Thursday, December 30, 2010

One Little Word



2011 is knocking on the door, can't believe how fast 2010 has gone. Last year I participated in an idea from Ali Edwards about choosing 'One Little Word' to live by in the year to come. I choose 'Believe', I wanted to focus on believing not only in myself & my abilities but improving my relationship & belief in God.
I feel that 2010 was a year where I learnt alot about myself, that I am extremely resilient & strong. I have also been able to really focus on deepening my relationship with God. There have been alot of changes in my life, some good some that weren't so good, and I know that believing in myself got me through and to where I am today.
For 2011 I have decided to take 'Believe' just that one step further with my One Little Word for 2011 being 'Courage'. Now that I believe in myself more it is time to take more risks and step out of my comfort zone, which is where I have somewhat stayed in 2010. So the next year is going to be about taking that step forward & not looking back. This might be alot easier to say that actual do, but all I can do is try.
Tomorrow is New Years Eve, we are going to spend News Years with my little brother in his new place in the city which will be fun. We're having a BBQ, playing Wii & board games. So I hope that you all have a happy & safe New Year and I'll blog again in 2011.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Christmas Day



4 days later and Christmas Day is still a blur. Christmas Day is always busy for us, we do both families in one day. Which sometimes seems alittle nuts, but we wouldn't have it any other way. Things might change when we start a family, but who knows. This year Christmas lunch was at our place, my WH (wonderful husband) wanted to make a lasagane so we went with an Italian theme, with a simple green salad & Panatone for dessert. Though it didn't look like a lot of food, everyone was pretty stuffed by the end of the meal.
Thought that I would also share a few pictures from our day, we bought a new point & shoot camera for ourselves for Christmas so all the pictures we taken using our new toy. Still learning the features but I really like how the pictures came out.
1. first thing when we got up was opening our presents to each other, we got some really lovely presents from friends & family that couldn't be with us for Christmas Day.
2. Christmas lunch with my family always usually ends with us all playing Wii or playing board games, it's traditions like these that make Christmas so special.
3. Christmas dinner was at my WH's (wonderful husband) brothers house, we had a candle centre piece which our nephew just loved blowing out again & again (he loves birthday cakes because of the candles too!!!)
4. Love this picture of my WH, I was playing with our new camera. I am going to love learning how to get the best out of this camera.
5. Our nephew might just have some natural drumming ability. This was the first Christmas that our nephew realised that he would be given presents, and this was one of his favourites.

Thursday, December 23, 2010


































Thought I would share some pictures of our Christmas tree, my favourite decoration are the small photoframes that have photos of our family. Though some of the photos are going to have to be changed as they are alittle dated and old.
We have had this tree since before me and my WH (wonderful husband) were married, so it's alittle over 5 years old. I still love it, traditions are what makes this time of year special.




























Wednesday, December 22, 2010

December Daily Day 16



This time of year my WH (wonderful husband) is away at night alot, between work commitments and also preparing for Christmas Eve service. When I am at home by myself I craft. This year I am making fabric flowers to decorate the Christmas gifts and this too cute Christmas card holder.
I love getting Christmas cards, some years we get loads some years we don't get that many at all. This year we haven't received all that many so I have filled this card holder with previous years cards that I just loved & didn't want to throw away.

December Daily Day 15



Christmas time is the time that we celebrate and remember the birth of our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ, every year a church on the coast does this huge light display, a show & a display about the true meaning of Christmas.
We try & go every year (missed last year), we don't see the show but love to see the lights, the petting zoo (I am such a sucker for a baby animal), and see the true Christmas story display. Every year the display is different but still telling the same story.

December Daily Day 14



Santa.
This festive happy bearded man is our Santa, he was given to us from my parents the first Christmas we spent together after we got married. Being an adult Santa doesn't bring gifts I love having him sitting in our house at Christmas time.
I love traditions, whether activities, decorations or food. Makes the Christmas season feel special & fun.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

December Daily Day 13



Twinkle, twinkle Christmas lights. This year my WH (wonderful husband) didn't want to put as many lights as we normally would, but I just figured he was thinking that cause he was sick at the beginning of December and didn't have the energy to think about lights. So I put them up! Not everything, because I couldn't find a second powerboard (once I find one then the rest of the lights are so going up.
This is a picture of the lights that we have in our bedroom window, we have had the Christmas tree since before we were married & we bought the starts the first Christmas we had in this house.

December Daily Day 12



An end of year tradition is watching the School Spectacular, schools from all over NSW preform this huge song & dance performance. I have been watching it for years, it is always amazing to see the talents that is in the coming generation. Our bird Curios has also taken to sitting on our legs as we stretch out watching TV at night, normally he prefers sitting on our shoulders or as close to our faces as possible. We think he is sitting in the breeze that flows from our front door to our back door.

December Daily Day 11



Weather. Pretty much all of the Christmas Season up to now has been wet. We have experience 10 years of drought in this country, we are now moving into a new weather cycle which has brought nothing but rain with it. But this day the sun broke through and the blue sky could be seen from between the clouds. I took this picture of the garlic chives flowering on our back veranda, think that it represents the feeling of seeing the sun after so many weeks of wet cool weather.

December Daily Day 10



Wrapping!!! Almost a month long process for me, maybe I put too much effort in. But I do just love wrapping gifts. This is a photo of what I guess you would call 'stage one'. I am going to finish the gifts with some red ribbon and a cute 'Noel' tag that I found on the internet. Not sure if that will be the finished look for our Christmas gifts. I love wrapping presents, love it, love it, love it.

December Daily Day 9



Another Christmas party! This is the only shot that I remembered to actually take, this is our bible study party. We have wrapped up bible study for the year, we came to the end of our current study so thought that we might as well come together in the new year with a whole new study.
Love the decorations hung from the chandelier, would soooo do the same thing if we had a chandelier. Maybe when we get our own place.

December Daily Day 8



What else to talk about today but the U2 concert! Not necessary a Christmas activity, but here is Aus alot of big bands come out in Summer which is Christmas time.
Had so much fun, it is such a great part of Christmas time with the longer days meaning that your not wondering around in the dark going to concerts.

Monday, December 13, 2010

We rocked!!!!



Oh what a busy few days! Finally had 5 seconds to sit and chat with some of my favourite people, you :-)
Last Wednesday me, my WH (wonderful husband), sister, two sister-in-laws & mother-in-law went to the U2 concert. Wow wow wow! What a concert. JayZ was the warm-up act, he was great as well. Don't know many of his songs but still enjoyed dancing. But U2 was just fantastic, we were sitting right near where the band entered the stadium which was very cool. I unfortunatly was coming back from a cold so got alittle tired & had to sit down at points. But soooo enjoyed myself. We used public transport to get into the venue (glad we did!!!), so much easier than trying to find a park (especially since they close off all the surrounding streets to parking). And it was free, oh how I love that word 'free'.
This last weekend we made the mad dash to Toowoomba for one night to see my WH's (wonderful husband) Grandparents, normally this time of year they make a trip to visit but my WH's Grandfather hasn't been well enough to travel so we descided to go and visit them instead. We have been having some wild rain recently (almost all of spring and for the last two weeks of summer) so the trip to Toowoomba was a bit hairy to say the least. Glad that we took my WH's work ute, there was flooding and huge holes in the road, even went past someone who had decided to cross a flooded creek. The water was up to the top of their windows (and they had a 4x4), the rescue helicopter had to rescue them. Lesson to all, don't cross flooded creeks, rivers, streams or anything way too dangerous!
I have some more December Daily pages to come, just have to upload some more pictures. Been soooooo busy. Only going to get busier the closer to Christmas!!!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

December Daily Day 7



When we got our tree out this year our pet bird Curios wasn't too impressed, that was until the tinsel came out. Curio loves tinsel! Last year we even think he ate some tinsel that we crazily put near his tree. This year we have been alittle smarter and hung all the tinsel out of the reach of our little feathered child.
But I could not resist putting some tinsel on Curios' cage and grabbed the camera, at first he just looked at me then he realised that the tinsel was there! Then he had a great time, such a funny little thing.

December Daily Day 6



Christmas Card Photo Day! This year I was inspired by the decoration I bought to represent last Christmas. So my WH (wonderful husband) set up the camera and we snapped some pictures. My WH wanted to get the light twinkling, which took a few shots to get it right.
This is not the Christmas photo that we had planned, but because of sickness & other circumstances we had to cancel our original plans. But I am still very happy with the photo, show my WH's personality so well. Can't wait to have our Christmas cards finished & all ready to go.

Monday, December 6, 2010

December Daily Day 5



Yummy yummy yummy! My favourite thing about Christmas is the food, most of my favourite foods are only available during summer and especially around Christmas. Specific Christmas foods like, fruit mince pies & spice cookies can be eaten all year round but for me that would take the fun & magic out of eating them at Christmas time. All of my favourite fruits are available only during the spring/summer months (seasonal availability), cherries, apricots & lychee's.
This year for some people of our Christmas list we are giving food, treats to be exact. So I have begun my Christmas baking. We are also having Christmas at our place this year so I am practising a few new recipes. With new recipes comes taste testing......yummy!

December Daily Day 4



Decorating the Christmas tree!!! Usually done day 1, because of work and sickness (resulting in exhaustion) we waited till the first Saturday in December. My WH (wonderful husband) finishes work at 3pm so despite his flu still had energy too decorate the Christmas Tree & our house.
This is a picture of last years Christmas decoration, every year I buy one special decoration to represent that year. Usually don't buy them till the post Christmas sales (cheaper!!!), so they don't go on the tree till the following year. I found this glittery 'Noel' and feel in love, not sure what I will buy for this years representative another word maybe I don't know. When I see it I will know.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

December Daily Day 3



Writing Christmas letters was my Day 3. I'm not talking those annual letters that people send out, recanting the activities of the family for the last 12 months to people that you never see or hear from except for at Christmas. My Christmas letter is going to someone who I have never met & probably will not hear back from, the radio station that I listen to is organising for Christmas letters to be sent to every serving member of the Australian Defence force that will be overseas this Christmas, that's about 3,500 men & women who will not be spending Christmas with their own families.
I come from a serving family, my Grandfather(s) & Great Grandfather (s) were in the army, my Dad was in the Navy for 20 years & currently my brother is a AV tech (aviation technician) in the Airforce. The thought of spending Christmas without my Dad or my brother is something that I find hard to think of so I can imagine how hard it must be for those serving men & women who are facing Christmas away from home.
Letters all had to be hand written & I have to send mine to the radio station on Monday. On the 10th December all the letters they have been collecting will be sent off and delivered on Christmas.

December Daily Day 2



Let the parties begin! First for this year is my WH's (wonderful husband) work party, they got in real early this year as a couple of staff are going away very soon & one member of staff got a promotion and will be running their own store on Monday.
It was also wife of store manager (that would be me!) make good impression and be a good representative of my husband in front of two of his bosses. Think I did a great job if I do say so myself, made small talk, laughed at jokes & tried to look as interested as possible when they were talking about sports (that was hard!!!!).
We ate at an Italian restaurant down on the coast, loved the desserts!!! Yummy. Chocolate tiramatsu, panatone and rum & raisin gellato. I do enjoy a good christmas party.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

December Daily Day1


Today was almost a forgotten day, I worked today and after work my WH (wonderful husband) had his piano lesson that I had to drive him to. Needless to say that I totally forgot that December 1st was even December 1st.
BUT.......I finished work early and went to the shopping centre near work to get a hot chocolate (it has been raining since pretty much the beginning of spring) and I came across one of my fav new stores! And I bought Christmas wrapping paper.....my December daily activity for today. Woohoo!
The paper I bought is brown paper (fav colour of wrapping paper) with gnomes and little signs that say 'naughty & nice'. Sooo cute.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

I am so slack!!!

So so so so slack!
Life hasn't been too busy. I have been organising a family photo shoot as well as my WH (wonderful husband) birthday party and getting ready to have a Christmas Party with my WH's Grandparents. It will be the first time that his family has spent Christmas with his Grandparents in something like 16-17 years (wow!!!).
Also trying to figure out what our photo is going to look like for this years Christmas card, WH has an idea and we will have a go at taking it tomorrow night. Tomorrow night is 'Decorating Night', being the 1st Dec. After tomorrow our house will be totally Christmas, we will have the house decorated, play christmas music & eat Christmas food (fruit mince pies yummy!). It is also mean the beginning of my December Daily project (click here to find out more), sooooo determined this year to document all that we do for the Christmas season.
Today was my turn for hosting my Sisters bible study lunch, we have been doing a study about the God intented role of women. And we decided that it would be fun if each of us was to hold a lunch for everyone, not our usual affair where we bring something to share but a whole lunch where we provide all the food. It was a challenge but I did it. With only alittle anxiety. Wish I had taken pictures! Show how focused I was on cooking, but everyone loved the food & it was great to have my friends come to my home & share a meal.
I promise that I am going to be blogging more often!!!! Bring on Christmas!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

December Daily going digital




A couple of posts ago I mentioned on of my fav bloggers Ali Edwards and her annual December Daily project (click here to learn more). I have been umming & arring over whether I wanted to do a December Daily project for myself this year (mostly because of my lack of success in doing Christmas albums).
But I then thought to myself unlike Ali who does a traditional scrapbooking type album I could go totally digital, which would make things alot easier (wouldn't have to remember to print photos everyday or sit down & glue things together).
Last night my WH (wonderful husband) had a boys night with a friend of his, so I was home by myself so I sat down & designed a digital December Daily layout.
With projects like this I have found in the past making them totally digital works best for me, this year I participated in Ali's Week in the Life project. Similar to December Daily & other projects like Becky Higgins Project Life, you take a pictures everyday documenting one week in your daily life. Still havn't finished printed all my finished layouts, but all the layouts are done (click here to see some of my Week in the Life project & pictures).
Here are a couple of my finished templates for my December Daily project.
I put some random pictures that I had on my computer desk top into the sections for photos to see how the over all design was going to look. The templates are in 6x6 format so when I am finished I can either upload them to a printing service that does photobooks (I use Snapfish) or print at home slip the pages into a 6x6 album or adhere them to a chipboard album.
I like using 8x8 or 6x6 for project albums and albums that are about one event (holiday, birthday, etc....). They take up less room in our house & I can store them in a basket on our dinning table as a decorative feature.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

More freebies!

Did I mention how much I love this time of the year? Once or twice maybe......
I am a crafter by heart, love making things for others and for our home. Christmas is one of the best times of year for crafters, you can fill your house with Christmas crafts and it looks fantastic!
My cousin Talia who is also a crafter as done a great post about some free craft projects that you can do for the Christmas season. Pop over and have a look!

Let Christmas begin.....with a freebie!!!!


OMG!!!!! It is almost that time of year again, yep....Christmas.
Christmas for us is a month long event, starting Dec 1 when we get out our decorations, decorate the house inside & out. We literally light up the street!
My husband is adamant that we do nothing Christmasie until December, including not going anywhere near the Christmas sections of any store (which can be quite difficult!). But for me November is when I start, shopping for presents (actually start this in October, like to get in as early as possible), thinking about our Christmas card photo, how I am going to personalise each family members wrapped gift and planning Christmas parties.
A family Christmas photo is something we started doing last year. I love last years photo, it was a cute as picture of our pet bird Curios that I digitally added a santa hat to. It was a big hit with our friends & family, soooo cute if I do say so myself. To make the cards I used a free card template by Becky Higgins, she is one of my favourite scrapbookers & I am so in love with her Project Life kit (would love to have one but might have to wait till this time next year!). Becky is doing it again with offering free card templates on her website!
This year the cards weren't designed by Becky but by her readers, she held a competition for people to design a card template, and she has ended up with five beautiful cards. I have already downloaded my copy (of all 5 and in all sizes, but you can download only what you want). These cards templates are a great & fast way to create your 2010 Christmas card that you can print & send in the mail, send digitally or even post of your blog or website. So many options!!!!!
Click here to go Becky's website and get your free Christmas card templates!

Friday, November 12, 2010

Strange idea but happy








I am a TV watcher, and I prefer to have the TV on when I am in the house by myself. A few weeks ago I saw a show about curly hair.
I have curly hair I thought
In the show they said that people with curly hair suffer from frizz.
Yep! Preaching to the choir here!
Because of this frizz, people with curly hair shouldn't use combs or brushes, but instead use what God gave us, fingers.
Ok......made kind of sense, and to be honest somedays I would hate leaving the house cause the frizz was just so bad I couldn't do anything with my hair.
It has been about a month of trying this going without a brush or comb thing.
There has been a deduction in the frizz (woohoo!), but my hair has become alot softer. Somedays my hair can feel like a pile of hay, so I am very happy with the result.
I will say that going without a hairbrush & comb isn't for everyone. It takes alittle longer to get all the knotes out and I wouldn't want to have any longer hair than what I have. It could be abit of a nightmare.
I have always struggled with my hair, it is fine, with a slight curl, a cowlick & can be oily. But I am reasonably happy with my wake up run my fingers through my hair and out the door I go do that I have had.
What about your hair? Are you happy? Would you like a change? Have you ever made a change that was just so wrong!?

Monday, November 8, 2010

L-O-V-E this time of the year


It's November and its spring.....well it's trying to be spring. Personally I am sitting here in jeans, t-shirt & jumper. But I was in shorts, shirt & hat yesterday while at the beach with our Church's Young Adults group, who organised a bbq and a swim at the beach for the international students form our local Uni. Great day! Unlike the cool conditions we have today, yesterday was warm and I even got sunburn (not really happy about that, though not a bad sunburn it is in a not so nice spot on the back of my left knee).
November is also when I start thinking, planning and doing stuff for Christmas. Yep you heard it Christmas. Can't believe it, the year as per usual has flown by and we are now gearing up for what would have to be the busiest day of the year for us.
It is also the time when some of my favourite scrappers start doing their annual christmas projects, two of my favs are Ali Edwards December Daily and Jessica Sprauge who hold a free (yes free) digital scrapbooking class. Last years was holidays in hand, it was great! I am thinking of doing the class again (as I have it saved) as this years way of documenting the Christmas season.
This years free class is called Inspiration Everywhere
Click here or on the picture on the side of my blog to find out more and sign up yourselves. I do really enjoy Jessica's classes, she is a great teacher and I have learnt some great new digital techniques.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

For myself










My wonderful husband took me DFO (direct factory outlet) shopping today as a present for the work that I have been doing. Isn't he nice :-)
I bought a bag to use for work, a pair of sandals, a straw hat (I don't wear hats well, I have apparently a funny head according to my husband we have been all over every shop trying on hats nothing has suited until today!) and the worlds cutest purse.
I will say my new purse is about the size of a clutch, but it stills fits in my everyday handbag. Now why might I be posting about a new purse? Mostly because I can and this is my blog, but also because I got so excited when I saw it as it is made from fabric that is produced from recycled plastic bottles. The environmentalist & recycler in me screamed!
And it is just sooo darn cute!
I just love it, love it, love, love it!
Silly maybe? But I don't think that there is anything wrong with alittle sillyness in life, do you?

Monday, October 25, 2010

Travelling the www

It has defiantly been awhile, but I could resist doing another installment of my......


Today we are going to start with a blog that I have really only been following for this year, I actually think that I found it while I was looking around another blog....can't remember. Anyway, it's called Best & Pieces by Cathy Zielske. I really enjoy this blog cause Cathy is a hybrid & digital scrapper (like me! But I also still really enjoy traditional scrapping as well) she digi scrap in 8X11 format which I do to! Wish that I had a printer that could print 12x12.....one day. Cathy has great video tutorials, and freebies (particularly like the digital page sketches, very useful). In the mix is abit of inspiration, Cathy has taken it upon her self to get healthy and trim up, love the before & after photos and reading about her progress. Go Cathy!


Ok....our 1st stop is technically a website not just a blog. But I was so taken with the colours and the happiness that seemed to radiant from the first page that I couldn't just mention the blog (which is one click away at the top of the page). The website is by Stacy Julian (isn't that smile infectious!), click on her blog and see more smiling members of her family and some great stories about adventures and exploits. Ever have trouble trying to put colours together? I may have found your answer, click on I love colour (or color if your american) and you go to a challenge blog that gives you colour combinations to try, great idea! This website & blog might just be added to my favourites list. I am defiantly going to be spending more time listening to the podcasts!


On we go, now we have arrived at *e* , this blog is by a fellow Etsy Shop seller (there are so many Etsy sellers out there!!!!). Check out her store, such cute stuff, might be a few things on my christmas list this year. While I was reading I cam across a post that made my eyes go wide, dreaming of straw. I have the dream of having a straw bale house one day, the look, the feel & the fantastic insulation properties! Click on the links for the mini art journal challenge, create a mini art journal in 1 year. I love peoples art journals, the freedom and expression is quite magical.


That's it for today, found these two new blogs full of inspiration and ideas I am just going to have to go and get my ideas books and start sketching and formatting.


Sunday, October 24, 2010

Photo's from Girls Weekend Retreat

Here are a few pictures from the Girls Weekend Retreat that I attended last weekend (see the previous post to find out more). There are a couple more pictures to come, I just have to do some extra editing on a few pictures. I somehow managed to turn off the screen on our camera so didn't know what settings I was using. So some of the photos are a bit dark and others are over exposed.











My apologises!

I know, I know, I know it has been awhile, but life has gotten the best of me the last few weeks. Last weekend I attend our Church's first ever Girls Weekend Retreat, oh it was fantastic!

I spent three days with about 40 women from our church, ranging in age from 16 - 60 years. We went to Coolum Beach to a wonderful resort, that was just a walk across the road to the beach. The weatherman had been saying all week that a cold front was coming, bring rain and cold wind (not pleasant weather to be at the beach). But things turned out quite the opposite! Beautiful clear blue skies, and warming sunshine the whole weekend.

I climbed Mt Coolum, ate wonderful food, participated in a sand castle building contest, helped to design & create a gown out of toilet paper, had great fellowship with other women & God, got a fantastic pair of free jeans in a clothes swap & bought a fabulous pair of shorts while shopping in the town.

Since coming home I have been under a huge mountain of laundry and have been battling the piles of things that pile up around our house unless you keep on top of it. But as of yesterday the house is back in order (yeah!!!!!).

Another reason for my blogging absence is that I have been working, yes....working. Parents of a friend of mine needed someone to do some filing and data entry, and my friend put my name forward. They work in Maroochydore on the waterfront, with loads of cafe's all around. Lunch is fabulous sitting near the water, reading a magazine and watching the world go by. It has been so nice to be working again, and I am so thankful to God for his faithfulness and the fact that in my darkest moments he was there to comfort me. God is good!

This is not a full time position, but extremely casual which suits us. I have a great passion for the work that I have been doing with my church thorough our Youth Group and the preteen mentoring group and was apprehensive at the thought of getting a job and having to give up these groups. But God has provided a way of working and making alittle extra money, without giving up the things that God had brought into my life to give me a sense of purpose.

I am going to post some of the pictures from my weekend at the Girls retreat. Just have to crop and edit (I must admit one of my favourite things!)

Monday, October 11, 2010

Treasury Tuesday!

Ok I know that it isn't Tuesday just yet, give me about 5 hours. But I really wanted to share my latest Treasury.


I created this treasury in honor of my cus's three year wedding anniversary, it is all about the number 3. Some really cute stuff.


Congratulations Talia & Luke!

Click here to check out the whole treasury, and while you are over at Etsy check out my store. Will have some new items up this week!

Monday, October 4, 2010

Blog travels

As I have gotten older my body has changed, not just the normal changes that a girl goes through as she gets older, but I have developed allergies & dermatitis. To this day we haven't been able to 100% figure out what exactly it is that causes my dermatitis, which means that I have to apply a cream from my doctor twice daily to stop the itching and reduce the redness and flaky skin. This twice daily cream application means that I spend 2-3hrs a day sitting doing nothing but waiting for the cream to soak in so I get 100% of the benefit.


So while I am sitting waiting for the cream to soak into my skin & the itching to go away, I am going to grab my blog passport and see where my blog travels take me.


Today we are starting in Australia with one of my favourite blogs for great inspiration & DIY ideas. Eat Drink Chic by Amy Moss, Amy is from Melbourne (a place that I hold quite special as I was born in Frankston that is really close to Melbourne). I love coming back to this blog again and again. Great inspiration from fashion, art, colour and weddings (I am such a sucker for a wedding, and Amy has pictures from some absolutely beautiful weddings).


First stop keeping with my love of weddings is 100 Layer Cake, I love the subtitle of this blog 'crafting your wedding layer by layer'. 100 Layer Cake is a collaboration by three friends, click on 'about us' to learn more about these three friends. BTW I love how they have used photobooth style photos on their about page, cute cute cute. I love reading about real weddings, and there are great DIY ideas that you can not only use for a wedding but for creative gifts and party ideas. L-O-V-E DIY!!!!


Next stop is A Field Journal, I'm sorry but I am so drawn to butterflies which is the reason I was so drawn to this blog. The feeling of all the images in this blog is soft and dream like, I can see myself simply getting lost just looking at the pictures on this blog. In amongst the dreamy pictures I have found great ideas for party decorations and for displaying food. My fav post would have to be about making a crepe paper bouquet, I think that I will make one to display in my home, it will look fabulous!


Our final stop is Lovely Packaging. I am the first to admit that I have a shelf in my craft room that has piles of.....well....packaging. Some companies put alot of time an effort into the way that their product looks on the shelf, I am such a sucker for a beautiful piece of packaging and this blog is all about celebrating great packaging.


Check out these blogs and go on your own blog travels, don't forget your passport!

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Having a probem......

I have been asked to make a birthday gift for my mother-in-laws sister's 50th birthday, OMG! What on earth am I going to make? So far with my store SuJoh I mostly just make pillows and shopping bags, and I don't think that any of those who be good 50th birthday gifts. I think that this request of me was made because of the card that I made for my sister-in-laws birthday which was on Friday. Next weekend she is having her birthday party which is an Alice in Wonderland themed fancy dress party, and I found a vintage image taken from an original version of the book Alice in wonderland I coloured the image in Photoshop and layered the card with a clock image. My in-laws all loved the card, which I suppose is the reason why I have been asked to make something. Card I can do, I have some great vintage images that I would love to play with the make a 50th birthday card. But as for a gift........

I have had an idea, a framed personalised family tree. Having a little trouble finding the right kind of image. I think that I might have a scrapbooking page in my collection, but that has been earmarked for my own personal use. Though I have had that page for a couple of years without using it so this might be the use I have obviously been waiting for.......

My mother-in-law has said that she wants to pay me for whatever it is that I make, which is good. I have 2ish people who are going to buys something from my Etsy store SuJoh (yeah!).

I have until the 19th October (no pressure!!!), time to go away that formulate some ideas. Maybe some more searching the www.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Treasury Tuesday!

I L-O-V-E Etsy and love any excuse to spent time searching around the creative Esty sellers. Recently I have been looking for a birthday present for my sister-in-law, she is turn the big 3-0 and is celebrating with an Alice in Wonderland inspired fancy dress party. As of yet not sure what me and my WH (wonderful husband) are going to dress up as yet, but I still have time.

Today's treasury Tuesday is inspired by Alice in Wonderland and my search for a present for my sister-in-law, is her gift in the list?......hmmm........not telling!


Click her to check out my treasury list, don't forget to check out my store SuJoh as well!

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Travelling the www


Since it's Sunday I am sitting in front of the TV with my WH (wonderful husband) and checking out a few of my favourite blogs, so I thought that I would do another installment of....

Tonight we are starting with a blog that I haven't been following for very long, only the last 7ish months. It is called Scrap Bits & Paint Under My Nails by Tanya Gilmartin. She is an artist living in Ontario Canada. I really enjoy her blog, she is a very creative person and I love looking at all of her creations and her art work (which you can view on her website). Check out her photo albums on the right side of the blog, I like her scrapbooking pages & her mini albums. Loads of inspiration & ideas!

Our first stop is redefine creativity by Alisa Burke. FYI loved the tutorial and idea of creating pillows out of old love letters. I have two shoes boxes absolutely stuffed with letters & cards that my WH sent me when were were dating, I would love to have a couple of pillows like these for our bedroom. Alisa's artwork is great and a browse through her blog has plenty of inspiration.

Stop number two is journal girl by Samantha Harding. Oh very cute! If you are wanting to start an art journal this is a great place to start, there is a great 'Getting Started' section. When I visited there was also a great tutorial for making canvas clouds (where the cute comes from). Defiantly a nice mid way stop on our little trip.

Our last stop Every life has a story by Roben Marie, I really enjoy blogs by artists who don't just show their creations but make their blog a creation all of its own. I got really inspired by Points of Two, where she made journalling out of cut out words from an old children's book, love the 2nd picture in particular. Take time to just watch her blog title, it cycles through some great close up shots of her art work. Full of inspiration!

Friday, September 24, 2010

I'm back!

Bet ya didn't even know I was gone, me and WH (wonderful husband) decided on a whim to got to Toowoomba to see the Carnival of Flowers, it was a very last minute decision, went on Wednesday morning and decided to go mid way through Tuesday. I will post about what we did and the photo's we took later. Still have to go through all the photos we took!
It has been raining all week here so far, which is kinda sad since my WH is have holidays and I was hoping to get some heavy lifting done in the backyard with his help :-(

But before all the rain started I did manage to get some of my pots plants all planted ready for spring/summer YEAH!



I still want to re pot all of my pot plants but that is really going to have to wait till the rain clears, soon I hope!!!!


At the markets week before last I picked up a new basil plant and a chilli to the markets at the Big Pineapple in Woombye should check out this stall, 6 seedlings for $2! Oh yes for those who have never heard of the Big Pineapple, it just as it sounds a tourist attraction that has a giant pineapple.

I have also decided to have a go at growing sunflower seeds, here is my seeds planted out in some empty egg cartons, best free seed propagating trays. Looks good right........the next day I went out to water the seed and founds that the birds had gotten to them :-( I don't know if the birds got all the seeds, so I have moved the seeds so I can keep a better eye on them. Not holding out much hope.

Monday, September 20, 2010

I'm on a showcase!

This month I splashed out on a showcase spot for my Etsy store. It is in the housewares section woohoo!


Sales have been abit slow as of late, so I am hoping that my presence in the showcase will get my products and store out there. I have been enjoying working for myself doing something that I love to do. I am most excited about my cards that I have been working on using vintage images, just been waiting to go and get our printer ink cartridge filled so that I can get some printing done. I have been meaning to do it for 2 months, but things have been getting in the way and I forget.


Pop over to my store and check it out. Also sign up for my newsletter and you can stay updated with new products in the store and with other things happening in my blog world.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Blog Travel Day

Sunday is my night for really sitting back and indulging in reading blogs and traveling around the world without having to leave the comfort of my couch.





Today we are starting at my very creative & talent cousins Talia's blog Life's Visual Journal, she started it after she got married in 2007 in response to never ending question 'How is married life?'. In her own words her blog is about "The Creative Endeavours of a twenty-something chick geek with Nanna tendencies (read: naps, crafts, embroidery, forgetfulness)!'

First stop Hello Owl by Danielle, I love her blog banner such a beautiful & bold pattern! I find myself very drawn to blue, even though my favourite colour is green. Apparently I look the best in blue too, or atleast that is what my husband tells me, opps! Back on track. I like this blog because if I am feeling creatively blocked then I can hop over to Hello Owl, there are regular challenges and loads of inspiration. Danielle is also pregnant, and has this great section called 'bump watch' some great bump pictures love the shrinking view of her feet!


Lets keep moving......


Second stop Danimezza, again great blog banner! Such a sucker for great doodling. I opened her blog up and was greeted by one of my fav things, great thrifty finds. Who doesn't love a great bargain, and op shops are full of bargains with in build personality. This blog follows the life of the creator, with great pictures (her own & fashion pics). Love the hat pictures!


And our final stop on our trip.......


Third stop Kevin and Amanda.com by Kevin and Amanda (surprise!). Very very cute dogs. Kevin and Amanda blog about their comings and goings. Check out the links down the left side and you'll find some great shots from around their home, their dogs & trips they have taken. I must say that I want that scrapbooking room! Looking at the links along the top, you'll find one that says 'Free Fonts', got to check it out! Amanda makes fonts for free out of peoples handwriting and then offers them for free on her website. Great fonts if you don't like your own handwriting for journalling.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Another Treasury

I think that I might be alittle addicted! It is fun to search around Etsy and see what other very creative people have made. There are some seriously cute things out there. Click here to see my other treasury lists.

My new treasury list is called Cupcakes, and it's all about.....you guessed it....cupcakes! I love cupcakes, they are cute, yummy and can be tailored to everyones dietary requirements. Which is why cupcakes were my cake of choice for our wedding (I will try to remember to post a picture of our wedding cake, still love it). If there are any of my family reading this I would love the scrabble tile necklace for Christmas or my birthday (I know its early, but sometimes preplanning is a good thing!)

Click here or on the picture to go and see the whole of my latest treasury. So much fun!

Hey Talia! Check out my first treasury about spring.

One down.....one to go

Our tickets to Wicked the musical turned up in the mail this week! Just the distraction that my WH (wonderful husband) needed. It has been a long week at work for him. It was my WH who wanted to go to see Wicked, he loves musicals. We are going in January, just in time for my sisters birthday who has a ticket to go with us. We will all be spending the weekend down in the city, go to the musical one evening and spend the next day exploring and giving my sister a nice birthday day.




Just now waiting on the tickets for the U2 concert in December. Again my WH's idea, he is a huge U2 fan. Went to their last concert they played in Australia in 2006 and loved it! I enjoy going to concerts & musical too but I think mostly because of how much my WH enjoys them. I feed off his happiness and excitement it is quite infectious.