Our Mildura trip

 Hi all, we are back from our trip to Mildura, Victoria for my nieces wedding. We picked the kids up at Uni on the way and headed off on our 17 hour road trip which we split into two days to get there but to come home we did it all in one day which was pretty insane... Such a beautiful part of Australia! a lot of our fruit comes from this area including grapes & oranges .... we also seen huge cotton farms near the hay plains and sheep stations. the above pic was taken on a day trip to South Australia at a place called headings cliffs near Renmark and the river in the background is the Murray river which is the boarder for New south whales and Victoria. Gorgeous low gum trees grow all over this area which are twisted and have some amazing colours. My niece was married on island lock 11 where the paddle steamers and house boats go in and out of the river locks and the reception was in an historic wool shed. It was such a beautiful day. Below is a map of where in Australia we were marked in Red.
And if you'd like to see more of our pics from this trip click on this link Mildura trip

Ive been flat out with work outside the home since we got back and haven't had much play time so I'm hoping to post something new up soon , enjoy the pics :) Oh and Madaleine is madly looking for a spinning wheel for her year 12 major work, Ben has all his needles today in preparation for his trip to Nepal so things are getting exciting in his camp and I also have to show you a video clip of an editing assignment Beth did for Uni and got top marks for, she would love it if you would check it out :)

Blessings to you

 and a last thought

“He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit...” 

(Proverbs 27:18, NIV)

Little Paisley birds

Hi all, I recently bought a set of dies from Quickuts called nesting plaislies for the purpose of making paper birds I got the dies and then weren't real sure how to go about this until I came across theses gorgeous free standing birds that Jennifer had made from the craft Patch  I made a few of them just because they are sooo pretty! pop over and check these out ...... here is my version of them.

We are off to my nieces wedding on the weekend so I took these dies a step further and made them a wedding card using the bird idea. Really happy with the results! I used the largest Plaislies die for their bodies and the smallest for their wings with two different emboss folders. The beak was a heart punch. Below is a pic of how I cut the tux for the groom. His bow tie was done with two small hearts glued pointed ends together with a regular hole punch out in the center.

 

You can also see in this below pic how I cut the veil from the scallop oval punch.To finish the veil I added a glittery jewel.

The bouquet was done using the smallest rolled flower die from Spellbinders Bitty Blossoms and the leaves are from Marianne design creatables. Lastly I backed my card front onto the largest spellbinders die called Romantic Rectangles. I used an oval scallop punch out to sponge on some clouds for a sky background. I hope you enjoy these projects sit back and enjoy the video.

 Blessings to you

 

and a last thought

 So do not throw away your confidence; 

it will be richly rewarded.

 Hebrews 10:35

these are my latest crochet efforts :)  learning how to read patterns.

 

We have the subscriber give away Winner!!

Hi all, WOW what an overwhelming response to my subscriber giveaway! its Sunday here and we have a winner!!!! woohooo!  there were so many from my blog and YouTube so to be fair i did two lots of draws and narrowed it down to two and then one ..... so the winner is from my YouTube channel and the user name is bjwlsn1 congratulations !!!! Ive sent you a message through your Chanel so please email me with your address details so i can post off your set of tools! :)  thank you everyone who posted comments .... it seems the Peony flower was one of the most like projects and is my all time favorite! Enjoy your new tool set bjwlsn1 and thanks everyone else who played along :)
Blessings to you

 

and a last thought

I run straight toward the goal to win the prize that
God's heavenly call offers in Christ Jesus.
 Philippians 3:14

its a Subscriber give away!!!!!!

Hi all, first Happy Easter! I hope you all had a good break with family and or friends, I know we have. I'm very happy to let you all know I will be giving away this set of cool emboss tools. Originally designed for cake decorating you may have seem me use these in the shaping of paper flowers in some of my videos and I know this has created a lot of interest. So to say thank you for over 4000 YouTube subscribers and over 1000 blog followers + subscribers and your support and interest I am giving away this set of tools. All you need to do to qualify is to be a subscriber to either my YouTube channel or a followers of my blog and leave a comment under this video or on my blog post saying which one you subscribe or follow with your user name and tell me which project you have enjoyed most seeing me use these tools. good luck with this I'll announce the winner next weekend Sunday 22 April
here are a few things I've have been doing over the Easter break with the girls....We made these rings.....here is a link how to make these rings http://www.lythastudios.com/123bead/project-46.html

And I made these ..... this link is where i first seen this crochet necklace idea made http://www.bacontimewiththehungryhypo.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/different-ways-to-use-crocheted-flowers.html

Blessings to you

and a last thought

“Keep on asking, and you will receive
what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and
you will find. Keep on knocking, and
the door will be opened to you”
(Matthew 7:7, NLT)

whimsical Easter

Hi all, First of all please remember my instructions that I have for sale are WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS ONLY you do not get a video or the materials need to make the project. If you need any other advise about the pattern please email me before you buy!


I had another quick play with my Fancy that leafy swirl die from the paper hub and I thought it looked like something out of jack and the bean stalk! to me this card has a real whimsical Easter feel about it. I used Light bulbs die from quickutz for the large eggs, Fancy that leafy swirl for the branches, Lacey Ovals spellbinders die as a backing and the emboss folder was a cuttlebug/die set called With Gratitude. I glittered the eggs and mounted them up on some foam tape and to finish added a ribbon.... pretty simple but I love how it turned out!

I have also been playing in the garden and was so inspired by this blog post http://nogginsandnonsense.blogspot.it/2012/03/easter-centerpiece.html I had to make my own and here is how it turned out. The kids willl be home on for Easter on Wednesday! Yay!!! we are so excited :)

Blessings to you

and a last thought

“I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will constantly speak his praises”
(Psalm 34:1, NLT)

Balloon dies into Easter eggs

Hi guys, Ive been playing with my balloon die set which I purposely bough to use for eggs, I didn't want to but a die set that was just eggs and only use them once a year so the Nesting Balloons die set from QuicKutz was a great alternative and now I can get two uses from them and use them all year round. This is so easy to do using a long ribbon or pretty thread I glued the balloons the same length apart. To glue them on I used the flap end of the balloon to my advantage and folded it over my thread then to cover the back glue another balloon on with the flat cut off and you have a very quick simple Easter egg garland... see the video below

I hope you have enjoyed this tip.
Blessings to you

and a last thought

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;
I have come that they may have life,
and have it to the full”
(John 10:10, NIV)

I also made one from crochet, you can find the pattern for the crochet egg garland here http://www.mamamichie.com/2011/03/easter-egg-garland-tutorial/

Making a Bunny face for your Pillow Box die Slippers

Hi all, Really exciting news for our son he has just booked his tickets to Nepal for the mid semester break a group of them from the Uni (similar to what Beth did last year to India) do a high school prac in an orphanage there and then they get to hike to base camp of Mt Everest, he will be then going on through Vietnam with some of his friends before coming home, we are so happy and excited for him..... he showed me this video of the fight they will have to take to get to Mt Everest apparently the most dangerous fight in the world... ok now I'm worried.....I know its a mother thing lol. All our love goes to you and your adventure Ben Xx :)

here is a pic of the really easy Easter door wreath I made using some scrap tulle, ribbon and plastic eggs. On some wire simply thread on the eggs and tie strips of tulle and ribbon in between and your done!

Ok so here is a fun way to give some Easter chocolates this year. You may have seen my Pillow box die slippers instructions that I posted some time ago well I have made some cute bunny faces to go on the front of the slippers, being autumn here it took me ages to get my feet warm last night and this idea came to mind lol. I also found out that putting these on a card can make it quite heavy so I used my new die set called Card & Photo Easel from Lifestyle crafts and it worked a treat at holding my card up! very happy :) so here are the punches i used for the bunny face.

click here of the Pillow box die Slipper instructions and enjoy!
Blessings to you

and a last thought

“Those who know your name will
trust in you, for you, LORD, have never
forsaken those who seek you”
(Psalm 9:10, NIV)

A simple punch flower

Hi all, its been a bit since I last posted and thought i should do something before I start to get emails asking where I am ;) Thank you for all your prayers for my brother he is home now and doing well. When we arrived down to see the kids at Uni Beth showed us her wrist that she thought she had sprained on her skate board but on looking at it and a trip to the hospital found out it was broken, so she has a lovely orange cast on now for quite a few weeks.

It was good to see they had settled in to Uni again and checked out both their rooms.

Ive also had the flu and have not felt much like doing anything so now I'm playing catch up. Got myself some new reading glasses which Ive been trying to avoid for some time now but my arm just isn't long enough anymore.

So to the flower card..... I used the new blossom punch from Stampin up for this one. sponged some colour in the center and used my large emboss tool to soften the card stock. Next I shaped the petals down with a bone folder, cut the petals in just a bit more and added a large jewel to the center. For the buds i cut off two petals for one bud and three for the other one, layered these up on some foam tape. The dies I used are called Fancy That. curly leaves and curly flourishes. The emboss tool can be found here
some links
http://www.celcrafts.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Modelling_Equipment_18.html
http://www.shopwiki.com.au/l/Matzoh-Ball-Gumbo-%28EasyRead-Large-Edition%29?page=2
http://www.sugaredproductions.com/categories/Tools/Beautiful-Blossoms-Tools/
http://www.wedding-cake-decorations.net/5-piece-metal-ball-cake-decorating-tool-se/
http://www.icingonlinestore.com/product_info.php?products_id=1899
http://www.rainbowsugarcraft.co.uk/shop/Metal_Ball_Tools.htm
Fancy that dies
http://thepapercrafthub.com.au/epages/ThePapercraftHub.sf/en_AU/?ObjectPath=/Shops/ThePapercraftHub/Categories/Dies/Fancy_That

Fast wagon sends all my orders out if you don't for some reason receive your instructions that you order please check your spam box and check that your paypal email address is the same you are expecting to receive your pattern to. If for some reason you don't CONTACT ME and I will help you with your order :)
Blessings to you

and a last thought

'Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously
look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you,
surely I will help you, surely I will
uphold you with My righteous right hand.'
Isaiah 41:10

Snow drop paper art

Introducing my Snowdrops punch art instructions inspired by Vera....thanks :) I remember these growing in my Mum's garden as a kid and looking closely at them thinking how can something so tiny be so amazing I loved them and was eager for next spring to come so I could see them again. I hope you too will enjoy this new pattern as useful spring cards, more pics in the instructions.

UPDATE: please note, Stampin up no longer sells the bolssom petals punch used for this project so to get around this problem and continue for you to enjoy my projects I have designed some replacement petals which are very similar and will allow you to make the same projects. This will be included with your purchase download.... the up side is you don't need to buy an expensive punch! You can refer to my instruction video as to how to use my template, thank you for your ongoing support. Valita

Snowdrops punch art instructions $5.95


So we've done some cooking for the kids ........ Rainbow cupcakes this time :) and just finished making some Yum picnic food too. catch you all later :)


Blessings to you

and a last thought

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us
in triumphal procession in Christ
and through us spreads everywhere
the fragrance of the knowledge of him”
(2 Corinthians 2:14, NIV)

Simple punch art Tulips

Hi all, I'm glad this week is almost over the past couple of weeks have been a worrying time with my brother in a Sydney hospital with a heart attack. But he is home now and on the mend thank the Lord! lots of prayers and FB communication has gone up and around during this time which we were grateful for. We are heading down to see the kids at Uni this weekend which we are excited about, there have been a few calls home saying how they miss the home cooked food so I'm planning a nice picnic lunch for us all and I'll do some special cup cakes too ;) (got some ideas in mind)

So this card i have made goes to my brother and I thought I'd share it with you also. The name of the bird dies are called "Birds" from QuicKutz, all info is in the instructions and on the video. I have a video below and you can also purchase the written instructions for a small price
I would also like to add could you please not redo my instructions on your own blog / YouTube especially if they are for sale, I have come across a few blogs that are doing this and aksed them to remove the instructions. Just a finished pic and a link back would be enough please. And I have had a massive out break of people leaving spam and advertising on my comments which I have to moderate, please stop wasting mine and everyone's time! Ok enough with all that rot sit back and enjoy the video and if you'd like the written instructions they here
Simple punch art Tulip Instructions $3.95


Blessings to you

and a last thought
“I praise you because I am fearfully
and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,
I know that full well”
(Psalm 139:14, NIV)