Making christmas holly berries/ Puppies/ and a JOB!!

Hi all, First i want to thank you all so very much for your thoughts and prayers, Dave has a job!! we are all really excited for him and thank God for answering so many prayers. He is working with the traffic control and is really enjoying the fact he gets to do something different each day, is out in the fresh air and sunshine and so far has met some really great blokes who just want to work. He just finished all the courses you need for this kind of work a week or so ago and this means he will get half the money back for the 4 courses and his shoes and pants paid for. We also had a generous offer form the school principal to pay our fees if Dave hadn't found work, God is so good. We have been reading the book "It's your time" by Joel Osteen and have found this so encouraging when pushing through doubtful thoughts. He really felt God had something for him this week and he had 3 phone calls from employees on the one day wanting him to work. God works in amazing ways and at a time that He knows is best. This whole experience has shown me also that we are not in control, God is. So thank you all again for all your support you have sent our way in emails prayers and thoughts i can really say they were felt and appreciated! :)
So now to the card. My aim was to make a Christmas card using the least Christmas type supplies eg stamps, punches and colours. Lets face it we only use those Christmas supplies once a year! so for that very reason I try not to buy too many Christmas supplies. So the colours for my card (from Stampin up) are Peach Parfait for the base with So Saffron and Old Olive borders. Inks used were Peach Parfait, Old Olive and Black. Stamps were the rose from Fifth Avenue Floral and sincere salutations punched with the scallop oval. The flower was made by Chat, from "Me my stamps and I" you can pop over to her blog and check out how she did these gorgeous flowers with the Fancy Flower punch. Ok so whats left is to show you is how i made the Holly berries .... and Christmas accents.

Using the 2 step bird punch from Stampin up I punch just the branch and trimmed away parts of the leaves so I was left with a bare branch look. Using a regular hole punch, punch 5 circles and glue to the branches. Cover the berries with a small amount of crystal effects and dip in some red glitter. last squirt a large blob of the crystal effects on each berry and let stand to dry. You can then use these in your flower sprays along with the holly leaf punch from Martha Stuart.


This is the glitter I used to create my fury tinsel border. Please don't ask where I got it ...it was ages ago but i would appreciate if anyone knows where i could get some more and maybe in different colours and shapes (small circles). I ran a generous line of tombo glue along the border and covered it with the glitter.... cute hey! :)


So i hope you have enjoyed this idea and can use it in your Christmas card making. For now Ive added some pics of those gorgeous puppies at 4 weeks old then sit back and enjoy the video.
Blessings to you

and a last thought

You are controlled by your
new nature if you have the
spirit of God living in you.
Romans 8:9

see more pics of the puppies here

Free form flower lattice card

Hi all today is the most glorious spring day after Weeks of rain here.....an early morning walk in the sun dose wonders..... please keep praying for my husband hes has had some interviews which were really positive and our some has applied for some apprenticeships for next year. Our youngest daughter is looking at her options of whether to go on to yr 11 & 12 or start to do child care studies all of these will have big impacts on our family in lots of ways. Grannies house across the road is now occupied by new tenants which is so strange after so many years of knowing there is family close by but at the same time its a good feeling to see life again buzzing around her house.

Ok so i wanted to show you this free form lattice card ... this is first what i originally wanted to show you but got side stacked on the others. I found this video here which inspired this card in the first place and all the other ideas flowed from then. This card was embossed with the new folder from stampin up called Elegant lines Using the Labels 4 set from spellbinders nestibilities for the window(second largest die). Punches used were the 5 petal flower and the spring bouquet from stampin up with Bashful Blue ink sponged around the window and on all the flowers petals. The small flowers have tiny half pearls and larger ones have a blue button with larger half pearls in the center. You can purchase these stampin up products here.

Enjoy the video...Blessings to you

and a last thought from Gwenn(thankyou)

God is with me now, closer than breathing
and nearer than hands and feet. God
has made me for Himself. I come from God,
I belong to God, I go to God.
God knows me, loves me and has
a use for me now and forever.

Indian Inspired Lattice card

Ok so i think i am officially obsessed with these things! This one was with the Labels nine nestalilities dies and the shape reminds me of Indian buildings which suited this next play. Our daughter dose one of her teaching pracs over seas next year and India is one of the two choices, she was so excited to have this opportunity so it inspired me to make this card to encourage her to follow her dreams in life. I made this with basic grey but i think it may have looked nice in another colour?? This is meant to look like a garden wall in India with embossed pebbles or bubbles cuttlebug emboss folder sponged with choc chip ink......I printed a pic of some Indian buildings to tape inside (another idea which could be used in heaps of different ways) and decorated the front with vibrant coloured flowers as Ive seen in pictures from India.

Very basic flowers here nothing hard at all with the Boho blossoms and spring bouquet punches and 2 step bird punch leaves, then glitter and some diamonds around the window to finish.

So I hope you have enjoy yet another of these lattice cards..... and I must thank you all for the encouragement you send me through emails and comments ...they are all very much appreciated :) and keep me motivated.
Blessings to you

and a last thought

For I can do everything Gods asks me
to with the help of Christ who gives
me the strength and power.
Philippians 4:13

Another Christmas free form Lattice card

Another lattice card this time done with the Nestibilies Blossom Two set, the flowers are from the stampin up spring bouquet punch which is a retired punch but you could use another similar flower punch. Holly leaves are from Martha Stewart. You can see I placed a different colored insert in one of them which will give you a different look again and added some diamonds around the outside.

A few people have asked me how I would write in these cards..... well you could add an incert that could be taken out, add a flap insert which Marit mentioned, or you could just get creative and write round the shapes like mine.... You can just see the pencil marks i made to guide me and after i wrote the message i rubbed them out.


this is a card Yvonne sent me that she made and said i could share on my blog...love it!! :)


Find more details on my video...I hope you enjoy...
Blessings to you

and a last thought

I've blotted out your sins;
they are gone like morning mist
at noon! Oh return to me, for I
have paid the price to set you free.
Isiah 44: 22

Book Lattice card front!

AAhhhhh help i cant stop..... well i had another idea that's all :) this one is done with the labels 7 nestabilies dies which everyone seems to struggle with finding ideas for. The card stock is a retired colour called Ballet blue (another one to use up) any way all the details are on the video......enjoy! :)

and another last thought :)

Yet there is one ray of hope
His compassion never ends
it is only the Lords mercy that has kept
us from complete destruction.
Lamentations 3: 21,22

Blessings to you

More Lattice card fronts !

Hi all wow 2 posts in 2 days its has to be a record! lol... I couldn't help but have more of a play with these lattice card ideas so here are 2 more Ive come up with that you can try. The rolled rose video can be found here which ive placed in the center. The flowers are from the Boho blossoms punch, leaves from the 2 step bird punch. Colours used were very vanilla card stock, Pretty in pink, melon mumbo, edged in rich razzleberry, cernainly celery leaves inked with melon mumbo and glittered.

This one looks a bit like looking through a garden wall..... close to coco card stock (retired) but needs using :) lavender lace flowers (retired) edged in concord crush ink. Old olive leaves from the sizzix die edged in old olive ink.


Really the ideas are only limited to the dies and your imagination :) have fun with them and watch the video for all the details..... Valita

and a last thought

Great is His faithfulness
His loving kindness
begins afresh each day.
Lamentations 3:23

thanks Vicky ;)

Blessings to you

Lattice Christmas card front and many thanks

Hi all, Thank you all for your encouraging emails, Ive read each one to my husband so he knows that people all over the world care too and are praying for him to find work. Things have pretty much been all over the place here though, there's no routine to the day and that in its self has left me battling with panic attacks as i don't cope with change that good. We've had some crazy days where plans to line up appointments and courses got all screwed around at no fault of our own leaving us annoyed and confused and have had to stop ourselves and remember God has had a plan since the beginning of time and just keep moving in that direction. In Gods eyes our future is looking extremely good. We've been reading a book called "Its your time" by Joel Osteen full of positive thoughts and attitudes toward changes in life. So we will take each day as it comes, God only gives us enough energy to get through today so I thank you all again for your love concern and prayers :) ....Gail just left me a message and said I hope you are enjoying your husband and not stressing too much.... that really hit me.... I love having him around....thank you Gail for writing this i needed to hear it and take the time to enjoy him :) thanks.
We've loved watching these puppies grow, they have had many cuddles.... almost 3 weeks now and are just opening their eyes.

How cute are they :) they remind us each day how good God is! We have also had our daughter home form Uni for a week break which is always great! she is doing really well.

Ok so back to the paper crafting.... Ive been playing with an idea i seen on utube making lattice effect card fronts. This one is a non traditional looking lattice

I used the label eight nestabilities dies from spellbinders to create the opening on the card front and then latticed it in with the 5 petal punch, Boho blossoms , branch and butterfly die from stampin up. I wasn't totally happy with the end result but I think Ill keep playing with the abstract idea. So I then went on to make the more traditional lattice front (card above) and I really liked how it turned out and decided to make them into Christmas cards. I used the second largest die from the labels five set nestabilities and each of the lattice strips of card are approx 1/8" wide.

This one I rolled a so swirly background and added just the one full flower. Below is a close up of the flowers done the same way as my hydrangeas found here. The only difference is that the largest flower has a double bottom layer and each of the flowers has a small flower from the Boho blossoms punch added to the center. The ink colours I used were so saffron, real red and rich razzleberry on the tips. The holly leaves are a Martha Stewart punch sponged with old olive ink.

It felt really good to get back into some paper craft creations and I hope you too enjoy this idea to try..... sit back and enjoy the video :) thanks heaps everyone ...Valita

and a last thought

No mere man has ever seen heard
or even imagined what wonderful
things God has ready for those
who love the Lord.
1 Corinthians 2:9

Blessings to you