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Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Spring is in the air.........not

Well okay maybe for some of you spring is in the air but here it is autumn that is in the air.  Summer apparently has been and gone and most of us here it seems have missed it.  This year my figs have not ripened and I feel the need to complain.  My tree is laden with these small green things that should have been big and brown and juicy and consumed by now.  Alas I fear that they will just drop from the tree unripened and the birds and I will miss our annual feast and our much anticipated annual squabble over who they actually belong to.  I shan't get to tell them that it is not fair to leave half eaten figs on the tree or worse to peck 5 holes in one and decide it is not ready and move to the next  or worse still to leave the shredded stalk as evidence that they beat me.  I shall miss this little piece of summer.

This is what my tree should look like ....... 

Friday, February 24, 2012

Variety is the spice of life...

Well it has been over a month since my last post.  January and February are always busy months.  January sees us on summer holidays although most would tell you summer forgot to come this year.  We went away several times in January to the beach.  Once for a long weekend, another time just me and the kids and the end of January saw us on our annual family holiday for about 10 days and I have to say we picked by far the best time to go away as this was the 10 days of summer.

This is for my friend Anne, it just took me as an "Anne" scene, its was pouring with rain and blowing a gale and these boats all looked like they were all sheltering from the weather

Taken from the ocean side on a snorkelling expedition

This old sailing boat sailed past us in full sail and looked magnificent as we were anchored snorkelling in a bay 

February its back to school time and organising uniforms and stationery and re-establishing all the school routines. This year was a little different as it was off to a new school.  Three weeks into the term the kids seem happy and settled and enjoying their new found independance.

Along the way I have had some crafting time and have been doing all manner of things.  January also hailed the beginning of a new look "All Things Vintage" at PCP.  Lyn, Lilian and I rejoined forces and I am back running the swaps.  My intention is to keep them small, fun and afordable and of course vintage in style. 

So here a a couple of pictures of some things I have been working on.

I decided my little craft area needed a revamp so I repainted and recovered my little drawers, they sit on top of another larger set that are a work in progress at the moment.
I'm entering this in the Ribbon Girls Brown Pink and Cream Challenge

This is a card I made for the ATV challenge "Use a Paper doll".  The papers are October Afternoon and as I am into making my own embellishments at the moment, due to a self inflicted no spend policy the flower and banner are handmade

This is a little tag made from Graphic 45 paper and another handmade flower from fabric and using a die (the flourish) I bought some time ago but have really only refound and started using, and it is such a usful die I am ashamed I haven't used it before.
So thats me all caught up and hopefully back to posting on a more regular basis. So till next time.
Take care.

Karen 

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Happy 2012

Wow 2011 has been and gone.  Woosh.... what was that.....oh another year.  Scarier still when even the kids think it went fast. I hope 2012 is choker block full of wonderful things for everyone.

So to start the new year I have something very different to share with you today.

It is very difficult to take away on summer holidays (which they would be if it would stop raining) things to papercraft with.  Except of course colouring, which I usually take and often everyone gets into it.  Well.....whilst browsing the net - as you do - I discovered this free pattern from a designer called Dawn Toussiant for a  little crocheted Unicorn.  Yes I did say crochet. I always thought crochet was ponchos and doilies.....take a look at what Dawn does with a crochet hook and like me you will be amazed.

Well somewhere in the depths of a box I knew I had crochet hooks from Poncho days.  So digging I went and of course could not find them.  Being of a determined mind I went to the local wool  shop of which we still have one and bought a crochet hook and a ball of cream wool.

Hermione theUnicorn came to life.  I think I may have the ears a little low for a Unicorn but still pretty cute huh! and yes in my typical having to just add that little extra she has a flower attached to her ear and........she was quickly snaffled up by a certain young girl to sit on her bed. 

So I can sit happily away when the fingers start to itch for something to make and crochet these cuties ( I have a rabbit that is super cute too)  and given I have 6 great nieces I can make 6 and be well on the way to being organised for this christmas, because it is of course now this christmas and not next.

XO

Sunday, December 25, 2011

MERRY CHRISTMAS

  Down here in NZ we are the first to see the new day so therefore the first to have christmas day and the first to see it go.  For us our day is coming to a close for most it is about to begin.

 I hope everyone has a day full of love joy and happiness. 

Merry Christmas from me to you.


Sunday, December 4, 2011

The English Language

Well its been an interesting weekend and we have a really busy week ahead.  Isn't it amazing how the written word can be interpreted and misinterpreted by people in different ways.  I always admire the kids that I teach as they try and grasp the English language.  Other languages are much less complicated and a sound is a sound and a word has one meaning and is said one way.  Its no wonder they find it so difficult.  I find myself often saying "you just have to remember it" .  Read this and I think you will understand where I am coming from:
 
  I take it you already know
Of tough and bough and cough and dough?
Others may stumble, but not you,
On hiccough, thorough, lough and through?
Well done! And now you wish, perhaps,
To learn of less familiar traps?
Beware of heard, a dreadful word
That looks like beard and sounds like bird,
And dead: it's said like bed, not bead -
For goodness sake don't call it deed!
Watch out for meat and great and threat
(They rhyme with suite and straight and debt).

There is another verse but maybe I will post that next time.

So I have been busy sewing costumes, we made good progress but have a way to go.  Dave took Nick and his freind out to the forest today.  Its 200 acres of pine forest in the middle of nowhere.  They went motorbike riding and generally exploring.  Came home exhausted and hungry, well starving apparently.  Abbey and I went to her dancing prizegiving and she won the encouragement award and trophy and was really pleased, and surprised. 

On Friday Dave is going with Nick on what they call "The Big Day Out".  It is for the year 6's and is a day of fun confidence courses and kayaking and a big mud slide, flying foxes that kind of thing.  The teachers cook them a BBQ lunch and they come home around 7pm.  Unfortunately Abbey won't be there as she has a full day of rehersals for the Christmas in the Park, which is a big live televised variety show here in NZ with local NZ celebraties, bands etc. She is part of a group of dancers that will be performing - hence costume making.  Its a once in a life time opportunity so she gave up the Big day Out to be part of the show and is really excited about it.
Anyway I have a card to share.........over at Sassy Cheryl's the theme is "Winter" and whilst many of my blog freinds are experiencing the beginning of winter we are entering summer.  So winter for me is not snow flakes and christmas but rain and wind in the middle of the year.  I stamped the background with a fantastic 6 x 6 inch stamp and thought I would use it to resemble the wind.  In the background I inked what is actually a clock, as we are always looking forward to the time when summer is here.  We get a lot of rain hence the image.   The flower was made by gathering seam binding and sewing little seed beads in the centre. I kind of wish I hadn't used the clock but was too late by the time I decided I didn't want it the card was made.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Christmas is coming.......

Yes indeedy its just around the corner and I have busy sewing costumes for the group of girls who will be dancing at the Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park, which is a big variety show that is performed live and televised here in NZ.  My kitchen has been full of tuelle and satin all weekend.  In between times I have been making little christmas boxes to fill will chocolates for gifts.  I try and make some handmade gifts each year and this year I have dedided on these little milk carton boxes decorated and then I will go to the bulk bins and buy wrapped chocolates to pop inside.  These are the first 2 made and I am hoping to get at least another 8 made but then I also need more Christmas cards.....hmmmm how much time do I have..........

These stand about 51/2 inches high so aren't overly big - otherwise they cost too much to fill.  So these are being displayed in Sassy Cheryls "Anything Goes" challenge this week.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Do modern and vintage mix?

Well here I am posing another question.  All because of something not going as planned.

All week I have been itching to make a card but I have been making spats instead.  Spats for a cabaret show that the owner of the Dance Studio Abbey attends also operates.  The brief was a pair of short tartan boots with gold buttons up the side and a pair of long white ones with red buttons up the side.  My deadline was Friday night, so I have been beavering away and delivered them yesterday afternnon with a couple of hours to spare.

Today I managed to get to my desk in preparation of card making.  I had in mind a card that was cute but vintagey in style.  I wanted to try and colour, using distress inks, an image that came under the "cute" classification.  I chose my image and set to with inks, I decide that I wanted to age the background so it wasn't  so white and this is where the plan fell apart as it did not look good.  So......what to do as before the background atempt I was quite happy with my image.  Only thing I could do...cut it out.    I made the larger tag and inked it using a mask then spritzed it with gold, you can't really see it, but I know its there.  Sassy  Cheryl's challenge this week is "Anything Goes".  Lucky for me as this one fits right in.