!!

Oops, I'm repeating myself.

Well I will, cos I can.


I dug out my bind-it-all and trust me on this one, it's been a while.

I even had to dig out the instructions, yes I did ... told you it's been a while.

And this is what I put together.

and yes, we have round cards ... again ... can't help myself!!!

Oh gosh, another one ... crikey ...

But I don't mind sitting there for five minutes, doing a little hand stitching ... it just makes it a little bit more special - well I think so any way ...

and I've been using my scraps again and doing the weaving thing ...

and here you go ... the card itself sitting inside the page insert

and then a wee pic, looking down on my creation.

I surely do hope that the recipient enjoys this.
CYA

Remember ...

Remember the mini pizza box that I showed you yesterday - well that was really like the 'hers' of the pizza box if that makes sense.

On the move, the collection from Kaisercraft is quite a masculine range to me, but using the red and whites yesterday was more feminine ... and today I will show you a mini pizza box more masculine.

Using the orange, black and white and grey combination.

And ... here you have it.

A 'his' and 'hers' ... lol.
CYA
M

On the move ...

A little creativity using the latest Kaisercraft collection.

I made up a mini pizza box, made a sleeve to go around the pizza box and then embellished the sleeve.



But I didn't stop there.

I made a card to go inside my pizza box.

The left hand side of the card lifts up and you slide in the wee tag card with lotsa hugs on it.

And just cos I can ...

I've used a Kaiser paper bloom and underneath the bloom is a layer of punched out leaves to give it a little lift and to me it makes it look like there is another layer to the flower.

Quite like the way this one turned out.
Just sharing.
CYA
M

Just call me ...

Frizz Schumacher ...

the speed demon!!!!

Another collection from Kaisercraft - On the Move ...

On the move collection is definitely male orientated, but I thought to myself, I’ve got the perfect photos to scrap and of me – now that doesn’t happen very often.

A little misting, a little paint splattering, a little hand stitching, a little inking and a little layering and I was done.

My journaling reads : Okay, let’s be honest, first attempt was a little scary, the heart rate jumped [sky rocketed] going around some bends, but I have to say overall, it was awesome. Who would have thought I would actually do it and ride the luge. Talk about peer pressure. Just call me Frizz Schumacher!!! November, 2010.


What a blast I had riding the luge in Queenstown last year with some of my scrapping buddies and now with the ‘on the move’ collection from Kaisercraft, wonderful memories – scrapped.

CYA
M

December collections ...

Sweet Nothings ... another fab-u-lous collection from the team across the ditch at Kaisercraft.

Very 'noice' it is - gorgeous papers, the die cuts are absolutely divine.

Together they make creating downright easy - honest!



And a wee close up, just cos I can.

And that seam binding in a bow - loving it.

Later
M

The young fella ...

well he did it again ...

Another one of those really proud moments we have as a parent.

You know the ones, the ones that bring a tear to the eye.

Yep, it happened again.

The end of the school year and prize giving was held last week.

I took a few pics before we were underway, this one is 'the table' on the stage at the Civic Theatre.

Looking at the photo from left to right, you can see on the very left hand side, second one in ... a rather fat looking trophy for want of a better description - yes siree, that trophy has N's name on it ... he walked away with the Senior Athletics Champ title this year.

Woo hoo, go N!!!

He tells me that very same trophy is going to have his name on it again next year as well.

The power of positive thinking ... hmmmmmmmmmmmm ...

Now somewhere buried on the right hand side of this very same table is a certificate with N's name on it, together with a gold medallion ... he was one of 12 boys in year 12 that went up on the stage and received a general excellence award.

Wow, that one blew me away ... totally. We had no idea that one was coming, nor did he for that matter.

Biology, computing and mathematics with statistics. Wowser.

You have to remember that this comes as a surprise for both the parents and the students ... they don't know and nor do we until it happens.

To say that we were proud is an understatement - truly, a major understatement ... a.m.a.z.i.n.g.

I write this blog post and am reliving that moment, all over again, as I will do again, when we watch the video.

Love you N and we are so very proud of you and your achievements.
xxx


And I keep telling him, imagine what you could do with a little bit of study ... just saying ...

That was close ...

Just about caught out ... just about ... but not quite ... lol.

Oh wow, here I was standing in the dining room, starting to fluff around with the Christmas tree thinking to myself, wonder how long a real one would last type thing.

I heard a something coming down the road, definitely heard it before I saw it and thought to myself ... oh wow !!!

A Mr Whippy drove down our wee cul-de-sac ... and wouldn't you know it, up and around and sat right beside our drive.

Oh wow I thought to myself, do I or don't I ... ummmmmmmmmmm ... no contest - grabbed some coinage and just as I was about to open the front door, he was on the move again. Picture me standing on the front mat at the front door, waving frantically ... cos I was and I did - well I had to get his attention some how.

I meandered out to the road and told him he was too quick off the mark.

So I'm busy standing there trying to look at all the pics on the window - let's just say there's quite a variety going on from our Mr Whippy fella these days - spoiled for choice I was.

I had no idea what I wanted. I told him that I had grabbed $5 and what could I get ... he asked me how many was I buying for ... I looked at him blankly and said 'one' - for me ... he laughed.

I'm still looking at the pics on the window ... I spied the double chocolate and flake combo and thought to myself, that sounds like me ... OMG, I looked down a little further and spied the nuts, that sounded like me too ...

I'm standing on the side of the road, talking to the Mr Whippy fella telling him it's been quite some time since I have had a wee treat like this ... no kids at home, no one else needs to know that I am spoiling myself - he's still laughing at me or with me, one or the other.

$4 it cost me for my treat - just as well Mr Whippy doesn't come a-visiting regularly, otherwise it would be a very expensive exercise in our household.

I head inside, chocolate cracking in all directions, nuts going in all directions, keeping an eye on my flake, cos I sure didn't want that going in all directions - there was only direction that wee sucker was heading - lol.

I reach the kitchen, grab a tissue and wouldn't you know it, I see the truck coming up the drive - gulp ... N is home already from hockey.

I'm fair sucking and slurping my way through this Mr Whippy cone of mine - perhaps a little too quickly to be honest ... but man-alive it was good.

No sign of any evidence, must remember to pop the loyalty card in my wallet that is sitting on the bench.

Just about caught out - that was far too close.

CYA

Christmas card

Using the patterned papers from 6.5 x 6.5 pad from Kaisercraft – December 25th collection.

My base is Kraft cardstock.

I’ve layered a piece of patterned paper, inked around the edges.

I’ve punched out small bricks from Kraft cardstock and inked the edges to make a fireplace wall, well hopefully it resembles a bit of a fireplace wall.

I’ve used two different distress crackle paints [rock candy and picket fence] and scattered diamond dust as well between and around the bricks.

I’ve then used the Christmas holly vine Cheery Lynn die on top of my bricks.

I’ve cut out two Christmas stockings using the Kaisercraft pad and across the top of each stocking I have cut two pieces of white pipe cleaner. Amazing what you can do with one of those pipe cleaners ... lol.

I’ve used foam pop dots underneath the stockings to give them a little height.

Tucked under a few wee Christmas baubles on the left hand stocking.

Kaisercraft alphas as my greeting.

There you have it.

I laughed at this ...

Making a coffee in our motel while in Dunedin - I had just opened the coffee and emptied it into the cup and thought I needed a little sweetening up so I grabbed a sugar sachet. I was shaking it and went to open it [as you do] and was reading the writing on the sachet ...

Let me share.

"When I eventually met Mr Right I had no idea that his first name was Always." ~ Rita Rudner

And yes, I've heard the saying before and I'm sure that many of you have as well ... but this was printed on a sugar sachet ... priceless!

Still laughing.
CYA
M

P.S. wait for it ... DH brought it home with us and left it sitting on the kitchen bench - I kid you not!!!!

I should be ...

putting out my Christmas decorations - actually I should have done it before now.

Haven't started yet ...

There really are just not enough hours in the day.
CYA
M

Birthday cards ...

Using more of the goodies in my kit I created a card for a special friend – I’ve printed off a calendar and thinking ahead, I’ve decided to make up birthday cards, well at least one for each month for next year and hopefully I will be totally prepared and ahead of time ... go me!!!!

The girls at Scottie Crafts will be able to point you in the right direction for the papers and any of the tools and gadgets that you might need ... you can see a flourish swirl – the team has this Cheery Lynn die in the shop and I used my Cuttlebug to cut it out and that stunning bow ... ooh-la-la – fabulous invention to help you tie bows that look just like that ... something I have struggled with before now.

CYA
M

Do you have the Scrap Factor ????

 

COUNTRY PAPERCRAFT: What is this I spy?????

Lil Miss Brown Eyes ...

and little Miss Paige has the gorgeous brown eyes.

Every now and again I do the plea for photos and Meg comes to the rescue.

The papers and embellishments look fab-u-lous with the photos.

Even if I do say so myself.

This layout went up on the Scotties Craft blog last week.

All of these scrapping goodies can be found in their shop or if you are a little geographically challenged like me - online shopping is fantastic. Customer service is fantastic too.

Just sharing.
Later
M

Well then ...

Auckland at the start of the month - Dunedin at the end of the month.

And truly, I hardly go anywhere - lol ...

This weekend though was an absolute ripper, a little music, a few drinks, a few laughs, not enough sleep ...

and I wasn't even away at a scrap camp - lol.

But it was ... an absolute ripper of a weekend.

A little music ... who am I kidding ...

a whole lot of music,
a few drinks, yep ... ummmmmmmmmmmmmm ...
that would be right, a few laughs
- well definitely more than a few

hilarious and I'm not kidding,

I haven't laughed like that for a long time and not enough sleep.


The music was from none other than Sir Elton John and he was truly a.m.a.z.i.n.g

I have to be honest and say that there was a couple of songs I didn't know.

But that was it.

I sat in my seat, a singing, a swaying, a bopping.

I stood in the stand in front of my seat, a singing, a swaying, a bopping.

I stood in the stand in front of my seat, a singing, a swaying, a bopping and a screaming.

He was fantastic - honestly.

The man can play the piano and he can sing.

No kidding.


Just had to share this one photo ... the lenses were removed by said DH when it became a little too dark to see thru them properly but I will have you know, said lenses are now safely back in said glasses and I have more photographic evidence to prove it.

Actually, I'm amazed this photo turned out the way it did ... bearing in mind it was taken in the early hours of the morning - ROFLMAO. The things we do.

Later
M

New scrapbooking and craft products

O.M.G.  check this out …

Tim Holtz Trinket Case : New scrapbooking and craft products

Seriously, I’m thinking that one of these might just have to come live at my house … honest!!!

Just saying.

Rude ...

Wow, it's been a while since I've sat here and blogged a little more about my big trip away - time has quite simply put - got away on me.

Tut ... tut!!!

Let me share a little more about what happened following the train trip ... yep siree, I got off said train at the Newmarket station - go me!!!! lol.

What did I do ... well I meandered down the street and had a nosey.

I can tell you that they have a yummy, super duper delicious smelling Lush shop and you know that I have a wee thing for a Lush shop - but sadly, nothing left my person from the shop - twas a case of, I already knew I had very little room - sad, but true!!!

I wandered down the road a little further and came across this shop www.saks.co.nz.

Now I have to say, that I did NOT know before I entered this shop, that this shop was rather, shall we say upmarket ... seriously, I did NOT know.

Ummmmmmmm ... like how was I to know before then - seriously!!!

I left the shop absolutely disgusted ... the sales lady and the salesman didn’t even bother to acknowledge me, they kept standing exactly where they were when I walked in ... talking to one and other ... the gorgeous purple coloured leather jacket that was ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm $3,995.00 in Saks ... well that was left sitting on the hanger ... well I told you that I didn’t know that Saks was that upmarket ... ROFLMAO ...

Must say though, it truly was a simply gorgeous coloured shade of purple - nice and Spring like, I guess one could say.

But as for the sales staff - how rude!!!

Moving right along ...

Now how on earth can the lady in the Briarwood shop know that the handbag that I originally walked past was just 'so right for me' ... I mean come on people.

I'm definitely not going to fall for that line, hook, line and sinker ... bag was pretty special though - but that too stayed on the shelf in the shop.

Upmarket Newmarket - yep, I guess you could call it that.
Just saying.
CYA
M

I had a wee play with some animals ...

some layered chipboard animals to be precise.

Add a few rub-ons, a few die cuts, a little more chipboard, some laminating pouches, some alphas ... punch them and pop a ring through them and I was done.

A surprise collection ...

Love this Christmas range that's not necessarily a Christmas range, if that makes sense.

I played a little and came up with this card.

Added a little seam binding, a few blooms, a few baubles,
a little hand stitching

and ... voila!

A little Kaisercraft creativity ...

must be time to share a little Kaisercraft creativity.

A little cock-a-doodle-do - yep, that's the name of this collection.

Love, love, love the way this layout fell into place.


Little Master Max exploring ...

This layout will head around to Miss Meg's at some stage ...
CYA
M

Who's gonna drive you home ...

tonight ...


While I was away I saw so many different types of vehicles.

I don't know that I drive around home with my eyes closed - well obviously I don't!!!!

But you know what I mean.

But, I don't recall ever seeing a vehicle quite like this one in the area.

It reminded me a little of a dinky toy to be honest - lol.

But I could cope if one of these came to live at our house ... well I would give it a try!!!

Not sure though about the cube things that I seemed to see e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e. - yep, they looked like something stunted to me - very strange. Now if you drive a 'cube' thing, hope you enjoy the driving experience - but wowser, they just seemed to keep jumping out at me.

CYA
M

A little nervous ...

I was at the time and I'm nothing but honest.




I had a wee train trip in the big smog - all the way from Kingsland to Newmarket.

Well it's not that far really, only three stops ... but I did it all by myself.

And yes, I was more than a little bit nervous.

A must have ...

honestly - this wee gadget is completely worth its weight in gold ...

it's fantastic!

and if you can't tie bows with all that gorgeous seam binding around at the moment,

well you definitely need one of these to help you out

phone the team at Scotties ...

flick them an email - do something to nab yourself one of these

Fan-tab-u-lous!!!!!
Makes life so much easier and the bows painless
Just saying
Later
M