A Christmas Greeting...........

"Golden sunlight;

Heavenly sky;

Sweet fresh air;

Merry bells.

Oh, glorious. 

Glorious."

Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol.

Have a beautiful time with your family and friends. Merry Christmas every one. xx

Just So Sad............

"Lately, the world felt fragile, like a blown egg, as if it might shatter beneath a careless touch".

Kim Edwards-"The Memory Keeper's Daughter".

I visited a friend's blog today and she had used this quote.....it resonated with me.....it expressed exactly the way I have been feeling the last couple of days.

Most of you lovely friends who visit me here have young children; you know where they are and what they are doing, you keep them safe and tuck them in to their beds at home, every night. But children grow up...they become young adults, have a life of their own and live independently as do my 2 daughters who are 22 and 24 ( but they will always be my babies and I will do every thing possible to  protect them and make them happy )When something unforeseen  happens to cause them pain, it is heartbreaking to see.
       Last week, my youngest daughter learnt of the sudden, tragic death of her close friend who was, at the time, on holiday overseas. My daughter of course was shocked and inconsolable  and as her mother it has been difficult to watch her become consumed by confused disbelief and immense sorrow. When you are 22 life is fun, life is good and you have every thing to look forward to........this sort of thing should never happen.
       My heart break tho is nothing compared to that of this young girls mother. I can not even begin to imagine what it must be like to bring your dead daughter home to bury 2 days before Christmas.
       I was not going to blog about this event, what's the point, it changes nothing, and, this is the season of joy and hope and I don't want to bring down the mood. I guess what I am expressing is that because of the randomness of life, never take anything for granted, hold close those that you love and tell them often, never waste a day and always try to make it a good one and cherish and appreciate the years that your children are at home, safe and protected in your care.
       I'm sorry for the sad post, but I know dear friends you'll understand.

Beautiful Papers...........

VINTAGE POST-CARDS

A BAG

A DRESS

These are some projects made from the beautiful papers available from Meg's Garden.These papers are so pretty and so detailed, they stand alone. I have deliberately avoided the use of lots of embellishment with what I've made as I believe the papers speak for themselves and need very little enhancement.

A dress, inspired by Marie Antoinette, made entirely of paper, paper doilies and paper lace.

A little bag made from a recycled brown paper shopping bag. The string handles are wrapped in red velvet, it's lined with painted cardboard to give it rigidity and then covered in Meg's beautiful paper. I've added some hand made flowers and velvet leaves.

"Vintage" post cards made using collage papers, lots of distressing, stamps and inks.

All collage images, papers, paper and real lace, velvet leaves and mini paper doilies available from Meg,s Garden.

Lets Get Shabby Challenge #30..................A List

Lets Get Shabby's new challenge is up and running, AND you have until January 20th. to complete it !! ( we know how crazy it gets  this time of the year, so we've given you an extra month ).Speaking of crazy I have started making lists........lists of gifts to buy or make, lists of chores to do, lists of social engagements and activities coming up,lists of holiday and party food I need to stock up on or make etc. So, the Lets Get Shabby Challenge involves a "list" . Check it out here, and the other inspirational work created by the DT.

Bells and snowflake buttons.

Melissa Frances papers and heart and Prima Shabby Chic flying geese.

Embossed and inked dove, wreath made from a bit of left over Prima berry twig, Tim Holtz metal number,Imaginarium frame.

Thanks so much for visiting today, hope you're all having a great weekend.

November 123 Challenge....& Something's Happened To Me...................

What is happening to me..........have I gone "minimalist" ? Me ??

Me, who loves "product" ? Me, who can't seem to get enough "stuff" on a page ? Of course you can always find room for more....just one more flower,one more tag, one more resin embilishment. I have been a scrapbook manufacturers dream; my local SB store loves me, I know you do Jane........until now.

This project and my previous one for the Color Room have virtually NO EMBELISHMENTS and I have used very little "scrapbook" product at all. The thrifty and oh so talented Louise Nelson would be so proud of me........I have recycled stuff that has already been used and made do with what I have found in the kitchen drawer. I know none of this is new, but for me, who prides herself on having a bountiful stash and loves to use it all, this is a worry.

Todays project has been done for the November 123 Challenge.

Colour= Grey

Word= Please

Technique= Unusual Stamping

                           

                           

I have stamped onto chiffon,alfoil,Glad Bake,and stamped "into" texture paste ( I love doing this and have used this technique a lot lately )as well as stamping directly onto cardstock over paint.

The word "please"..........it was so hard for me to come up with a use ( other than the obvious )for this word ( who would have thought ? ) until my daughter gave me the "look"..........you know the one when you go on about something for far too long and they just look at you, roll their eyes and go 'whatever". The journalling, stamped onto Glad Bake with Stazon says,  

     "Oh please !! Don't give me that look"

Glad Bake, being silicon,does not accept glue or double sided tape very well, so I have just tied it on with thread.  

                           

This project was a lot of fun to do ( and so cheap )

Thanks for dropping by.

Back in the Color Room...............

Playing in the Color Room again this week. Feels good to have the paints, scissors and glue out again after a bit of a break.

Sometimes our children forget their manners, including my usually sweet girls. Sophie is "flicking the bird" not at anyone in particular ( well, maybe at me, for having the camera in her face yet again ) but it's all in fun.

I have used red velvet as my background under the photo ( Sophie's headband is red velvet ), glimmer mist, texture paste, foam stamps,machine stitching, cut up an old birthday card and wrapping paper and stamped onto a Tim Holtz film strip with Stazon.

Thanks so much for dropping by and hope you all have a great week.

Color Room Challenge #82

Another beautiful palette in the Color Room this week....I couldn't resist.

Thanks so much for dropping by, and if you have left a comment I really, really appreciate it. A big week for me creatively.......on Thursday I am doing a class with Ingvild Bolme, so excited, and then head off to Melbourne to see my daughter and her second year dance production and her first ever choreographed piece she has done by herself....I am both excited and nervous for her. Hope you all have a great week creatively, whatever you might be doing. xx

Beautiful Christmas Papers...............

Meg, from Meg's Garden, sent me a box full of Christmas goodness........exquisite papers, both 12'x12" and 6"x6", vintage Christmas collage sheets, ribbon, bells, fabulous German Scrap ( the gold Italian flourish is my favourite thing at the moment) holly leaves, lace and the most beautiful jewelled pins. You can visit Meg's online shop for all these things and more.

Chocolate Box........

Christmas Posy Box....

Shabby Box.....

Used Meg's Garden Christmas Stripe 12"x12" paper, gessoed then sanded it. Added some German Scrap, painted gold Christmas bells and an image from Meg's Garden Vintage Christmas Collage Sheet #2.