My Favourite Five Cards of 2012

Happy New Year everyone.  Thank you for visiting my blog throughout 2012 and I hope you will continue in 2013.

I follow Debby4000's blog "A Scrapjourney" and she makes the most wonderful cards.  Currently Debby has a challenge going for 5 favourite cards of 2012. 

    

so here goes...

A sympathy card - view the post here

Next is the Engagement Card in my last post. 

My DD's 21st Card - Post can be viewed here. 

A wedding card - post here. 

 and last a Topiary card made as a 'Get Well' card instead of flowers - click to see post.

The weather is not being kind for the start of 2013 here in the South Island NZ.  We went to the lake on New Year's Eve and the weather changed for the worse 30 minutes before we got there.  However we saw the New Year in as we had good shelter and warmth but yesterday was a caravan bound day with changeable weather of wind and rain then in the night the thunder was shaking the caravan followed by rain pounding on the roof all night - not much sleep to be had - reckon I got to sleep about 4.30a.m.  We intended coming home today anyway but but were leaving the caravan there to return at another time.  As we were leaving a man arrived with a message from Civil Defense that two rivers were being released into Lake Benmore which when done two years ago caused our camp site to be flooded.  Not wanting to have a repeat of that experience we ended up bringing the caravan home with us.  We hope to return with our DD's and overseas friends for our planned time there  but will have to wait and see.  There will be a few disappointed people if we can't but I am sure we will think of something else.

I did manage one project last week so will share that next time....

Well that is all for today.  Until next time......

Something New

After a month of 'blogging and creative absence" I need something to kick start my mojo and decided the Lili's Little Fairies challenge might be a good start.  An engagement - a new status, new promise of intention to marry.  I created this card with a Lili of the Valley image cut out, Prima 'Tea Thyme' patterned papers, Wild Orchid paper heart and Wild Orchid lace, flowers and leaves.  Punching was with a Martha Stewart Punch. 

 Oh and I tucked in some little resin flowers below.

It has sure been a full on month since my last post as end of year at work is always ultra busy.  I finished on the 19th and then it was full on getting organised for the family coming for Christmas, then Christmas and lots of fun with my dear GS whom I babysat for a whole day and night and he was a perfect wee man.   They all left on Friday so yesterday was Crash day (even had to have an afternoon nap).  I am not sure of the plans for the next two weeks as DH is working but hopefully some R & R and creativity will be on the agenda.  With some new photos processed yesterday I am looking forward to getting into my scrap room for a play.

Here is a sneak peek of one of the photos I intend to scrap soon.

I hope your festive season went well and Best Wishes for a Happy New Year. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today.

Until next time.......

Birthday Celebrations

Our family has lots of birthdays between 1 November and Christmas and yesterday we celebrated 3 of them with a lunch at Mum and Dad's batch.  Zac's (One on 11 Nov) belated Timaru celebration, M's 6th yesterday and NanNan's (76) today.  We probably should have had another two stars on the cake as M's Mum and Nana were also November birthdays on the 16th and 23rd respectively.  My girls made the delicious KitKat M & M cake - a serious dose of Chocolate overload.  They did a wonderful job.

 

 The birthday boy and girls.

  Mum and Dad and three of their 9 Great Grandchildren.  I am sure the photographer they were looking at will have a great photo.....

 ... and what a cute trio they are.

 And the step Card I made for Mum below.

 

 made with Prima Tea Thyme collection patterned papers and Wild Orchid flowers with a resin dove.

I made the card at the last Embellish It crop and unfortunately I haven't got anything done since.  This is a crazy busy time of year at work and elsewhere but I am sure it will be like that for lots of people.  Tonight we have been back out to the batch and surprised Mum by joining them for tea on her real birthday. 

This weekend I am looking forward to going to the Mary Poppins Musical.  Can't quite believe it at the moment though with so much to do.   

Thank you for visiting my blog today.  Your visits are truly appreciated.
Until next time.....

Thank You Cards

Thank you for visiting my blog today.

As promised here are the cards I created as a result of winning the Four Square Super Market.

The first one is created with Prima Romance Novel pp together with Make it Crafty tree (available at Embellish It) and a Dusty Attic house.  I used a Martha Stewart punch for the little flowers and put liquid pearls in the centres. I used random punches to emphasise the background paper a bit more.

 The second card is made with Prima Tea Thyme collection 6x6 patterned papers and once again together with Make it Crafty tree and Dusty Attic house.  I can't remember the brand of the Thank You's  but this one I finished with liquid pearls. 

 

 Flowers are Wild Orchids (also available at Embellish It) and I used a resin flower and dove made with molds purchased  from Nic Howard.

 

The stepping stone pearls from the door are from Wild Orchids.  

 I also used liquid pearls on the leaves of the tree which gave it a different look from card #1.

They both have a slightly different styles and I think I like the 2nd one best. 

Remember Embellish It's last crop for 2012 is this Saturday 24 November.  Contact Joanne if you want to join us.  My Four Square Supermarket will be on display. 

Well that is all for now.

Until next time.....

Dianne

My Four Square Supermarket & Embellish It Crop

At last I have taken some photos so I can share my very own iconic Four Square Supermarket.  I won this little gem in a raffle at Labour Weekend.  The work that has gone into making it is amazing and every little detail has been thought of. 
Warning.... Photo heavy

 The shop is downstairs with 1950's living upstairs. 

Below - the living room.  Note the flying ducks on the wall, swan on the dresser, tiny knitted jersy on the open door

 

 and below the dinner wagon with china teaset, chocolate cake and neenish tarts all sitting on tiny doilies. 

   ... and the bedroom - note the slippers under the bed. 

 .. and the gloves hanging out the dresser drawer with brush set and perfumes on top  and tiny cat peeking around the corner.

 

 Now for the shop - fully stocked shelves with everything you could imagine. 

 even the brown paper dispenser and string.

 The 5 cent mixtures (actually in the 1950s it was still pounds, shillings and pence) so perhaps threepenny mixtures lol. 

 Decimal currency came in on 10 July 1967.  Licorice straps, life savers and jars of sweets.  Lots of memories there.

 The ham is sliced on the slicer and sits on paper on the scales. Recognise any of the groceries on the shelves?

  Little loaves of bred sit in baskets on the shelves and the cheese together with wire to cut it is on the bench.  (I actually used to cut the cheese with a wire when I worked as a high school student at our local store but that was early 1970s lol).  Note the little paper bags on the end of the counter.

 The shelf with all sorts of other items for sale from the tiny cake tins (top left) to the meat mincer, pots and pans to brooms.

  and last but not least - the storeroom - with the scales weighing potatoes, box of groceries ready for delivery, antique wooden chair, tea chest along with lots of other bits and pieces.  The door of the storeroom is the back door to outside. 

So Miniature enthusiasts have enormous attention to detail, passion for their hobby and I am sure lots of patience.  It really is a treasure. 

EMBELLISH IT is having it's last Timaru crop for the year this Saturday 24 November at  Highfield School, Rimu Street from 9am to 9pm.   Contact Joanne if you would like to join in - it will be a good day and the shop is brimming with goodies.  

Should you like to see the Four Square Supermarket in the flesh I will take it to the Embellish It Crop on Saturday.  Would be great to see you there. 

I was going to share the Thank You cards I made the lovely lady who delivered my shop to Timaru and the raffle organisers but as this is very photo heavy I will post them another day. 

Thank you for stopping by today.

Until Next time.....

Dianne

Little Charley Bear

 .... and All Things Bright and Beautiful at Lili's Little Fairies

Guess who is ONE already?  .... and Little Charley Bear was the theme for the birthday party yesterday. 
Our dear little Zac enjoyed his first birthday party but was a little shy when it came to all the attention of the singing of "Happy Birthday" and he doesn't know how to blow out the candle just yet so was helped by a bigger friend.

 The Little Charley Bear cake made by Zarlene was amazing.  Little Charley Bear is Zac's favourite at the moment.  When that programme is on he sits glued to the screen whether it be the TV, Cellphone or Laptop.  It is such a cute wee programme of a little bear who has a toybox and uses his imagination to do anything and go on all sorts of adventures. .

 I made an A5 size card in order to use the big Tim Holtz grungeboard '1'. 

 I used a Lili of the Valley image along with a Little Charley Bear one printed from the computer and cut out to depict a little boy imagining an adventure.

 The same again on the inside with a Martha Stewart punch used for the punched borders.

 Websters Pages trim was used in the layering as was liquid pearls. 

 The ZAC sticker was a lucky find from somewhere - spelt just the way his is. 

 and above our handsome boy who is now ONE. ( A bit of coincidence that the vest he was wearing was a match for the card lol.)  He has had a big year with his open heart surgery in April but he has progressed amazingly and in the past two weeks has mastered crawling so is off.  It is only three weeks since I saw him last and he has grown up soooo much.  Below he is enjoying a Christmas present from last Christmas which was blown up for the first time to entertain the kids at his birthday.  They love the little balls and his other highlight was the bubble blowing toy operated by his Grandad from Australia - that really got him squealing. 

It was a big weekend heading to Dunedin on Friday after work then DH and DD#3 headed to Auckland on Saturday to the Coldplay Concert - they thoroughly enjoyed it and returned in time for the Birthday Celebration on Sunday.  The weekend wasn't long enough again and the trip home in the driving rain was challenging (shared driving required).  

Right - a clean up of the scrap room is beckoning - even though I haven't achieved much in there lately - it is a mess... so that is all for today.  Thank you for taking the time to stop by.  I appreciate your visits but will not know you have been visiting unless you leave a comment.  

I have entered this card in the Lili's Little Fairies Challenge so anyone visiting from that site - Welcome. 

Until next time.....