Crafting in Queensland

 On the June long weekend, we drove up to Queensland to visit the family. The Papercraft Show also happens every June long weekend, so Pam and I organised to do 3 classes on the Monday from 9.30am - 4.30pm and little bits of shopping in between classes ... big day

CLASS 1 - MY WISH ...
Double layout with a difference taught by the talented Louise Nelson.
 

My unfinished layout. I really like this style of art ... scrapping with a difference.

CLASS 2 - BOTANICAL CARDS

Using the Prima Botanical papers and flowers, we created 6 cards in this class. Pam and I got an extra gift because we were the only 2 to finish all 6 cards in the allocated time over the whole weekend!

   

  

CLASS 3 - ZENTANLE
Zentangle class run by Kass Hall. I really enjoyed learning how to create different patterns with doodling ... very therapeutic.

And some pics of my niece & nephew ... so cheeky, so cute!

Ideas shape the course of history.
~John Maynard Keynes, 1883-1946, English Economist~



A little bit of creativity ...

I've only been back at work 2 weeks after having a lovely 2 weeks holiday and have started feeling really run down, so haven't done too much creating.  But when the weekend comes, look out ... I'm suddenly on fire and all motivated ... funny how that happens.  So here's a couple of things I've been up to lately:

I've finished the cover of the altered board book I worked on with a group of girls in Brisbane in 2009.  The theme for this altered book was "Imagine" and I wanted a simple, but rustic cover for my book.  The only thing I'm going to do now is add tags with the techniques used on each spread and the book will be finished.

I've also started our next altered book project with the same group and this year I've chosen to document the year of my birth - 1969.  The book I'm altering is a Dutch and English dictionary that I especially went searching for, due to my ancestry being Dutch.  I'm so excited with this project and the research is so much fun.  Here's my first layout and it's on the song that was top of the charts the day I was born.

Here's my latest ATC for the face-to-face swap held on the third Sunday of every month in Helensvale.  I'm on a mission to use up my collection of napkins as they're taking over my craft area, so this set of ATCs used up 4 of them in the background and I really like how it turned out:

I got together with Pam yesterday and got a little arting and crafting done and finally started this piece for the Paper Arts Yahoo Group Spooky Book Page lottery.  They're holding this lottery because one of each page was held back from the swap for another participant who did not send their pages in.  So far there are only 2 or 3 players, so I think I'm in with a chance.  There were a few rules to follow, the page had to be 5 x 7 and the other criteria was you must use itkupilli images (http://itkupillishop.blogspot.com/).  The skull with the candle on the top of my tree was made by Kelley Smith at this blog http://lifeandartwithglammafabulous.blogspot.com/2009/10/halloween-skull-with-candle.html ... and I thought it was perfect to be at the top of my Spooky Christmas Tree.  There's a bit of lace and crushed velvet ribbon all sewn on with Pam's sewing machine and Pam hand cut out my tree in about 1 minute, much better than what I could do.  The "blood" is red dimensional paint and all the skulls are tied on with red DMC thread.

On the home front, Beau has found a new friend ... I thought it was a lovely dog from the neighbouring property until we were advised it's our Neighbour's pet dingo!!!  You can imagine that we're not encouraging this dog to hang around the house ... not with 2 young children around ... although he does seem good-natured!!

"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself."
~Josh Billings~

In the 'Nick' of time ...

I joined a project through the Australian Art Sisters Yahoo Group called the 12 days of Christmas.  There are 12 players, we each make 12 gifts (or 11 gifts if you don't want to make one for yourself) and each have a number from 1 to 12.  On the 13th December, we start opening the gifts right up until Christmas ... it's very exciting.

I tossed and turned about what I was going to make and finally something came together, although it wasn't what I originally had in mind ... but you'll have to wait until 21st December to see what it is because I'm number 8 and I can't post a photo of it until everyone has opened their little pressies.

Here are the packages all ready to go ...

And here are some pics of my fur-baby, Beau, that I took today ... gosh he's a good looking dog and I love him to bits!

The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.
~Anonymous~

A family birthday

Our beautiful (fur) baby, Beau, celebrated his first birthday on Friday and I was set to spoil him. I was considerate and got his first annual heartworm injection done the day prior, so he wouldn't remember his birthday in a negative light. Had a bit of trouble at the vet though ... our normally placid Kelpie didn't like the vet giving him a once over so growled a bit and gave him a warning nip so was promptly placed in a muzzle before the actual needle. Apparently, Beau has "behavioural issues" (according to the vet) and I need to do more training with him ... I thought I trained him well, he didn't actually draw blood now, did he?

Anyway, onto all the spoiling ... Ferg and I took Beau to the beach for the first time as his birthday treat. We're in the middle of winter here and Sunday was 23 degrees celsius ... an amazingly gorgeous warm day ... so of course there were at least 50 other dogs on the beach (a little bit daunting for mum, I must say). Beau was a trooper though, he was so focussed on his one love (a bouncy ball) it was like there weren't any other dogs on the beach at all. I think he had a fantastic time, so I'll stop with the chat and get onto the pics ... ciao for now.

Beau and me on his birthday.

Patiently waiting for the ball to be thrown.

Beau really wanted to get his ball, but wasn't sure about going into the water.

After a bit of coaxing on the lead with Ferg, Beau willingly went into the surf to get his ball.

This cute little fluffy number, had her eye on Beau and chased after him for a while.

All wet and covered in sand ... this is the life.

Time to go home ...

"Every dog MUST have his day."
~Jonathon Swift~

All about ATCs

Since I returned from the retreat I have been creating a number of ATCs for various swaps, all due at the end of the month ... and this is a mega post show off some of my creations and others I've received during the past couple of weeks.

ATC WORKSHOP SWAP VIII - ATC WORLD
Fabric was the theme of this month's Bernie Berlin Artist Trading Card Workshop swap through ATC World and to say that I was challenged is an understatement. I have a passion and love of everything paper, but venturing into fabric is definitely a big step. The techniques for the swap were No Sew Fabric, Fused Fibers and Hand Stitching.

No Sew Fabric, stamped image in brown stazon, coloured in with oil pastels, all held together with heat 'n' bond iron-on adhesive ... not one stitch on it!

As mish-mash of fibers placed all over a piece of cardstock with strips of heat 'n' bond under the image & on top of the fibers, some brown & gold embossing powder, then ironed flat. I felt it wasn't really finished until I stitched around the edges. The image was printed on an iron-on transfer and then ironed onto calico.

This hand stitched ATC took me over 2 hours to complete ... sewing is definitely not my strong point. The image is another iron-on-transfer of my gorgeous Kelpie Beau. The fabric is wrapped around the front and back of the ATC and on the inside is an iron-on wadding so it's like a little pillow. The edges were rolled in a couple of times before I stitched and I used 6 strands of embroidery thread for the outside and 3 strands on the dog picture.

LIVE SWAP MEET - THE SCRAPBOOK CUPBOARD
Quite a few avid ATCers attended this month's Live Swap Meet at The Scrapbook Cupboard and it's always so nice to catch up with everyone and check out each others new art. One of the girls Belynda, brought along her mum who saw some of our ATCs a couple of weeks ago and is now totally addicted and a new convert to this miniature form of art.

Below is my creation for the meet and I made it using 4 different stamps that I'd recently bought from a craft show. I started with a plain white cardstock base, stamped in brilliance black 2 different styles of fences, the trees and then the grass. I heat set the ink and used my favourite - glimmer mists - in spring mint and lemon meringue colours (or are they flavours ... mmmmmm ... they sound yummy) for the grass and olive vine for the trees. I cut out a picture of a cow and stamped the words "moo". Not my usual style, but I did buy the stamps and really wanted to use them at least once!!

WTA - ADVANCED ATCS UK
I received my final ATCs from winning the February Winner Takes All lottery through Advanced ATCs UK and weren't they worth the wait. The uber-talented Laura Carson sent me not 1 but 2 WTA ATCs - she's just the most generous person and I absolutely love them.

ATC WORKSHOP PART VII - ATC WORLD
I received my returns from the March Bernie Berlin Artist Trading Card Workshop swap using resin and just had to post a picture of what I received because they're just stunning. The barn-yard dimensional resin ATC was made by Debbie Warwick and was the return from the swap as it was 1 for 1. The other one is made by Tammy in an Altoid tin and is stunning a gift for becoming a moderator on ATC World. I am so lucky to have received 2 dimensional resin ATCs and they are both just divine ... I'm sure Bernie Berlin herself would be proud.

MORE BIRTHDAY GIFTS
Some belated birthday ATCs were received at a lunch celebrating the birthdays of 3 of us girls (Belynda, Sarah and me).

Made by the lovely Belynda.

Both the cake and candle ATCs made by the delightful Tanya and she assures me there are 40 candles on the card!

ATC WORLD HOME PAGE HONOURS
And last but not least, my hand stitched card has made it to the ATC World Home Page ... it's lovely to see my beautiful Beau's face staring at me everytime I visit the site.

I hope you're not too exhausted from this post, I know it was a long one, but had so many things to share.

Until next time, keep smiling and creating.

"Give to the world the best you have, and the best will come back to you."
~Ella Wheeler Wilcox, 1855-1919, Poet and Journalist~

Beau Graduates ... again

Beau graduated from Obedience Training last weekend, although he did play up a little bit with the "drop" command and wouldn't stay laying on the ground. The trainer thinks it was due to the incredibly windy day as a few of the dogs were acting up as well.

He did great overall and actually listens to me much better than he did before we went to training.

Here's a few shots of Beau strutting his stuff ... he's so gorgeous:

Beau and me at the back when I finally got him to drop!


Ferg taking over the reigns ... Beau doing good with his "Stationing" (staying on his bed).

Beau with Ferg weaving in and out of the other dogs, without straying from the task at hand.


Beau in our shadow ... it's nearly all over and Beau has his sights on meeting a Bordie Collie, who he had lots of fun playing with after the session.


My beautiful Beau and me ... I never thought I could love a pet so much.

"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semi-human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog."
~Edward Hoagland ~