Oh my Goodness - I won a challenge over at Penny Black Saturday

I am one happy girl!!!!! For those of you that read my blog you will know that I am currently sitting by myself in my motel room 1000km away from home after undergoing surgery yesterday. I was feeling sore, sad and sorry for myself. That was until I hopped on to check out who won this weeks challenge over at Penny Black Saturday - OMG it's me hehehe I was giggling with excitement. With no one to tell so I madly text messaged my Hubby and even he (he who doesn't get excited, always calm Frankie hehe) got excited for me :) so now I am still very sore but a happy, happy girl. Thank you to all the girls at Penny Black Saturday for making my day, week, year oooooohhhhhh how exciting hehehe talk soon

x joy

Sylvie's Candy

Hello Everyone, hello from not so sunny Brisbane. Sitting here waiting for my 2nd surgery tomorrow - spending way too much time browsing the www. Anyway Sylvie from over at Gibmiss has some lovely candy to give away = pop on over and have a look.

Ok well have a great day

talk soon

x joy

Tanias Candy

Just a little note to tell you about Tania's candy.

Tania has been blogging for one year now and for her anniversary she is giving away some beautiful things. Go check out her blog at Angelic Crafter here she makes some lovely stuff.

x joy

Yay - I've had a little play

Can you believe it - I have been having withdrawal symptoms from crafting - I kid you not. I have been wanting to get into the craft room soooo bad and today I finally did. And this is what I whipped up:

This is this weeks entry into The Penny Black Saturday Challenge, which has the theme of Pearls & Lace. I have cheated a bit today however as I have also used the sketch from over at Sketch N Stash for my inspiration. And as I haven't had much time I thought I could kill two birds with one stone (poor birdies' - what a horrible saying really) and combine the two challenges. I don't normally do that but it was the time thing.

I have used one of my old favourite Penny Black Stamps called Angel News (isn't she beautiful) coloured with my trusty watercolour pencils, a large section of lace for the background (I had this given to me ages ago by a lady who thought I might use it - Thank you very much!!!!!!) then my Martha Stewart heart punch and a fiskars border punch. The background bazzill and the ribbon is from my bits and bobs stash box - you know the one - where little left over bits and pieces are just too good to throw out. And then I have finished it all off with some pearls. 

This is the sketch from Sketch N Stash that I have followed. I didn't think it needed any sentiment or flowers.

This is my inside view.

And here is a close up of the detail.

Anyway I hope you like it. I am off now to go pack my port for my next little trip tomorrow. This time I am taking my computer with me, to keep my occupied so I will be around to stalk all of my favourite blogs.

Talk soon

x joy

I'm Back (for now)

Hello there and happy Wednesday to you. So sorry that I  have not been around for awhile but I have been off having some surgery which knocked me around abit - I wasn't expecting it to go quite the way it has however I am starting to feel better now. Although I have to go back again next week for another round (so not looking forward to that).

It had been my intention to not mention my health here on my little card making blog but talking to people I am amazed at just how many of us women suffer (usally in silence) from similar problems to me. After giving birth to my first son 13 years ago I suffered a major tear (from front to back) and was not surgically repaired then with the added stress to my body of giving birth to my 2nd son I have been left with major damage that affects each and everyday of my life. After years of problems I have finally found Doctors who are able to help. Last December I was finally told the extent of the damage and what the outcome would be  - scary stuff. I have no muscle tone between front and back passages and the symptoms that I suffer now will only get worse until my insides will fall away and come out. Oh the joys. So this is why I am going backwards and forwards to Brisbane (1000kms away) for surgery. Last week I had a trial Sacrel Nerve Stimulator attached in my spine to help increase muscle control (the nerves for the affected area are in the spine). I have a box the size of a pack of cards sitting on my hip that is attached through my skin, this in itself has been fun - I am unable to shower for 14 days. Oh what fun that is - I am a bit of a clean freak and this has not been easy. I am also not allowed to bend, twist, lift or do anything that may pull on the wires attached into the spine. Even sitting is uncomfortable.  Anyway next week I am off again to have a permenent device attached under the skin. Yahooo then it will be long shower time :) 

So not much card making happening here although I thought I would share with you what I did while I was away last week. I took some stamping away with me along with some cutout images that I received free on the front of magazines and was able to sit and relax by colouring in the images. I really enjoyed it and it kept my mind busy. So hopefully I can have a play and make these into cards very soon. I intend to take more with me next week along with my watercolour pencils.

Ok well you have a fun day.

I am off to go sticky beaking at all my favourite blogs.

talk soon

x joy

Blackall in Flood

Hello I have made it back but not to post any cards. We have had major flooding here in Blackall and spent the whole of yesterday trying to keep the water at bay at our friends house. Remember the two extra little people that I said we had staying for the ,well their parents where away and their house nearly went under - the water was lapping their front steps and we had to get everything up out of their kitchen and laundry as the water was only 10cm away from entering. It was a very scary day as we had to wade through waist high flood water to get to their house then had to run around switching electricity off as pumps and airconditioners went under along with rather large brown snakes swimming in the water.

It was a big day to say the least but their house faired well compared to others. Houses and businesses where flooded. So no card making for me. Just thought I would pop of photo of the front of my Hubby's work on. This is the front doors of the Ambulance Station looking down into the main area of town out over the bridge. Frank ended up being at the Ambulance station till very late last night watching the waters rise but luckily they only came to the front doors.

You can see the high water mark just next to the Ambulance doors and the brick on the driveway was another markers used two hours before the peak. Just a lot of yucky dirt to clean here. The water is slowly dropping but it is still inundating the town. I fly out tomorrow so will miss the smell and mossies that flooding always causes.

Ok well I won't see you all for at least a week now, so be good.

talk

x joy

Sketch N Stash Challenge

Hello and happy Friday to you - it is still a very wet soggy day here in Blackall with the river rising very quickly. Hopefully it will not get too much higher. I have just finished having lunch with friends - which was lovely, now I feel like a little afternoon nap but I had better not. So I thought I would finish off my latest card for the current challenge over at Sketch N Stash where you can choose  a sketch from their catalogue to case.

Now this is what I started with - a very sad crunched up bit of Anna Griffin paper that had been pushed to the bottom of my stash draw

 I have chosen Sketch No 7 which is this one

And this is my attempt

I have used my favourite Magnolia Wedding stamp which I watercoloured along with a sizzix corner die, some handmade flowers, spellbinders and stickes. The flowers where out of my stash of already made flowers that where left over from one of my previous projects -  A wedding book that you can see here.

This is the inside view with the addition of a Hero Arts stamp.

Ok well tomorrow I am hoping to play along with everyone from Penny Black Saturday Challenge. Although I am not sure if I will get enough time. We have an extra two little people over for the weekend - which will be great fun! Then on Monday I fly out of Blackall and head to Brissy for the week as I am having the first of my five operations on Tuesday. I am a big baby when it comes to pain and all the fun stuff that goes with operations so I am very nervous already. So if I am MIA on here you will know where I am.

I am taking a big pile of stamped images with me to colour while I am away. I find the colouring so relaxing so hopefully it will stop me from feeling sorry for myself.

Ok well be good while I'm gone.

talk soon

 x joy

Wet wet wet

Hello and welcome to another soggy, soggy day in Smithville - it hasn't really stopped raining and now our river is beginning to go into flood mode - Oh goody. Anyway it hasn't stopped me from crafting - what better way to spend a wet, rainy day. Well I had to go in the craft room today as it is His Royal Hubbiness' birthday today - and guess who hadn't already made him a card hehehe - that would be me.

So while checking emails today I came across this great little card tutorial from Split Coast Stampers - hehe perfect for My darling hubby - so I got cracking and whipped up a little card. But I ended up not really liking it - so I went down the shop and brought one. How naughty is that!!!!! but anyway I made sure I got a really nice card that I can get some inspiration from for future use.

Ok so here is my attempt at the Split Coast Stampers card

 Front View

 Back View

And here is the brought card - courtesy of Hallmark

I know, I know - very naughty but when you are not happy - you are just not happy! So I hope he likes it! OK well I am off to go start building an Ark

talk soon

x joy

p.s  I was just cooking dinner (domestic godess that I am) and I thought that I had better add a note that I like the card design just not they way I have decorated it. Thank you SPlit Coast Stampers for the pattern. Thank you Sue for your lovely comments x joy

It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring

Hello and welcome to a very waterlogged Smithville, oh my goodness we have had so much rain - which is great for the graziers out here but not us water soaked townies. Although it could be worse - some towns around us are flooding again, so it is not that bad here.

Just  a little share today, I made this card for a lovely friend (I hope she doesn't see it on here before I give it to her) who is cupcake crazy - well actually she is crazy and she makes the bestest cupcakes ever. hehe don't tell her I told you that (the crazy part I mean). Anyway how could I not make a cupcake themed card and how could I go past this Lili of The Valley stamp - sooooo cute!

I have followed the lead from a couple of my favourite blogs on this card. Firstly the frilly edge is using my fiskars punch that I have cut and curved just like Debby from A Scrap Journey has shown me how to do. And then my ribbon I have tied following instructions from Jules over at Always with a Heart. Pop over using these links and have a look at their gorgeous blogs.

This is the inside view. Using a little McGill cupcake punch to finish it off.

Ok thats it for me today

have a happy day

talk soon

x joy