Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Penny Black Saturday Challenge week 194

Hello and a huge happy Wednesday to you all. It has been a busy busy week here with study. So I haven't even had time to upload my card that I made on Sunday so this is just a quick post to share it with you. This week's theme is:

 Easter Eggstravaganza!!

And here is my card:

This is my only Penny Black bunny stamp - but isn't it sooo cute. I have also used some of my brand new Bo Bunny Paper - OMG how lovely is that - it is called Ambrosia Flowers and I just love it ( you will be seeing more of it for sure). It is so happy!! I tried to let it shine and not out dazzle it with embellishments. Some ribbon from my never ending stash, some homemade flowers and some brought ones, some little gems and my sizzix ovals and my oval scallop punch. And thats about it. The stamp has been watercoloured as usual.

Just came back to have a look and I am a bit disappointed with my photography skills as the little bunnies are actually a soft purple in real life and look very cute - here they look like I haven't even coloured them :(

 

This is the inside view - again I wanted the paper to shine. I hope you like it.

On the health front - still waiting for the inflammation to go down (it feels like I am sitting on a cricket ball) I hope it settles soon.

Ok well have a great day.
Talk soon
x joy

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Another glorious day in Smithville

Hello and happy Sunday to you - what an absolutely beautiful day it is today here. How could you not feel good when the weather is so lovely. This is just a quick post to share with you my lovely garden after my boys worked so hard yesterday

can you see my puppy  looking very cute in this one?

I just love my house and garden and although it has taken me 9 years to get the garden looking like this I am happy with it. I have had some major disasters in the gardening department over the years and it makes me appreciate it all. It may still take me another nine years to complete it, but I don't care - it is all about the journey for me - not having instant success!   

Look at the colour of the sky - did I not tell you it was glorious today!!!! Just devine - it's not hot just nice and there is a lovely soft breeze blowing - which reminds me I have to go do some washing - I can't just play all day hehe.

Anyway here is something that is just as lovely. I have wanted a score board for ages now and I finally got one on Friday. So after I do the washing and before I go and watch the boys at the pool (I promised I would take them yesterday) I am going to have  a little play whoo hooo! so watch this space to see what I come up with

Ok well better go make a start on my things to do list.
make sure you have a great day
talk soon
x joy

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Happy Saturday to you

Hello,
I hope you are having a good day - mine has been very relaxing. It has been a beautiful clear day here in Blackall with a lovely soft breeze blowing. My two biggest boys spent the morning mowing the lawn then I spent a few hours sitting watching Frank pruning my hedges - it is really frustrating not being able to do it myself but he did a great job and the yard looks lovely again ( I must take a photo and show you).
Then I was lucky enough to have a little nap this afternoon before the whole family sat and had a BBQ dinner out the back - one of those special family meals - just lovely (even the pussy cats and puppy got to share some of the BBQ goodies). 
I did plan on popping into my little crafty heaven today but the nap got the better of me but I still have a few of my cards that I made last weekend to show you and here is one of them. This is my entry into the Sketch N Stash Challenge no 83:


And here is the sketch that I have followed:
 It got me out of my comfort zone as I usually like straight lines.


  It is an easel card and I have used an image that was free on the front of a mag that has been coloured in with watercolour pencils then I have used a little scrap of Miss Nelly paper from Kaiser craft, some bazzill, some twiney stuff, flowers and bling from my stash, a stampin up sentiment and an oval and scallop oval punch stuck down with magic mount.


I think this may be the first time that I have used twine as well and I got this idea from one of the lovely blogs that I follow but I can't remember which one sorry. Anyway I hope you like it.

Just a quick update on my health issues, as thought I do have to have the 3rd round of surgery quicker than expected but have to wait for the swelling and inflammation to go down first. So me and ice packs are getting to know each other very well hehe along with salt baths and loads of lotions and potions.

Ok well that's it for me tonight 
see you tomorrow probably
x joy 

Thursday, March 22, 2012

How lucky am I to have such lovely friends

Just a little note to say a huge Thank you for all the lovely thoughts, sentiments and even pressies that you have sent to wish me well. I am so lucky to have such lovely friends and I treasure you all.  

I get my Royal Flying Doctor to assess the situation tomorrow and the outcome will determine exactly when I can have the next round of surgery and when I will fly to Brissy. Having to take into consideration the fact that I need for the swelling and inflammation to settle first before anything can be done because of the risk of further infection. I am feeling a bit better about the whole thing today especially with all your lovely texts, emails and comments and don't forget the choccies. hehehe choccies always make a girl feel good:)

Anyway thank you to everyone xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx j   

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Lili's Little Fairies Challenge

Hello, happy Wednesday to you, I hope you are having a good day. Things are not going so great here in Smithville - looks like I have to have round 3 of surgery much earlier than expected. I am trying very hard to stay positive and think if I have this one early it will mean that I will then complete all stages of my health plan early so I will be better that much earlier - but it isn't working. I hate surgery (I'm sure everyone does) and I just don't want to do it but I can't live like this now so I have no choice.

Anyway moan over and I have another card to share with you - this time for Lili's Little Fairies challenge which is Butterflies and fairies. So I have choosen butterflies and this is what I came up with


I have used a Lili of the Valley stamp (of course), some scrap papers from my stash, some bazzill, Martha Stewart, Ek success retro flower and Fiskars punches, some pearls, ribbon and stickles. I made the flowers myself using three sizes of retro flower punches. And the stamp is watercoloured with my trusty watercolours as usual.

Ok well just  a quick post today as Mr Smith is away and I have to get the boys their dinner. Just a quick dinner tonight maybe some sausages, mashed potato, veges and gravy. I'm sure the boys will pop their snags on bread anyway so I don't have to go to too much trouble.
Ok talk soon
x joy

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Look what arrived in the post

Hello and happy Sunday to you all,
Ohhhh there is a little bit of excitement in Smithville - I have finally had a play with my shiny, new stamp that arrived on Friday from the lovely girls at Penny Black Saturday Challenge. OOOOHHHH it's so lovely - there is something about a brand new wood mounted stamp that I just love. The stamp was my prize for winning  challenge no 190 - how lucky am I. And here she is:

Isn't she beautiful - I just love her.. . . . . . . so what do I do with her hehehe I stamp her up and use her for this weeks entry into The Penny Black Saturday Challenge.
This weeks challenge theme is:

This, That and The Other!
(Anything Goes!)

I have used watercoloured pencils to colour her and then mounted her up with some DCWV paper, a bit of  bazzill, some flowers and some of the new ribbon that I brought while I was away last time. The sentiment is a free stamp that I received on the front of Papercraft Inspirations and finally I have added a few brads to finish off.


I decided to stick to the same colours that are on the stamp for my 1st time using her. They looked so good and I immediately thought of these papers to match. Anyway I hope you like it.

And now I have some good news to share hehehe (don't get too excited it's not overly exciting for you but it is for me) - you see I have spent the whole day in my little crafty heaven which has been a delight and that means that I got a few cards made - yay!!!! But I am not going to share them all with you now - I have done a little time management and made a few so that I can be ahead of the game and have cards to post throughout the week, so that you don't have to wait all week for me to post. So while I am studying this week I can pop a post up regularly. 

Now for the bad news - I am suffering with a little set back with my health and my recent surgery, so I am not firing on all cylinders at the moment :( anyway help is at hand and I am hoping it does not mean another trip away, so keep your fingers crossed for me.
Ok well have a great evening and I will see you real soon
x joy

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Hello

Hiya,
Happy Thursday to you,
 I hope you are having a great day cause I sure am!
 I finally have a little card here to share with you. Although I must admit that I have not made it today, I made it a little while ago and have been saving it for a rainy day. I have been busy again this week with my Uni studies but am hoping to get what is left of all three modules out of the way tomorrow so that I can play in my little crafty heaven all weekend.  
So here is my card:


Aren't these little fella's so cute! I have coloured them with twinkling H2o's and then mounted them on some bazzill cardstock added a bow and some punched shapes. Pretty simple really. The words here are computer generated.


Here I have used a border punch and stamped the sentiment, although I was a little heavy handed with my stamping.


And finally I thought I would give you a look at just what my crafty desk is looking like at the moment. My little crafty heaven is also doubling as my study heaven. I need peace and quiet as well as an area to keep all my things together for my studying. So this is the only area in the house that is mine (all mine) it is off limits to everyone. Once I close the door everyone knows not to disturb me unless the house is burning down hehehe. I  will admit that I do occassionally find myself gazing at my crafty goodies and my mind gets carrried away with what I could be making, but not that often that it causes a problem.

Ok well I am off to do some Mother and Wife duties that are getting a little neglected with all this study.
so talk soon
x joy

Friday, March 9, 2012

MIA (missing in action) again or should I say still

Hello Everyone and Happy Friday to you,
So Sorry I have not been posting any cards of late. Please forgive me. As I mentioned I have just started full time Uni study and it is keeping me a bit busy! But there is a light at the end of the tunnel - I have just completed a time management activity and I am going to use a little of those two hours free time that I have spare each day to do what I love and make some cards hehehe. I figure even if I only make half a card each day it will be better than what I have achieved this week :)
Although best laid plans go astray and I cannot promise any cards this weekend as we have travelled into Rockhampton (7 hours from home) for me to attend Uni's Big Day In tomorrow. But I am itching to get back into my little crafty haven. And I have several must make cards for Friends and Family who are overdue for cards.
 Ok well you have a great weekend
 talk soon
 x joy

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Hello - here I am!

Hello Everyone,
So sorry I have not been a good blogger in the last couple of weeks, but here I am finally. Firstly let me say  a huge Thank You to all of you that sent messages and made phone calls to see how I am going and to wish me well. You all really touched my heart!!!!! My second round of surgery went well - a little more pain than the 1st but I am now well and truly on the way to recovery. Now I just have to wait a couple of months and get over this one before I move onto the next 3. URGH at this stage I don't even want to think about that but I have to. Anyway as for the Sacrel Nerve Stimulator - I am already feeling such positive results - which is great. Sometimes you don't realise how bad things are until you get it fixed and see what you have been putting up with. Anyway as the specialist promised "I am a happy girl".

Now onto the other reason that I have been a bad blogger - cause really it doesn't take much to just sit on your bum and blog. I have started my Uni program!!!!! Yay I have just finished my first week - you can read all about it here if you want  - but take warning - it's a long read!! So that has been keeping me VERY busy - I didn't realise just how busy it would be - but I am enjoying it. It certainly is stretching the old brain. So between getting over my  surgery  and starting uni I am either sleeping or Studying. But not today - today has been play day in Smithville. YAY!!!!!

I have made a card for this weeks challenge over at Penny Black Satruday Challenge.

This week you have to "Case It " Using Domi's card as your inspiration:

And here is my card:

As you can see I have turned the card around one rotation because my image was horizontal instead of vertical. And I have put the circle onto a card instead of making the card a circle. I am happy with the end results - I hope you like it :)


This is the inside view - you know me - I always like to play on the inside as well as the front hehe.

And lastly I thought I would show you some more of the colouring that I did while I was away. It's amazing how much you can get done while sitting in a motel room by yourself. I had a ball just sitting and colouring - it is soooo relaxing.


So now there is no excuse for not card making - I have all these images just waiting to be used. Although I will have to get my time management working a little better than I have managed this week.
Ok hopefully I will be back a little later with another make.
Talk soon
x joy