LifeLongMemories

Stay Tuned!!!

2010-07-18T01:36:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know it has been 9 months since my last post!!!

I have been so busy...and will fill you all in shortly.

I have just started making cupcakes. Will post some photos shortly.

My own layout at last!

2009-10-17T03:21:00.000-07:00

I have been doing so many cards and scrapping for other people, that it was lovely to scrap a layout of my own for a change.

And yes, you guessed it...it is the same patterned paper that I used for my card in the last post.

The photo is of my MIL Rita, Niece Samantha, SIL Gabrielle, Niece Brooke and DD Rosie. All the girls together.

A very special photo in deed.

Just Magnolia Challenge

2009-10-14T02:19:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed doing this Magnolia challenge this week.
I used Little Yellow Bicycle patterned paper, Kaiser flowers and Martha Stewart leaf punch.
Orange is a great colour for me at the moment. Love it!

Mo Manning Digital Images

2009-10-12T00:34:00.000-07:00

I just love Mo Manning Digital Images. She has now created a challenge blog, and the 1st challenge is to create a card with one of her images and include the colour purple.

I love working with Purple, so this was a pleasure to do.

I used my Copic Markers to colour the image and Kaiser PP.

I Could Just Eat You!

2009-09-16T22:20:00.000-07:00

Recently my Hubby and I celebrated our 14th Wedding Anniversary. So although we haven't given each other cards for years, I felt the urge to make one for my Soul Mate.

I had just purchased this cute Dinosaur from Dustin Pike Digital Designs and knew that I had to use it on my card. Not that Pete is into Dinosaurs, it just had a good feel about it.

I coloured using Distress Inks and applied glossy accents to the teeth, nail, spots and eyes.
By the way, he loved it.

Wiff of Joy - Take two

2009-09-16T22:10:00.001-07:00

My last post (which I have now deleted) was definitely not one of my best!
It was done late and night, and I was so tired, I could hardly keep my eyes open, but I wanted to post my card before the challenge deadline. Reading it when fully awake, made me realise how awful my sentences were and that the picture was shocking as well. So here is my second try at posting this card.

I make this card for the WOJ challenge for the week that had the colour scheme of orange and teal. These are two colours that I really love at the moment, so it was a delight to make this one.
Because of the beautiful colour scheme, I decided to colour my image in grey tone. I also created it as a Tri-fold card. This is the first time for me both with colouring in grey tones and the Tri-fold card.
I also used frosted lace stickles on the wings.

Hope you like it.

Sympathy Cards

2009-09-07T20:49:00.000-07:00

Not always an easy thing to make.

My Mum requested a few from me recently for the Granddaughters of a friend of hers that passed recently. She was quite elderly and in a home for the last 3 years, so the family was prepared for the inevitable. Still a sad day when it comes.

I wanted to make a card that would make them smile...so here is what I came up with.

The first card, I used a stamp from my friend Ros. She got them from the UK, I think they are called Popcorn Bears. It is really quite a large stamp, and so cute. I used distress inks to colour the image.

The next card I used an image from Mo's Digital Pencil Too. These are digital stamps designed by Maurie J Manning, a illustrator, who does fantastic hand drawn images and sells them as digital stamps. I just loved the image of the little girl praying and thought it appropriate. The lady that I made the card for has jet black hair, so I tried to make the little girl the same. Distress Inks were used to colour this image as well.

Happy Birthday Heidi!!!

2009-09-07T20:34:00.000-07:00

My all time favourite on-line store is Simon Says Stamps. I have been shopping there for ages now and usually get together with some of my scrappy friends and we put in an embarrassing large order! Once we have sent off one order, we are usually already deciding what we want to purchase next!

Anyway, the owner Heidi (who is so lovely to deal with) is having her Birthday. So this card is for you Heidi. Will be popping it in the post tomorrow, so look out for it real soon.

Check out the Simon Says Challenge Blog as there is a great sketch this week and awsome prizes.

Inky Impressions 2nd Design Team Call

2009-08-01T00:41:00.000-07:00

Inky Impressions is having their 2nd Design Team call. They are looking for enthusiastic, friendly and talented stampers to help promote their gorgeous stamps and to provide inspiration to the stamping community, through personal blogs and online galleries.

I absolutely love their little girls stamps, Lili and Angelica. They have such expressive eyes and faces.
I was in the process of getting my own, when I saw the Inky Impressions DT Call, and thought I would give it a go.
I thought it would be nice to have an Aussie on the DT as well!
Here is my card. I decided to try a Constantina card for the first time using Magnolia stamps. I have used Tim Holtz Distress Inks to colour the images, except for the bench, for that I used my Copic markers.

As a project with colouring techniques I decorated a Metal Chai Tea can that I had, and now was empty of the tea. I used Rubberneck Elegant Ladies stamps and also used Distress Inks to colour them. I really enjoyed making this and loved result.

Thanks for Looking.

Simon Says Challenge

2009-07-28T16:15:00.000-07:00

Here is a sketch that I did from Simon Says Stamps.
I have been playing with all types of colouring mediums at the moment. This card was done using Derwent pencils and a blending pen. Must say...I am not sure if that is my favourite technique.
The stamp is Tara and is from Victoria Case. Only just found these the other day, and love them.
I used Kaiser PP and Glossy Accents to hightlight the wings.

Whiff of Joy Challenge

2009-07-27T18:29:00.000-07:00

Here is a card I made for the WOJ Challenge this week. I used the Basic Grey Bittersweet range of PP again! I am just addicted to the stuff!

Painting with Liquid Pearls

2009-07-26T03:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, I found this really exciting. The new Thinking Inking classes this week covered Liquid and Dimentional Pearls and Stickles. We learn't how to paint with them when you add water. I also added some Perfect Pearls to add different colours.
Have made this card for my Omi who is in Hospital at the moment after having a Stroke earlier this week.

Whiff of Joy New Fall Stamp Kit

2009-07-22T02:09:00.001-07:00

Whiff of Joy have pre-realise Fall Stamp Kits for sale at the moment. They sell at super prices and well worth thinking about. Katharina Frei is giving away 2 complete sets as blog candy. Pop over to her blog to have a look.
http://katharina1704.blogspot.com/2009/07/whiff-of-joy-elisabeth-bell-fall-stamp.html

First time playing with Alcohol Inks

2009-07-20T04:21:00.000-07:00

So I was playing with Alcohol Inks yesterday for the first time ever (kindly lent to me by the lovely Ros). Definitely a new technique that I enjoyed playing with. Here is a card I made with some of my bits and pieces. I think I have enough bits to make a dozen cards!

Friday Sketches Challenge

2009-07-02T22:14:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick card I made for the Friday Sketches Challenge.

I used Kaiser papers, Tim Holtz Distress ink and the cute little Mouse Image is from a Scrap Pile swap we did recently.

Pay it Forward

2009-06-30T05:09:00.000-07:00

I was lucky to have made it into the first three comments on Ros's post and now I get to play along in the pay it forward.

I will make something special for the first three people who comment on this post, and those commenters can do their own "Pay it forward" on their blog.

I will make and send off the goodies sometime in the next 12 months. If you are interested in playing be the first 3 to leave a comment on this post and you can then play "Pay it forward" on your blog. Remember there's upto 12 months to make your goodies and send them off.

Remember there's upto 12 months to make your goodies and send them off.

Thinking Inking

2009-06-24T02:42:00.000-07:00

If you love watching videos showing new fantastic techniques then you need to go to http://jennifermcguireink.typepad.com/my_weblog/videos/index.html and check out her videos.
Jennifer McGuire is running a 9 week course through 2 peas in a bucket. This wonder artist is posting 3 videos a week for 9 weeks. A huge 27 videos in all! She is incredibly inspiring to listen to and has fantastic ideas.
She is focusing on all Hero Arts and Ranger products, so that includes all the Tim Holtz products. Love the distress inks.
Here are the cards I have made so far with the new techniques I have learnt in the last 10 days.

2009-06-16T04:22:00.000-07:00

Firstly...sorry about the photos. For some reason, I cannot take a straight photo of a layout if my life depended on it.

This is our gorgeous turtle Frank, that just needed a layout all to himself.
I used Cosmo Cricket PP.

Next is a long term Challenge that has been happening at Scrap Pile. Scrapbooking Whispers is where one person (eg. Me), does a layout and then writes the instructions down and sends them on to the next person who, without looking at the original layout, replicates the layout using the instructions. To see all the other layouts just visit Scrap Pile and have a look in the Gallery.

New Wiff of Joy Stamp Release

2009-06-12T20:19:00.000-07:00

If you like Wiff of Joy Stamps, you need to pop over to the Whiff of Joy stamps site and see the new stamps that will be released in the night from Saturday to Sunday. They are the Wedding and Baby collection designed by Elisabeth Bell. Just beautiful.
I wish they were around when I had my babies.

A layout and a card

2009-06-12T17:10:00.001-07:00

Here is a card I made last night for the Penny Black Challenge Blog. Used the beautiful Basic Grey Bittersweet Range. Love it!

Also finished on Thursday a DT layout for Scrap Pile using the Kaiser What a Hoot range. I learn't a new technique on the Hero Arts Blog about stamping paper with background stamps and then using your die cutter machine to cut out images. I have done this with the tree on my layout. The leaves are stamped with Distress Ink and cut out on my Big Shot.

Just Magnolia Challenge

2009-06-08T01:43:00.000-07:00

Just cant seem to get enough of this beautiful Kaiser paper. Have made another card with it for the Just Magnolia Challenge Blog. This week was a sketch challenge. Love Sketches!

Green, Orange and Yellow

2009-06-05T05:13:00.000-07:00

Not quite the colours I would chose to combine together...but while I was unwell this week in bed, I did some Blog hopping and found a challenge on the Rubbernecker Blog using these colours on a card.

I had just received some fantastic stamped images from a stamped image swap through Scrap Pile and was inspired to use these flower images in the above mentioned colours.

I was nicely surprised as to how it turned out.

I coloured the flowers in using Tim Holtz Distress Inks and then sprayed with Tattered Angels Mist.

The Simon Says Blog also has a challenge using Tim Holtz products, so I am planning on submitting this card for that as well.

Thanks for Looking

Card Inspiration

2009-06-02T22:41:00.000-07:00

After doing my last layout, I was inspired to create a card with the same structure. I used one of the beautiful Sarah Kay stamps. I have also highlighted the kitten with the spotlight technique.
Hope you like it. I do!

May DT Layouts for Scrap Pile

2009-06-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

I have got to say...it has not been a very sucessful month. For some reason too many things have gone wrong and not enough has gone right these last 4 weeks.

But... I was able to get my DT layouts done with 1 1/2 hours to spare in the month!

Here they are:

More Layouts

2009-05-23T02:55:00.001-07:00

I borrowed a stamp from my friend Ros and copied her beautiful card, to create a version of my own with a window option.
This was for Scrap Pile Monthy Challenge by Linda.
The stamp is Sarah Kay.

This layout was for Scrap Pile DT and is made using Basic Grey Bittersweet.

This layout was for a colour challenge by Kylie from Scrap Pile. The colours were Black and White.

2009-05-23T02:35:00.001-07:00

All of these layouts are either challenges or DT layouts for Scrap Pile.

Scrap Pile DT Layout for February

2009-02-27T19:49:00.000-08:00

This is my February DT layout for Scrap Pile, which I finished today. This layout came very quickly together. It helps when you are using papers and colours that you love as well.
I used chatterbox papers from the Together Range.

Scrap Pile February Challenge

2009-02-27T14:32:00.000-08:00

Here is my example of the Sketch Challenge I set for the Scrap Pile February Sketch Challenge.

I used the Basic Grey Blush Range

New Years Resolutions

2009-02-27T14:02:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know we are just about to enter into the 3rd month of the year, and I did set my New Year goals on the New Years Day. It has just taken me a while to get an OTP project done to try and encourage me daily to remember what I am aiming for.

Latest Challenge from Scrap Pile

2009-01-22T02:29:00.000-08:00

This is my Layout for Melissa's challenge this week. I have added it to my BOM, which is a 9" x 9". Was very hard to get a picture that I liked.

Happy Faces

2009-01-07T04:24:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of our two treasures while we were on our yearly holiday to beautiful Mansfield. Rosie spent so much time in the pool, the she has the most beautiful tan. I am envious!

Dreaming of Thomas and Friends

2009-01-07T03:38:00.000-08:00

For a long time, I have wanted to do a layout showing how much Thomas loves his trains.
This seemed to be the perfect opportunity.
I just love 3 Bugs in a Rug new range Playtime.

Scrap Pile - December DT Layouts

2008-12-17T02:48:00.000-08:00

These are the layouts I have done for Scrap Pile DT this month. Have had so much fun, that I think I will do some more DT layouts in December.

I've been tagged!

2008-11-25T20:46:00.000-08:00

I've been tagged
by the talented Ros Madley

Here's the rules to follow
1. Link to the person who tagged you
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. List 6 random things about yourself.
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know they have been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.

So my 6 random are:
1. I have 3 Tattoos, and would like some more if I could find the right designs.
2. I have a preminition that I am going to die at 60.
3. I love animals, and in April next year, my DH and I are going to do a University Course in Native Animal Husbandry and Care.
4.I have suffered from severe depression since not long after my DS was born. Still fighting!
5. In my layouts, I don't like to use white!
6. I am a very content person. Happy, where I am, who I married etc. Wouldn't want to change anything!

So the 6 I'm tagging are
Maree
Jewls
Leah
Leone
Cassandra
Sorry, can't think of a 6th. I am still new to this blogging. If I find one, I will amend.

looking forward to learning some things about you all

Scrap Pile DT Layouts for November

2008-11-25T20:22:00.000-08:00

Good Friends - Is my DS Thomas and his girlfriend Olivia. They are the best of friends, so when photos were taken at Creche, Olivia's Mum and I grabbed the oportunity to have one done of the two of them together.

Family- Is using the Ambrosia range of Basic Grey Papers. I just loved using this range, they were so beautiful. I didn't even mind hand cutting all the little butterflies out.

A Couple of Difficult Months

2008-11-24T18:51:00.000-08:00

Thursday 16th October, 7am in the morning the phone went, and I automatically thought, 'who the hell would ring at this time in the morning'. It was Mum, asking me to ring her back at her neighbours house as her phone was going flat.

Panic struck! Something was definitely wrong, but what could it be? My first thought was that something had happened to Dad as he had not long been out of Hospital after and bowel operation and subsequent blood clot scare.

I rang Mum on the number she gave me, to be told that the house had caught on fire.

It seems that at 3am some drunk 16 year old local gang members had decided that it would be lots of fun to scale the colourbond fence into my parents backyard, break into some secured areas, take some petrol reserved for the lawnmower, pour it over Mum and Dads car parked under the enclosed carport and set it on fire! And of course spraying their Gang sign on the fence before leaving.

The fire then very quickly spread to the house.

Fortunately, Mum, Dad and their cat, all got out in time, but then had the horrid task of watching as their house was on fire, while waiting for the fire brigade to arrive.

Once the fire was put out and the damaged assessed, 2/3 of the house had been damaged and the costs went well over $200,000.

The two 16 year old were caught, when they came back to the scene of the crime, to watch. Apparently this is quite a common thing for them to do, so the Police were on the look out and caught them straight away. Being minors though, we will be lucky if they get a slap on the wrist.

I headed up to Melton in the morning and tried to help with all the questions and assessors that were coming and going throughout the day.

We found out pretty quickly that there would not be enough contents insurance to cover the cleaning of the house, which, because of all the soot, would cost approx. $20,000!

So we started arranging a working bee to help clean and pack up the house, as everything needed to be put in storage until the house was fixed, and that could take up to 6 months.

My Brother and his Wife came from Queensland to help and my Auntie came from Tasmania to be moral support to Mum and Dad.

We had a huge turn up and got all the work done!

I thought that was the hard bit done... but I was wrong.

The emotional scars this has left on my parents has been immense. The nightmares every night, the feeling of not being safe anymore, the uncertainty of what is going to happen next. It has all taken its toll.

The physical side of cleaning is the easy part. Trying to help mend the emotional is far more complex and difficult. Even now, my parents change on a daily basis, from being excited about getting a new house, to not wanting to get out of bed and face life.

I am no psychologist, so the best that I can do is just try and be there for them when they need me, even if it is just to listen.

I wish these 16 year olds could see the after effect their little fun has had on those effected. Maybe they would think twice next time...

Scrap for Leukaemia Day

2008-10-12T03:26:00.000-07:00

Well, today has just been a great, great, relaxing day. I went to the scrap for Leukaemia Day organised by Chandon Craft, to obviously raise money for the research into Leukaemia. We had a number of people there also, that have had Leukaemia and won the battle.
I was able to complete a number of layouts, and had a wonderful lunch at the Bistro that was at the venue. Was fabulous to not have to worry about the kids for a whole day, and just relax.
Here are the layouts I created today:

This post is Dedicated to my good friend Ros who has helped me make this Blog in the first place.

2008-10-08T03:12:00.000-07:00

Hi Ros, yes I am finally doing my first post on this blog. Yeah!
Saturday was Worldwide Card Making Day, so being part of Scrap-Pile Design Team, we had a great time setting and completing card making challenges.
I must admit, I am not usually a big card maker, because I am more into creating layouts to preserve memories and to fulfill my creative need.
But I just loved making some cards on the weekend. I will definatly be making more in the future.
Will upload some pictures to show you the cards I have done on the weekend.
Hope you like them.