What a Year...

Well as 2007 comes to an end, I thought I would reflect on the year. I cannot believe how fast the year has gone! This time last year I was gloating about having 10 months off from work and now I have only 4 more weeks before I return to full time teaching. It is amazing to think that also this time last year I had never heard of Stampin' Up! and now I am a Independant Demonstrator. I really love everything about Stampin' Up! and I have grown as an "artist" since I started using their products. I look forward to 2008 and the opportunity to grow my business. It has been a year of growing for my DD too. She started Kindy in January and has thoroughly enjoyed every moment. We had loved hearing about her day and looking at the wonderful creations she has made. We have had many great times together as a family; spending times away in our caravan.

May 2008 be a year that brings good health and happiness.
Cheers,
Chrissie

I've Been Tagged...

Rebecca left this message in my comments section:
You've been tagged:
The rules of the game:
• Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
• Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog, we all want to know them.
• Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
• Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Ok, this is my first time being tagged on my blog so here goes:
1.I met my husband at a funeral. It was the funeral of the father of a mutual friend and we have been together for the past 9 years.
2. I am an identical twin. Over the years we have looked very similar and poles apart! Right now... we are very similar.
3. As a little girl, my tiwn and I were very difficult to tell apart... so everyone would look for the freckle I have behind my right ear.
4.I have only been booked for speeding twice in the 20 years I have been driving. Once in 1988 and once in 1999 so by my calculations... I am not due for another speeding ticket until 2010.
5.I LOVE lollies. If there was a plate of chocolate and a plate of lollies... I would eat the lollies first!!!
6.I have over 100 paper punches. I started my card making using punches and have broadened my repertoire to include stamps as well. (Must admit I use stamps more now than punches but will never sell them off!)
7.I would love to leave the city for the country. I lived out west for 3 years and loved the small community feel. I would sell up in an instant if we could.

People I am going to tag:
1.Kim
2.Jean
3.Nardi
4.Amy
5.Karen
6.Hannah
7.Susan

Same card.... different colours!

Here are two cards that I have made. They are essentially the same card but they just use different colours and the difference in how they look is amazing. The first card I usedNot Quite Navy, So Saffron and Regal Rose. The second set I used Pretty in Pink and Barely Banana. While I did use pink and yellow in both, the addition of the dark blue makes the crayon resist technique all the more obvious. What do you think? Which one do you like better?

Workshop

On Friday night I had a workshop at my sister's house. We had a great time and the girls were really thrilled with their creations. We made Christmas cards using SU's Sleigh Full of Toys.

This is Emma and the card that we made!

My Website

Well I have finally worked out how to make a website all by myself. And I must say... I am quite pleased with how it has turned out. I read lots of blogs and websites to get ideas but it is basically all mine.
Let me know what you think! www.deliberate.com.au/cbc

Pink Christmas Cards

I know I said I would post a couple of times a week and I haven't but.... woring 3 days a week is making my time very limited!Anyhow... enough excuses!

Here is the card that my guests will make at the demo I am having on Friday night at my sister's house. Seeing as it is so close to Christmas, I decided that would get them to make a Christmas card. My sister just loves pink and thought that I would combine the two! I just love the fresh new look of these colours. Let me know what you think!

I have used:
Stamps: Sleigh Full of Toys and Sincere Salutations
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip and Pretty in Pink
Inks: Black Stazon, Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip and Whisper White Craft
Accessories: White grosgrain ribbon, 1 1/4 and 1 3/8 circle punches

Card Swap

I am involved in a card swap on Kim Gavarra's INKcredibles Forum. We each had to design (or CASE) a card and then make up kits for the other people in the swap. here is my creation. I CASED the idea from SCS (Split Coast Stampers) gallery... can't remember who. I have used Heidi Grace paper, blue and yellow cardstock and blue and yellow brads. I also used white satin ribbon. The bags are made using Stampin' Up!'s tag punch and 2 oval punches. I like the colours together.

Gift Pack

Twice in one day! Wonders will never cease!!! LOL

As you probably know, my DD goes to Kindy 2 days a week. It is self-funded, so every year they have a big Melbourne Cup luncheon. I was asked to donate a gift pack for the silent auction that will be run. Here is what I donated.



In the pack is a 2007-2008 Idea Book and Catalogue, the Spring Mini Catalogue, a 10% Discount Voucher, a covered notebook, 4 Christmas cards using a Simply Scrappin' Kit, a 2 Step Stampin' mini Stamp Set and black Stampin' Spot, samples of the Organdy and Grosgrain Ribbon and some Card Candy using the Looks Like Spring Stamp set.

I hope the winner loves what I put in there and is keen to find out more about Stampin' Up!

A New Day

Today is a new day and I have decided to become a better blogger! I am going to try to make a post at least 3 times a week! I hope that I am able to keep up this goal!

At the end of September, I joined Stampin' Up! as a Demonstrator. I really love Stampin' Up!'s products and my card-making skills have just improved so much. I am going to try and share with you my creations. Please let me know what you think!



Stamps: Springtime Stems (Hostess level 1)
Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Mellow Moss, Perfect Plum, Certainly Celery
Inks: Bashful Blue
Acessories: Pewter Brads (Hodgepodge Hardware)

August Already

Wow it is August already. I have been busy celebrating my DS's 2nd birthday and while the day itself was a bit of a non-event, he did enjoy turning 2. We went to the Ipswich Art Gallery to see the preditors show. It was quite good and the kids played with the displays and made a crocodile hat each. We then had a picnic in town and went for a wander around looking at the shops in the main street.

I have been busy making cards for Christmas and for friends' birthdays. Here are a few I have made.

This is one I made for my nephew who turned 16 ealier this month.


This is one that I made for my best friend who has just turned 40!


And here is one of my Christmas creations

Time Flies

I have just been reading my blog and I am shocked to see that is 2 months since I last posted. Good thing no-one seems to read it! What have I been up to? I have been making cards for DD's kindy. I have made over 80 of them. Here are a few of them.






I have also made 11 photo albums for kindy. I cut 12 inch scrap paper in half and then glued two pages together. I then sewed 5 pages into a book and decorated the covers. I am a little cranky with myself because I didn't take any photos of them. But Kindy was very pleased with them.

My latest project for the kindy Christmas Stall is making post-it note holders out of drinks coasters. I have made 21 for kindy and 5 for friends and family. They are so easy to make and every one is unique. Here are a few I have made:







I think that I have made all that I can for kindy. It has cost me quite a bit in materials and I think I have given my fair share.

Tomorrow I am getting my hair permed. I haven't had it permed in nearly 2 years. My friend Tara is going to be doing it for me. And the best thing about it is... I don't have to pay for it. I am going to make her some cards in exchange. We are yet to work out how many and which ones... but it will give a new project to work on.

Hopefully it won't be too long before I post again. If anyone is reading my blog... please leave a comment so I know you are out there.

Cheers,
Chrissie

Long time no hear....

Ok... I know that I am a bad blogger!!
So much has happened since my last post.
I went to Mackay to attend Des's funeral. It was a lovely tribute to a fantastic man and I was pleased I was able to attend. My two sisters also came with me and we had a few days afterwards to catch up with old friends ad reminisce in the town that we grew up in. I really enjoyed the time away from my DH and kids as was the first time I had left my DS since he was born nearly two years ago. It was good to be just me and not Mummy.
I came home and had a few days to catch up on the household chores before we flew to Melbourne for 4 days. DH had a course to attend to so the kids and I went to the Melbourne Aquarium and the Victoria Markets. I had never been there befoe so it was agreat adventure to catch the trams and see the different fashions. We all went to the Melbourne Zoo. DS was very excited to see the animals and made noises everywhere we went. Our trip home was filled with a minor hitch when the airline sent our bag with the car seats in it to Adelaide instead of home. Luckily they had some spare seats and arranged for our bag to be returned the next morning.
Not satisfied at being home for a week while DH was on a week off, we packed up the van and went to visit friends in Hervey Bay and Childers for a night and then went camping at Rainbow Beach. The weather was beautiful and we took long walks on the beach and swims in the sea. On one occaision, small fish in the water came and nibbled on my toes. Very Cool!!!
So that's about it. We are back to our normal routine of going to kindy and playgroup .
Cheers,
Chrissie

Sad News

Last night I recieved sad news that a close family friend passed away. When my twin sister and I were born, we were very small and sickly children. We had an alergy to milk and it took about 9 months for doctors to discover this. Our next door neighbours, Des and Barb, and their 5 children, were great help to Mum when she was ready to "jump out of the window". As we grew up, Barb and Des became our adopted grandparents and after leaving Mackay to return to Brisbane, we kept in contact with our friends. Des had been sick for quite a while and finally lost his battle on Monday morning. I will remember Pa as a kind man who loved to fish, play darts and have a beer and a barbie with family and friends. The last time I saw them was to introduce my son James to them.


I am flying to Mackay on Thursday to attend his funeral and my DH will be staying home to look after the kids. As I cannot get a cheap flight home until Saturday afternoon, I will have a few days in Mackay with my two sisters.
Although I am going off for a sad reason, i am looking forward to having some quiet time away from my family- some thing I have not done since before my DS was born nearly 2 years ago.

A Quiet Afternoon......

Well it is Sunday afternoon and DH and the kids are having a little "Nana Nap" in front of the telly. I am quite slack with this blog in that I haven't posted in nearly 3 weeks. It has been Easter after all!!!!
Well we have finally done all the major work on the caravan. By we, I mean, Kim my DH. He has worked long and hard to put new water tanks under the van and set up the pump system to make it work. He has also finished the solar panel frame for the roof and organised all the "bits" to run the van on solar. I know what all the bits are but I am not so good at really understanding everything and how it works. Needless to say, it all works very well and we can now take the van off to places far and wide and be completely self sufficient. We do still have no hot water or a shower but these are minor technicalities.
We had a good time camping over Easter in the van at Boyds Bay. WE went with some friends and their two kids. We did get the chance to relax a little but it was a little "busy" being in a caravan park. The pool had a water slide and James really took to it. He would run up the hill and push his way into the line and come down all by himself- with Daddy waiting at the bottom. He didn't care how cold it was, he just kept on going up.

A little bit of this and a little bit of that.....

Wow, I can't believe that another 2 weeks have gone by and I haven't made a post. It has been a hectic time getting ready for DD's 4th birthday. It is really hard to buy for a 4 year old. After many shopping trips, we finally decided on a princess scooter. She is really quite good on it. I think that it helps that it has 3 wheels and not just 2. Her little brother is keen to use it too but he does not know what to do with it just yet.


Hayley's birthday seemed to last for days and days. On Tuesday when she went to Kindy, I sent along little cakes to share with the class. They all sang Happy Birthday and she was very excited about her upcoming birthday. On Wednesday, the day before her birthday, we had a party with my sisters, Dad and their families.(They were unable to come on Thursday due to work committments). There was lots of presents to open, cake to be cut and fun to be had with her cousins.


Then on Thursday, THE BIRTHDAY DAY, we had a morning tea with 7 of her little friends. More cake, more presents, more fun!! The day ended with a trip to the doctors to get her 4 year old needles. Yes I know! How cruel of me to take my DD to the doctors on her birthday to get needles but it was the only time I would have!!
She wasn't very brave but a few jellybeans helped to take the pain away.


On Friday, I went to the first Christmas Craft Stall meeting for the kindy. I know it is a long time until Christmas but if we start on the projects now, it won't seem too much at Christmas time. I am going to make cards, tags, photo frames and photo albums for the stall. I have made my first album but it needs a little refining before I am happy with it.
Have to go now. The starving hoards are yelling for tea and it is nearly ready.

Ta-ta
Chrissie

Went to the Paper Craft Festival today. It was pretty good and there was lots of great stuff there. Was a bit hard to see all that I wanted to because I had the 2 kids with me. I must say though, they were really well behaved while we were there. I know it must have been very boring for them just sitting in the pram not being able to touch anything. I bought lots of stamps this time. Have already made a very simple card using one of the stamps. I have also ordered a set of stamps that make patterns that look like bought paper. They use two stamps on top of each other to give a 3D effect. Can't wait for them to arrrive in mail next week.

Have finally finished Hayley's other quilt for her bunk beds. I am very pleased with how it turned out and Hayley thinks it is very pretty. I am not sure I want to make another shaggy quilt for quite a while yet. But am pleased that the kids both have two quilts for their bunk beds.

March Already

Where are the days gong? Another week is finished and I do not seem to have done anything! My DH has been home all week as this is his week off. Next week he will travel away again. I have been working on my Goddaughter's quilt for her birthday in early April. Unfortunately I am 4 fat quarters short. I have asked Spotlight to order me some more but so far I have not heard back from them. I don't know what I will do if I can't get them. I am also working on Hayley's second quilt. I am halfway through the 40 picture blocks- only 20 to go.

Where Does the Time Go?

Where has the last week gone? Last week, James and I ended up with a tummy bug. Luckily, it was on different days. I spent the day running to and fro from the toilet and trying to sleep and look after the kids at the same time. Was very happy when my DH came home and could take over. James came down with it the next day. He also got the vomits with it. We spent as much time outside in the pergola as it was easier to clean up than the carpet. He did spend a lot of time sleeping in the hammock which seemed to help. Thankfully Hayley escaped it.

What else???? We went out shopping for a new fridge. My... there are so many to choose from these days and they all seem to be frightfully expensive.We got a great deal and were quite pleased with ourselves until we discovered that the space that we measured 2 or 3 times was not the same front and back. So while the fridge would fit in the front part of the hole, it wouldn't fit in the back part. This meant we had to pull out the cupboard next to the space and trim some off of it. I wasn't as hard as we thought and it only took a few hours to make the space the same front and back. We were all ready for it to turn up on Monday!! Excitement was in the air!! Sadly when it arrived it had a great big scratch on the front door. So it was sent back and a number of phone calls were made to get a new one delivered. It finally arrived today- in perfect condition.

Hayley continues to go to Kindy on a Monday and Tuesday. She has a great time and is coming home excited about her day. James is not so excited as he misses her dreadfully. Mummy doesn't seem to play "right"!! I am enjoying spending time with James and learning how his mind works. Never having a brother, I have not spent much time in the company of young boys. He is a constant joy to me and I am amazed how different he is from his sister. Boys really are a different species!

Finished

I have finally finished James' second quilt for his bunk bed!


I seemed to take a long time to get it finished considering I made the top in just one day.!

The main material has a lot of tools on it. James just loves being with Daddy down in the shed "using" all Daddy's tools. I even appliqued tools in each corner. (I should say my sister Nelly appliqued the tools)


I also made a tag for the back of the quilt so that James, when he is older will know who made it for him.



Now my next project will be making a second quilt for Hayley's bunk beds. I will be using the same material as the first one but I am going to make it in a different style. I hope I get it finished very soonn

Slide Show

What a Week

Wow, I can't believe that it has been over a week since I last posted. I spent the week getting ready for my DD Hayley to start Kindy. I had to make cot sheets for the little beds, I had to label everything with in an inch of its life. I didn't realise how many bits of clothing my daughter owns. My DH arrived home on Thursday night with much excitement from the children. They finally went to bed at 9.30.

Australia Day was spent quietly in the morning cleaning up and getting ready for friends to come around for a barbeque. We had a great night with the kids jumping on the bouncing castle and playing in the sandpit. It is good to relax and have a few drinks.

Went to Charli's 5th birthday party with Hayley and James on Saturday afternoon. DH was supposed to come with us but he was not feeling well so we went on our own. I made a card of a little girl on it and meant to take a photo but of course I forgot!!

Hayley started Kindy on Monday. She was very excited and was not in the least worried when we left. Daddy was there with the video camera to record every second. When we picked her up in the afternoon, she said she had had a great day and was keen to go back the next day. She was very grumpy and whingy and it wasn't long before she was asleep on my lap. On Tuesday it was off to kindy again. It is very quiet at home with just my DS James. He sleeps for at least 2 hours which gives me heaps of time to get things done.

I have also been making a little floor quilt for my friend Katrina's baby. It is made from lots of little bits of material in my cupboard. I machine stitched the whole quilt and was very excited at the finished result. I did hand stitch some detail onto some of the squares. This is my first quilt I have made that I am going to give away. I hope to go round to Katrina's next week and give it to her.

A Late Night

Sleeeeep..... Sleeeep....

Sat up until 1.30 making cards for my DH's Godson, my best friend Jodie and my SIL birthdays. It wouldn't normally take all night to do this but I got a little distracted.

This is my SIL's card. The photo doesn't do it justice. I am still getting the hang of photgraphing my work.

This is the card for Jodie.

There is glitter in the middle of each flower and on the happy birthday sign.

This is the card for my DH Godson. Boys are so hard to make

cards for and 7 year boys seem even harder. Not really happy with the card but seing as it was his birthday yeasterday, I don't have time to do it again.

My New Year's resolution was to make all my friends a birthday card and send it on time! Not a very good start but I am ahead on the two birthdays at the end of the week.

My First Blog

This is my very first post.... Hope I don't bore you all silly!

My two children are tucked up in bed sleeping.... there are dishes to be done.... the toy room to be cleaned and a basket of ironing that I cannot jump over!!! But instead I am setting up a blog!!

The day started as any other day does at 3am.... James (18 mths) waking up and joining me in bed. I live for the nights that he stays asleep until 6 in the morning. Luckily for me he wnet back to sleep nestled up close to me. My DH is away in Melbourne for 4 nights and DS is not at all happy with this fact. Hayley (nearly 4) wakes at 6.30am and joins us in bed but the whinging starts so it isout of bed and down for a bottle, breaky and a strong cup of tea.

Go and pick up my sewing machine that has been in for a service and DS goes to sleep for 2 hours allowing me time to do some more on his quilt. I have only the quilting and the binding to do.

Go to my sister's house for a swim and a chat. Her 2 youngest look after the kids giving me some time out. Come home in peak hour traffic.... argh.. but he kids sleep and only wake up when we get home.

Cook dinner.... fish and chips.... have showers.... talk to Daddy on the phone .... and put the kids to bed.

Have 4 birthday cards to make and get in the mail tomorrow. So no early night for me. Will put pictures of cards onto sight as soon as I learn how to.

Love Chrissie