What a week!!

Hi everybody,

Well what a crazy week!! Last week of school, so many school events to attend and preparing for our trip away this morning to Kurow. Haven't been on a family holiday for a year, so children very excited. Thought I would leave you with this image of my most favourite project of the moment. I managed to get my hands on these 20cm polystyrene wreaths from local dollar store. I had some bakers twine and gorgeous rhinestones from Papervine so wrapped the twine around and then used my glue gun to attach the stones. I think it looks amazing and have made one in blue as well. Love them so much I'm going to give them as Xmas gifts this year. So simple and yet so stylish!! Will make some in red twine/green stones and green twine/red stones for a Xmas theme.

We are away now till the 4th Oct and won't have any internet access (how will I survive!!). Have made some great cards recently and I'm visiting my favourite craft shop Artful Crafts in Timaru, so will have lots of new projects to share.

Take care and enjoy the first week of the school holidays!!

Shona

Canvas Project

Am so tired...can hardly keep my eyes open. Really need to go to bed but keep getting caught up in different people's blogs and Pinterest. Hours seem to disappear when I start 'pinning'!!

Decided to show a project I did for my daughter a few months ago. We got our dog 'Bella' as a puppy for Christmas 2011. She was a huge bundle of white fluff (and still is) and we all just loved her. My daughter has a special bond with her so I decided to put together these photos on a canvas to celebrate their friendship. She shows it to everyone that comes to the house and has it at the head of her bed.

Speaking of bed, must go and visit mine......Thanks for stopping by!!

Shona

I've had my first blog comment!!

Well, I couldn't have been more excited seeing my first ever comment on my blog this morning! Its so lovely to know that someone took the time to look at my card and also that my blog actually works. I'm not the best with computers, so wondered if I had done everything properly.......

I have made this card for my daughter to send to her new friend on Waiheke Island, Auckland. She is 9 years old so wanted to send something fun, bright and colourful. And what a perfect opportunity to use some of my HUGE washi tape collection. I purchased all of these from Papervine and they have the best variety of washi tapes I've seen.  I just used a plain white card stock and put the tape straight on down the side. This is very bad but can't remember which collection I found this yellow woodgrain from but just loved the pattern.

I have become obsessed with bakers twine of late and never used it on a card. I think it adds that little bit of fun I wanted. And I used a tip that I had seen on a tutorial by the wonderful Kristina Werner. She has a fantastic blog with the best tutorials and beautiful card designs. She suggested cutting a little 'v' in the top and bottom of the card where I want the twine to sit. It gives it a groove to sit in and stops it from slipping around. And it worked perfectly!!

Am really enjoying writing this blog. A bit scary putting my creations out into the world but I'm excited to hear the good and the bad comments and meet some wonderful people along the way.

Thanks for visiting!

Shona

Birthday card for dear friend in Wellington

My wonderful friend Fiona is 37 years old today, so posted this card off to her in Wellington earlier this week. I purchased the October Afternoon 'Travel Girl' collection kit a month ago and have been dying to use this paper in a card. My friend is a very stylish and 'girly' girl, who loves to craft as well, so hopefully she will love this card!

Have been trying (unsuccessfully) to add a 'pin it' button to my blog for 2 days. Even had my computer savvy husband tearing his hair out tonight trying to do it but no luck. Its not like I have anyone reading my blog yet but you never know......

Just had a 4.1 earthquake this evening. Has been a scary few months and not felt any for a few weeks. Hope we aren't getting ready for a big one again. The only thing that scares me is if the children aren't with me if one happens. I know they will get looked after at the school but hate to think of them being so scared and wanting me but I'm not right there. Not much I can do I suppose, just hope it doesn't happen!!

Am busy working on a new bakers twine project. Hope it turns out ok, will let you know!!

Shona

Card for my wonderful Godmother

I wanted to share a card today that I made for my Godmother this week. She turned 83 years old and I wanted to make a card that was modern but also had a more 'mature' aspect to it. She loves gardening, so found a floral paper from my Lawn Fawn 6x6 pad 'Bright Side' collection. On top of that I placed a purple flower paper (from the same pad). I won a craft pack recently from Artful Crafts (a fantastic craft store in Timaru, New Zealand) and it contained these black enamel dots from Kaisercrafts. I don't usually use black but they seemed to fit in well with the Webster's Page's Fabric Sticker I found amongst my goodie box. I decided to emboss the white cardstock with a filigree type pattern, which added the 'maturity' that I thought it needed.

She loved it and I'm pretty pleased with it too. Was worried for a while that I would only be able to come up with designs for kids??!! Maybe because I'm a big kid at heart myself.....

I got a photo on my blog!!!!!

Has only taken me 2 days but have finally worked out how to get photos on to my blog. Have been going a little card crazy of late. There have been a few birthdays, a card needed for my daughters friend and decided to make one for myself (which is the one you can see).

Its just basic card stock that I embossed with a hexagon pattern and then used some American Crafts 'My Girl' papers.  The blue flair is from The Paper Bakery and the grey striped washi tape is from my favourite internet craft shop PaperVine, which is actually run from my little town Blenheim, New Zealand. They have the best washi tape collection in New Zealand and all sorts of other gorgeous embellishments etc. Definately worth a look!!!

Have been looking at so many other blogs each day and getting so much inspiration. Have only been making cards when I actually needed some (birthdays etc) but have decided that if I have an idea for one, I'm just going to make it and store it somewhere just incase I can use it another day. And if not, will try to find somewhere I can send the cards so someone else can get some use out of them.

Have alot more cards and other crafts to load on here now that I have worked out how to do it. Would really love to hear some feedback!!

Shona

Video: Distress Glitter + BIG Giveaway!

Video: Distress Glitter + BIG Giveaway!

I follow the wonderful Jennifer McGuire with all her wonderful crafting ideas and she is showing a video on how to use the new Tim Holtz Distress Glitters on her cards. She also has a huge giveaway at the end of her amazing post, so hop on over and good luck!!

Finally starting my blog!!

Three months ago my father died unexpectedly. It was so shocking (and still is) but it got me thinking about what I'm doing with my life (and how quickly it can end!!). Six months ago I attended a local craft show and discovered washi tape and my hidden love for craft was suddenly reborn. I decided after Dad died that I would join the rest of the world and start my own blog. It would be mainly about crafting, sharing my projects, getting advice from people on what I can do better and (if I desperately needed to) sharing about my life. I set it all up and then its been sitting here, just waiting for me to get the guts to do my first post.

So, here it is!! Have finally posted something. Its not very exciting, I admit, but will become more so as I gain confidence with this new area of my life and work out how to add some photos!!

Hello blogging world and I promise I will make my next post much more exciting!!!!!