Monday 28 November 2011

Garden time and other bits & pieces

Morning happy bloggers, not much happening on the scrap and card front today, but l will be sharing a project that lm doing at the moment, but firstly, l wanted to share some garden pics with you, l just love this time of the year in the garden, we are having a few hotter days now with a bit of rain and thunderstorms thrown in here and there, but theres nothing better than just walking around checking whats growing, even if it is weeds and seeing what roses can be picked for inside that have'nt been to damaged from the rain, so for anyone who loves flowers as much as me keep looking, then l'll get on to my project.

Check this rose out, what a beauty, l couldnt wait to see this in full bloom, l waited and waited, watching the buds form , then slowly they started to open and wa -la here she is, this is a new David Austin rose that l brought this season, called Princess Alexandra of Kent, is'nt it just so beautiful, and the scent is to die for .

another one from my garden called Loving Memorie, a big rose and smelly.

These were a bit rain damaged ,but still nice , its called Elina, its a large rose when it opens , but sadly has no smell, its a real shame, but its one of those roses that last a long time in a vase, it was the first rose l ever brought when l started gardening years ago, and when we moved from our first home l dug it up and brought her with me, l have actually transplanted her a few times and this tough old bird  just keeps on going.

this one is Red Intution, from Delbard roses, its two toned red and lasts  well in the vase too, so enough on rose and on to my lavender.

Heres a full view of my lavender ring, l was lucky enough that when l was in the garden  there were about 6 white butterflies gathering around and l was able to get some close ups, my camera is only a point and shoot, and l would love to one day own one of those fancy fang dangle cameras that have all the filters and bits and bobs that go with it so l can take alot more close up pics  that dont looked blured , so even though l did use the zoom and l didnt have my glasses on at the time and l was'nt all that pleased  after l took the shots, it was'nt till l loaded them on to the computer and saw them in larger form that l thought that they were'nt to bad, for my point and shot anyway.

lm no profesional when it comes to photography, but one day, l'd love to learn all the tricks to the trade, and do a course, l'll have to put that one on to my bucket list, but for now lm happy with my butterfly pics, l just wish they would stay still long enough to get one when their wings are open,
So now after all this garden talk , l suppose you would like to see what project l;ve been up to.

 l thought l would make some decorations for my christmas tree this year , the idea came from a magazine l was reading where  a talented lady was making bowls and trinkets from air dried clay using doileys to press onto them to emboss a pattern, so when Stampin up brought out this set of doiley stamps, l thought l'd give it a go and see how they would turn out,  but thats all lm going to show you for now, they have nearly finished drying and lm going to paint them this afternoon, so l will be back to show you the finished product latter today......sorry to tease you and make you wait, have a great day and l'll be back soon...........kate

Saturday 26 November 2011

Christmas time

Hi happy bloggers, well its that time of the year AGAIN and l cant believe that christmas is now just under 4 weeks away, l held my last card class for the year on friday , my class girls are so much fun, we always have a great day, l wanted to give them something , just to say thanks for the the support they have given me on my Stamp'in up venture and coming to my classes and also a little merry christmas thanks, most years now l make a gift of shortbread for close friends so l thought l'd give them a parcel of shortbread to, it looked a bit plain and boring when l put it into the clear bags, so l jazzed it up with a candy cane and ribbon and tag, sorry about all the calories girls, you can work it off after the silly season, so if any of my class girls are reading this, just another big THANKYOU  to you all, lm blessed to have you all in my life and grateful for your friendship  and the laughs we share around the table .Here is a pic of their gift.

 Next l want to show you some of the cards  we have made in class and also some workshop cards,

This card was made using the doiley set as ornaments which l embossed in white and just added a bit of bling in the centre.


This one l've used old and new stamps , a cute raindeer in the middle of the new embossed frame and paper from the letters to santa dsp and the post card stamp from winter post stamp set, the words are a bit hard to see ,so heres a bit more of a close up.

oopps, l dont think that pic is much better.

My camera work really is'nt that good this morning, sorry, this is another doiley ornament, with the white embossing, this tme l have used one of the new in colour cardstock called pool party, lm a bit over all the red and green for chrissy, and inked island indigo around the edge and if you look closer you can see l spritzed the background in island indigo as well.

Here l've used the top note die and ran it through the new stripes embossing folder and brushed on a bit of gold ink.
And the last 2 cards lve gone back to the pastels co;ours again  and stamped and coloured with the markers, the second one lve used silver embossing powder to jazz it up a bit, well thats all from me today, lm hoping to get back and do a few more scrap pages before chrissy ,and then l have to start preparing for the family feast that is at my place this year,........yay....... no travelling............kate

Saturday 19 November 2011

My spring garden

Hi happy bloggers, only a few weeks now till summer and we have had the most wonderful spring, it would have to be my favorite month, l actually love all the seasons , they bring their own special touch to the garden, but spring brings the burst of the first flowers and makes the garden come alive, l dont have any cards or scrapbooking to show you today, so if you would like to see where l spent the rest of my time , then keep looking.


Our home and garden is built on a hill, so we have all different levels, their was no garden here when we brought it and we have made lots of gravel paths and raised garden beds, this is part of my rose garden, which has a beautiful ordermental pear in the middle, their is another large kidney shaped gareden on the oppisite side and in the middle of both is my ring of lavender where my garden angel oversee's everything.

 this is my crab apple tree in flower, which has now finished and would have to be my favorite flowering tree.

my hedges and standard roses behind them, inbetween the roses on the other side of the hedge are shasta daisys, which all look stunning in full bloom.

walking back up to the house and up the steps are seaside daisys  which billow over the rock wall  and the butterfly bush under another standard crabapple tree.


 more hedges and standard flowering almond, which is the first to flower in late winter,in the pots l have 2 of the new david Austin roses called Claire Austin, named after his daughter, they are just about to flower and l cant wait to see them as l have only seen them in a book, lm sure they will be just beautiful.




this is walking down our driveway and into the garden.


 the lavender ring, with my sleeping angel.

BEAUTIFUL roses from my garden, the orange coloured one is david Austin's summer song and is surely one of my all time favorite and has the most wonderful scent. Well thats all today, l hope you can go out and enjoy your garden today , where ever you might be , whatever the season, and if its winter or Autumn where you are there  is still joy to be found in the stillness ,for the beauty to arrive soon............cheers .......kate

Monday 14 November 2011

Busy- Busy, Where has the time gone

Hey there Happy Bloggers, well where has the time gone, the days just seem to be flying and the silly season is upon us again, inbetween card classes and workshops and trying to fit in home projects as well and l now have a monday job as well, but lov'in it all. So while l have time l just thought l'd share some cards that were done for work shops and classes.

Here's a card where l used a stamp from the creative elements set as a background and then the Doiley stamp set to make the pattern on white cardstock to form the flowers and then l just embossed the thank-you in white.

on this card l used the new kindness matters set, which l just adore, anything with birds and butterflys l love and the swirls always make it look good to.

Another card using the doiley set, even though the pink stamp really is'nt standing out much, and again l've embossed the large doiley onto the rose red cardstock.

Just a simple card that l did for a hostess party , with the strength and hope set and the petals a plenty embossing folder, when this stamp set came out , Stamp'in up were giving a $2 donation to the breast cancer research for every stamp set sold, they raised a total of $60,000  US dollars , how amazing is that, thats alot of stamps, just shows how popular Stamp'in Up is .

This is a oldie , but a goodie, must find more time to design with this set.

I just wanted to use some brighter colours for spring and this is what l came up with.

and last one for today, again with a butterfly, this little butterfly is retired now, so gladed l have him/her, l use it all the time. anyway thats all the cards for now, l have to design 3 more for the last card class of the year, cant believe its nearly december.......cheers kate