Just Like Martha

A Birthday and some cookies...

Another Birthday wish to send out....this time for a work collegue...Happy Birthday Mandy x

Mandy is a big fan of my home-made ROCKY ROAD...hope she enjoys it...

And last but certainly not least the cookies that Lilly baked before (yep that was BEFORE) school this morning...her school principal calls her "cookie girl" and always asks her is she has been 'baking'....no guesses as to who received these double choc cookie delights - LOL

YUM they look good hope she saved a few....

Shadow Shot Sunday

Back from a few days up north where although it was gusty and windy we had a wonderful break...and the shadows co-operated...

For more wonderful shadows visit Tracy at www.heyharriet.blogspot.com

More cards.....

A few more quick cards to show you...these are THANK YOU cards ready to go...

and my favourite...I am LOVING my op shop find French book and recycled lace..teamed with some Heidi Grace lettering....

See you all on Sunday for another SHADOW SHOT!

A Dust Storm...some notebooks..cards and cake!

Well most of Sydney woke this morning to an eerie sky..a severe dust storm had hit most of NSW bringing with it winds up to 90km/h...the skies looked thick with fog and glowed an eerie orange...

The sky finally cleared but the winds have been up ever since...a good day to stay inside (so much for my three loads of washing LOL) and create..

First some cards...

And come notebooks...yep more Birthdays coming up at school (before long everyone at Taylor's school will have one of these - LOL)..

I am loving these plasric bags Jane....we need to shop together more often!

After all this creating must be time for a cuppa and a slice of this yummy cake...

Vanilla and Coconut Cake with passionfruit icing ....yummo..after all a girl can not live on 'creating' alone..LOL..seriosuly this cake is good, the recipe was in the Sunday paper a few weeks back but if anyone would like a copy just leave me a comment.

Bye for now xx 

Recycle - Reuse - Repurpose... Halloween style!!

The team at Fiskars have been busy with this month's challenge, be sure to visit them at www.fiskarscraft.typepad.com for some great ideas on how to 'recycle - reuse - repurpose'.

Here is another idea from me just in time for Halloween...I am sure you all have these little creatures lurking with your stationary supplies..

Yep empty CD cases..I think they breed at my house LOL! Well with a little time, no effort, and some leftover scrapbooking supplies look what you can turn them in to just in time for Halloween...

After you have decorated them fill them with licorice (it has to be flat so I used the 'roll' of licorice you can buy at most supermarkets then just cut to size)...these would also look great around Valentines Day with musk sticks...jelly snakes for a childrens party...the list is endless as long as the 'inside' is fairly flat the sky is the limit...pretty cool huh!

Babies, babies everywhere

Our extended family is expanding...there are three babies due within a month of each other so I have been busy gathering some nice baby gifts..

I also had a play with this baby blanket..embroidering a message with cottons and adding some cute buttons....the message says "With a butterfly kiss and a ladybug hug sleep tight little one like a bug in a rug"...

There are even more babies expected for some overseas and interstate friends...postage can be a killer so I came up with a gift that is made with luv but light and easy to post...its also not likely to break in the mail..

This was easy to make all you need is two pieces of fabric, some assorted ribbons (babies love textures so choose a variety of ribbons), something 'crunchy' (I recycled some bubble wrap), some polyester filling (available at Spotlight and other craft sores) and a little sewing (trust me my sewing skills are minimal)!

First decide on the shape, I chose a square, nothng hard or tricky about that, cut two pieces of fabric to size,  then pin various ribbons on one of the squares, right side up (make sure you face the ribbons the right way so when you turn the shape the right way they are placed correctly...then machine stitch the ribbons..

Then place the two pieces of fabric together (right sides facing in) and sew the 'something crunchy' along with the squares together leaving a gap so you can turn it out the right way and fill with a little stufing...alternatively you can simply sew the right sides together then includes 'something crunchy' with your stuffing (either way works fine)..if you have baby wipes lying around (they are constantly used in my craft space LOL) then the packet once empty makes a great sound and inclusion for this toy.

Fill with a little stuffing (doesn't have to be too 'fat' - the idea is the baby can hold on to it) and then hand sew the opening...and voilla..a handmade gift in no time at all!

Shadow Shot Sunday

Tracy at www.heyharriet.blogspot.com has been very busy yet again making collages of shadow shots taken last week...pop over to say hello.

My shadow this week was taken in my backyard, garden tools take on their own personality when left lying around to create shadows...

Have a great Sunday everyone xx

Happy Mail

Now all of us love a little HAPPY MAIL from time to time, yesterday look what I received in the mail....

 My very own KATE MASON "Happy Heart Babushka" print - isn't she gorgeous! I can't wait to frame her and hang her in "my space."

 If you haven't already been to visit Kate's Blog do yourself a favour and at the same time you may be able to help out HEARTKIDS... www.katemason.blogs.com/heartkids_family/

Card Organiser

I made this recently for my good friend Jane....someone once gave me one and I find it really useful, each month has a page and area to store cards for Birthdays etc...

I sit down a month in advance, sometimes two (yes I know I am completely too organised LOL but I cannot help it) and make the cards that are coming up, write on them and address the envelope...then it's as simple as putting the date of their Birthday/occassion where the stamp will go and putting them in your card folder under the correct month.

At the beginning of every month, go to your card folder and select the dates coming up, simply take them to the post office, place a stamp where you had written the date and voila you will never forget a Birthday or special occassion again....trust me it saves you scrambling last minute because you forgot!

Even if you don't make your own cards you can still be organised, just purchase the cards in advance, write on them, address them and file them under the correct month - easy peasy xx 

Challenge - What's Ad About?

This is a great new blog set up by some talented ladies that issue challenges every month using advertisments for inspiration...this month the challenge is to seek inspiration for the Tetley Green tree advertisment that appears on tv AND include a stamp in your entry...here is my take on the challenge.

 

 

 

I also got my Fiskars 'monthly fix' of recycling in the srcap by using some green netting that came with a recent fruit market purchase...LOL x