Jules fab candy

Just a quick post to show you a fabulous candy that Jules has up for grabs.

I have been admiring Jules bling on her cards for ages now and now we have the chance to win one -

 

Thank you so much for the chance to win Jules 

I have had loads of trouble uploading this image into my side bar so thought I would just shout it out from here.

Pop on over to Always with a heart here http://jules-alwayswithaheart.blogspot.com.au/ to have a look.

When is a fireman - not a fireman?

The answer it seems - according to Benji is when he is a pirate!

Confused - as to what the heck I am talking about - well let me tell you the story.

You see it is Benji's birthday today (my baby is 10 - where did those years go) anyway as life has been super duper uper busy lately - I only managed to get around to the task of making his card at around 9pm the night before - urgh why did I leave it so late - I was tired and desperately in need of my nice comfy bed. At this point I will add that Benji's cards have always been fireman themed as ever since he could talk - he has wanted to be a fireman (even though I still tell him that if he ever changes his mind that is ok - he can be whatever he wants to be when he grows up).

Ok so on with the story - I made what I thought was an ok kinda fireman themed card and got it written out and presents wrapped - and finally dropped into bed after 11pm (way past my bed time) only to be woken up at 'way too early o'clock' by an excited boy, ready to start his birthday celebrations. So I prop myself up in bed for the ceremony of opening presents and when he opens his card he says -" oh a firetruck and a pirate" thanks Mum - it's lovely"

'Huh?' I say - it's not a pirate - it's a fireman. But apparently I had a good try but the hat was all wrong. Let me show you

 Does that look like a pirate to you? I think it is an ok kinda fireman - but I guess from an experts point of view - maybe not. I am now thinking I need to buy myself one of those fancy cricut machines instead of using my good old itty bitty body from sizzix and just using my imagination (maybe I could present my case  to my dear hubby and see what he thinks - haha - I can imagine the answer - 'more craft stuff, but do you really need it?' - yep of course I neeeeeddddd it - why would I even think about buying something that I only actually wanted and didn't actually need. hehehehe

anyway this is the inside.

And here is the edited version with a proper helmet instead of a pirate hat - yes I couldn't not change it - so instead of my sleep in - I got up and remade the hat. (thank god he didn't comment on my hand drawn not straight shirt collar and button line - actually that was the thing that bugged me about the card hehehe).

 

So after that I ended up getting up and making him pancakes and then I invited around some little friends to help him cut the cake. As we have no family here in town - it always seems so boring

cutting cakes and singing happy birthday with just us four. So he ended up with four friends around to help him eat cake and play games with all afternoon. I sat out under the tree with them all and I had loads of fun - they ended  up playing for ages with surgical gloves filled with water - who would of thought that you could keep kids amused for hours with such a silly thing.

Anyway I am on holidays for a couple of weeks now from uni and I have every intention of having loads of fun playing in the craft room - I have really missed my play sessions. So I will have some blogging to do with all the goodies that I intend on making (I have a list of things that I want to make so there will be no procrastination from this little black duck).

So off I go to play in crafty heaven - see you soon
x joy

Weekend workings

Hello and a happy Tuesday to you.

For me it is only Sunday as I write this, as I am scheduling this post to upload (cross fingers it works)on Tuesday so that I don't bombard you with two posts on one day.

 

I had a request today from a lovely friend who needed a sympathy card. And as they are not my favourite cards to make - I didn't have any in my stash of cards so I had to get cracking and make one. This is my result:

 

Made using my gorgeous memory box Catalina wreath die topped with some extra flowers and bling. Finished with a stampin' up sentiment (from one of my new stamp sets) and a coloured peel off  butterfly sticker.

The inside view, just a little something to finish it off.

This is a card that I started a few weeks ago. I actually started making it in July when my nephew had a birthday but didn't get it finished. (ohhhhhh such a slack auntie I know) anyway I think the image that is a mo manning image looks just like my nephew. So I can be super late for this year or extra early for next year. Luckily my family know how slack I am!!!!

 Inside view as always.

 

 

 

Ok well I hope this schedules ok. I should be deep in studies by the time you see it.

talk soon

x joy

Edited to add - well it didn't post as scheduled so here I am back on Thursday posting it myself 
Naughty Mr Blogger - straight to the naughty corner for you 

Spring has sprung in Smithville

Hello and a happy Sunday and welcome to spring.

Ahhhh warmer days - here we come, although as I write this my little fingers are only just thawing out as it is a tad chilly again today.

 

Well it has been a busy week here again in Smithville, with family duties, study, some glorious gardening and some brand new goodies arriving to play with. Anyway I have coped with it all nicely and thought I would show you what I have been up to.

 

 

 

These are my new little toys from stampin' up that arrived on Friday afternoon. They are all being retired and were must haves on my wish list - so I just had to get them (actually the tiney tiney sentiment set isn't being retired but I just had to have it  hehehehe)

 

This is the mess I made with all the putting together you have to do with stampin' up but it is soooo worth it - I love my new stamps!!!!!!

 

Now this is a little card I made last weekend and never got around to posting it. I had a play with some magnolia papers and image (watercoloured). Along with sizzix  and cherry lynn design dies. The flower is made using flower layers #9

The inside view.

 

And then I just had to show you these pics from my garden.

Yesterday I was feeling a little off with  being run down and this darn facial rash (which I might add is very sore) along with an abscess deciding to take up residence under a tooth. So feeling sore and sorry for myself I decided to go sit in the sun for a spell - and look what were showing their cheery smiling heads - how could you net feel happy with these lovelies looking at you!!!!!

They are my gazanias and my lovely 'champion garden owner' friend Lynette  (therefore an expert hehehehe) assures me she has never seen such big ones (yes she was talking about my flowers and not my boobs hehehehe opps sorry that was naughty) she reckons I must be feeding them steroids. Actually they don't look that big in the photo but they are about 12cms across.

And my daisies. Benji counted 114 flowers on the bush the other day - although I think I need to dead head it now looking here as I can see a few dead ones.

Even Mr Bee liked my gazanias - can you see him busy at work?

 

And finally

It is Fathers day here is Australia today.

And Master Benji wanted to make a card for Dad.

This is what he made - notice the new stampin' up happy family stamps (Dad is a paramedic). All I did was tie the string on the balloons everything else was his own work.

Pretty clever for a nine year old I think.

 

Ok well that is it for me today. I am trying to get this house organised for Frankie and the local cabinet maker to do some renovating this week - oh I can't wait. They are hitting the computer/ironing room with floor to ceiling cupboards - yay!!!!!!!!!!!!  

 

I am going to try and have a play with the new stamps though - so stay tuned.

Have a great rest of the weekend.

Talk soon

x joy



Told you I'd be back

Hello and a happy Sunday to you

It has been a lovely relaxing day here in Smithville, starting with a spot of gardening on this glorious day and ending up with a play in the craft room.

I didn't end up coming back and crafting yesterday as I ended up with a better offer from Hubby and the boys who had decided they wanted to go to the local bull ride. Well actually Hubby was working and wanted to go and offer some support to the other ambulance officer here (just in case) and the boys just wanted to go. So off we all trundled and had a ball and to top it off nicely no one was injured which is even better. It still didn't stop it from being scary though - those cowboys are crazy!!!! You should of seen the size of some of the bulls OMG!!!!!

Anyway I have had a play today instead - and finally got to use some of my new stash.

Here is what I made:

 This card was inspired by the lovely Helen over at molecraft, pop on over and have a look, she made a beautiful card with this flourish and I just had to have a go. I have had this flourish for ages but have never just used it as the center piece - only ever using it as the background. Thank you Helen!!!! I love it like this.

 The inside view - very plain and simple. Using my new tonic punches and my i-rock for some bling.

 And this little number was using my new hero arts stamp set that I have wanted for ages. Very simple but effective I think.

 Here's a close up of the type writer which I have layered.

 And finally I have had a play with my new Martha Stewart clay and molds - I think I am going to like these!!!!

A close up of the detail.

Ok well I had better go - I am hoping to get a diet coke and a sit down with Hubby in, before I have to tackle this evenings dinner. Actually as I write that I think I can hear hubby starting the chop chop chop of the vege's. So there goes that plan hehehe.

Ok talk soon

x joy



Finally I'm Here

A hearty happy hello to you all,

I am finally back after what feels like forever!!!!

So sorry for my absence but unfortunately as well as recovering from my surgery I have been juggling some family stuff at the same time. And I must admit that I have had no energy or mojo for card making or much else actually. I still am suffering from very low iron levels (therefore energy levels) and a rather nasty facial rash as a result from surgery but otherwise things are ok on that front

.

But on the other front I am very dissappointed to say the least. Sometimes you think you know people but then when the chips are down - you find out just who your real friends are. I think it is called true colours!!!!!!! I try and live my life having very strong values and one value that is very dear to me is truth and honesty. I had thought that I was surrounding myself with like minded people but have found out that is just not the case.

For the record, I and my family are not perfect and never will be but I am OK with that cause it makes us interesting, I make mistakes but I try my hardest to live the best life possible, I like justice and believe if you do the crime you should do the time. I am honest - I do not lie and do not like it when I am lied to. I try to laugh and giggle my way throught life (as loud as possible). I am passionate and I believe in family being the most important thing. These are just of few of the things that are important to me. And I am also a firm believer in - that there are two sides to every story. But having said that - I have now listened to your side of the story as well as the several different versions that I have heard around town and I now come to the conclusion that there are a lot of untruths being told. And I will now let it all go because I realise that it is not getting me anywhere and life is just tooooo darn short.

That said I will now grab my mojo back and get into it - hehehehe so here I am with a very special card that I made a little while ago for my darling son's birthday. He turned 14 on the 30th of July and although he (and others) think he is all grown up - he is still only a child and deserved a special birthday to celebrate. I was really happy with how his card turned out and he loved it.

 This is the inside view

And here is his cake. He had a couple of very special friends around on Saturday afternoon to help him eat the cake although it wasn't actually his birthday until the Monday. My Mum was also here as well to help him celebrate which was lovely.

Ok well I am off to go make a card - I am a little behind in my studies but I don't care - I am going to go make a card and get my mojo kick started again. So you will be seeing me back again soon.

But just before I go - I have to say a huge Thank you  and hello to all of my wonderful friends - it is so nice to know that there are good people in the world. And a hello to my favourite blogging buddies - I still have been stalking your blogs and keep up to date on what you are up to - I just haven't been on my own blog for all this time.

Ok talk soon

keep giggling

x joy  



Still not firing on all cylinders

Hello and happy Tuesday to you all. I am so sorry I have not been around but I have had a yukky old time following my surgery. The surgery itself went well as I told you in my last post and I was all kinda good (as good as you can  expect anyway) till about day 6 when I started to go down hill. I was not a well puppy and didn't know what to do with myself. Frankie had stayed with me until day 5 and then he had to come home to collect Ashley from school camp. So he  flew home and drove back down two days later. I am so glad he did cause I ended up having a massive bleed on day 10 and got a ride in an ambulance and admitted to emergency. It was awful - I have never seen so much blood in all my life - very scary, lucky Frankie is a paramedic cause I would not of coped by myself . Anyway all ended up ok. Apparantly one of the clots that had formed had given way and my body decided to take a little while before it formed another.

I got the all clear to travel on Friday so after visiting my family and attending my Nephews 18th birthday we started for home on Sunday. I was supposed to fly but if I had of, it would of meant that I had to be alone without Frank for afew days, and I sure didn't want that so I decided to drive with them. The first day was ok but the second was very painful with very bumpy roads. But I am home now and supposed to start term 2 of Uni yesterday. I am going to just take it easy for a few days and see how I go and ease myself into it all.

I must admit I haven't even really been around to check all of my favourite blogs which is very sad. But I haven't even read my two magnolia magazines that I had saved to read while recovering hehe I must of been sick. So I will be around soon to check up on what you have all been up to.

talk soon

x joy