View from the lookout

Taken on my walk to the beach. You can see the pathway that I walk on. It goes for miles along the coast.

recycle scrapping

Been scrapbooking this weekend, enjoying the challenges at Uproar to Scrapmore. It's all about going green- reduce, re-use and recycle. I've used flywire, junk mail and bubble wrap as well as using up scraps of patterned papers.

Recycled Christmas ATCs

I just hosted a swap at the Stamp Shack to make Artist Trading Cards incorporating a recycled/used Christmas/winter themed postage stamp. These amazing ATCs are made by a talented bunch of stampers from all over the world. They are flying their way back home now. I hope they are as pleased with the collection as I am.

top row: Me (Australia), Kay (U.K), Chris (Canada)

2nd row: Tami (USA), Lisa (U.K)

3rd row: Robin (USA), Christie (USA)

4th row: Sue (U.K), Jan (Alaska- yes Jan I know that is in USA)

If you love to recycle, check out the GO GREEN cybercrop over at Uproar to Scrapmore this weekend.

Tip for stampers

Don't be like me and leave your bare red rubber for years. Mount it on ez-mount as soon as you get it. This weekend I finally got around to mounting a heap of red rubber stamps onto the ez-mount foam cling backing to use on acrylic blocks. What a job! I didn't want to get my scissors all goo-ed up with the stickiness on the ez-mount, so I stuck my stamps onto it, then sprinkled a heap of cornflour all over them, to cover the sticky parts between the stamps. As you can see it got all over my stamps too. It really wasn't as bad as it looked. I took them outside to cut the rubber stamps (avoiding a horrendously messy cornfloured kitchen). Then I threw away the waste pieces and put my stamps in a sink of warm water, All the cornflour dissolved away and I had lovely clean stamps, mounted on their foam backing. Can't wait to actually use them. I plan to make some vintage ATCs very soon.

flags

These flags fly from a pole outside a local house, up by the beach. I don't know the story of the people who live there, but I'm guessing they've come to live in Australia from USA. What do you think?

My friend Christie who lives in Texas feautured flags on her blog last week- I'm such a copycat!

Look at the clouds in the sky. We got a sprinkle of rain on the way home walking. I'm glad the humidity has been broken now the rain is here. It's nice not to feel like I'm melting.

Inspired by friends

Joanie at the Stamp-Shack challenged me to use this spotty green paper on St Patrick's day. The flowers are similar to some of the styles I am teaching in my Trend studio classes next week. The handcut flourishes were inspired by a new scrapping friend ChrisW. Her scrapbook pages have the most amazing handcut embellishments. She even has some published in the Basic Grey gallery. I love that I am trying new things everyday.

ChrisW gave me this blog award.It is a blog award given to sites who:~ inspires you~ makes you smile and laugh~ or maybe gives amazing information~ a great read~ has an amazing design~ and any other reasons you can think of that makes them uber amazing!The rules of this award are:* Click the badge and get the code then put the logo on your blog sidebar or post.* Nominate at least 5 blogs (can be more) that for you are Uber Amazing and let them know.* Share the love and link to this this post and to the person you received your award from!

I would like to give it to these people who inspire me daily as artists and as friends

Jan- Far North

Christie

Cindi

Michelle Zindorf

Frankiesue

walking

A view from my walk today. Hubby walking with our doggy on the way to the beach. It's a part of my day I look forward to. Just chatting with no interruptions.

Walk to remember

I did the "walk to remember" today. It is an annual event run by the Compassionate Friends to raise money for counselling and support groups for people who have children die too soon. I walk to remember our friend's son. It's a really touching event, led by a bagpiper which draws lots of attention to the cause.

ATC swap

I'm thrilled with this set of ATCs I got back today from a Stamp-Shack swap. Christie hosted a swap where we all made 9 ATCs and 1 matching domino. Everyone got an ATC from each swapper, plus a lucky dip of 1 domino that matched 1 of the ATCs. I was thrilled with the Domino I got which was made by Faith aka Barbiegirl. I think I might make it into a brooch pin to wear on my scarf this winter. The rhinestones on the face make me think of "Bollywood".

My first Trend Studio class

Today I taught a 2 hour Trend Studio class on making Handmade flowers to use on cards and scrapbook projects. These are some of my samples. We made 10 different flowers today. I had a lot of fun with the 7 ladies in my class, and learnt techniques from them too. That's one thing I love about papercrafts, the willingness of many talented people to share their creativity.

If you are interested in a free step by step photo tutorial on how to make the tattered rose (top left) check out my tutorial at the Stamp Shack HERE. You may need to register if you are not already a member. If you have any other ideas to share on how to hand make flowers, please leave me a comment.

Patriotic thongs

Yes I know I showed you shoes yesterday- but these ones aren't mine. (I COULD SHOW YOU A DIFFFERENT PAIR OF SHOES EVERYDAY FOR QUITE A LONG WHILE!!!)

My ds wears these Aussie flag thongs. For my American friends these are not the "butt floss" type of thongs- they are what you call flip-flops. There's nothing better for the beach than a good wide pair of thongs to make walking across the hot sand easier. We're still enjoying hot summer weather even though it is officially Autumm.

NEW shoes make me happy

No matter how ugly the rest of my body is feeling, a pretty pair of shoes will always make me feel beautiful. Yes, I'd say shoes are my weakness. Who could resist all the BLING on these?

Pelican

This huge pelican swam in to check us out at the beach last night. I hope you're not sick of my sunset photos yet!

Cards for the Hospice

Every March, for the last 5 years, my friends at our monthly stamping/cardmaking group have made cards to donate to the hospice. The cards are sold in the support and therapy centre and raise funds for diversional therapy programs for carers and terminally ill patients. We are a small group of women who are thankful for our health, and for the services that the hospice provide for people touched by life-threatening illnesses. These are some of the cards we are donating this year.

what am I?

This little creature lives in my alfresco area and loves to chase around the brick pillars that my rose climbs on. Some people say it's a lizard, and some say a gecko. What do you think?

Look what's growing on my tree

My Granny Smith apples have snuck up on me this year. I hadn't even noticed them, then suddenly today right near thetop of the tree I saw this little crop of apples. I can see the bugs have already gotten in the ones at the back. I can't wait for them to be ready. I'll eat one warm right off the tree. There are a few more flowers so it looks like we'll get a nice crop this year.

Happy Birthday Brad

My Nephew turned 18 this week. I can remember the day he was born so clearly. He's a fine young man now and finding his place in the world. Boy I feel old!