MAMOT: Black & White

'Get Smart'

The theme at Make a Moo Or Two this week is 'Black & White'.

I've used rubber from Stampington, Oxford Impressions and Collections.

Joy Is The Flag...

I've been hoping to participate in the Layers Of Color challenges since their onset and have finally managed to complete something! The current theme is 'FLAGS'. I've created my own paper flag, flown high from Hampton Court by Stampington and Hero Arts.

So whilst creating this piece, I've had the song, 'Joy Is The Flag Flown High' going around and around and around my head - been singing it too! (I can finally sing again after 4 weeks of suffering with the flu.)

Footnote: It appears this song may not be as well known as I thought, so I thought I'd write a few more lyrics...

Joy is the flag flown high in the castle of my heart,
for the King is in residence there.
Let it fly in the sky,
Let the whole world know,
That the King is in residence there!

This song helps me to reflect upon the joy (and peace, forgiveness etc) that has come to reside in my heart, because of the grace of God, demonstrated through Christ's love for me.

Live and Laugh More!

'Twist of Lime'as seen in Stamping & Papercraft Vol 12 No 8.

Yay!!!! I've finished my reports and it's the holidays!!!!!!

So 'Live and Laugh More', I say!

The scrumptious stamp image is by Paperbag Studios.

Boo Hoo...

Sorry, but I'm still stuck on the topic of school reports. And I haven't any new artwork to share... yet!

There was a glitch in our computer system at school (we are in the process of a computer roll over) and most of my reports were partially lost and resaved incorrectly!!! It's nobody's fault, just one of those things, but I couldn't believe it! So now I have to rewrite them, tomorrow!!! Thankfully, I had printed a hard copy of each for proof reading, so it will just be a process of copying comments etc from these. And EXTRA thankfully, my dear principal has provided my class with a relief teacher, so that I can solely concentrate on reports.

Do I sound cool, calm and collected about it? Well I will admit to having had a slight melt down this afternoon, but I'm just blaming the 'hormonies'! I'm sooooo glad that I realised what had happened before they all were all sent home! Now, I'm off to buy a really big block of chocolate!!!

How was your day?

Procrastination and Birthdays

So I'm at the tail end of writing these reports... if anyone had to write a report about me tonight it could be summed up with the words...

'Is easily distracted' or 'Finds it difficult to keep their mind on the task at hand'!!!

So my mind's been drifting... to worries, to hopes, to who knows what??! Oh, and I've been doing more than my fair share of blog surfing (just keeping up-to-date)...

Anyway, one of my thoughts has been about this...

I'm celebrating??? a rather big birthday later in the year and am uncertain how I would like to celebrate??? (or bury my head in the sand and deny it's happening). Yes, I know it's silly, it's only a date and a number, but nonetheless...

So have you got any fun/unique/non embarrassing ideas on how to celebrate or have a party? I just seem to by tying myself in a knot about what I should do about it... right now my number one plan is to run away to an undisclosed destination (a nice one) and let it just pass by.

NOTE TO FRIENDS: Please, no surprise parties! (I never thought I was a control freak, but maybe I am - hehe.)

You know what? I'm heading back to those reports... heaps easier than dealing with birthdays!

Speaking of birthdays... HAPPY BIRTHDAY for tomorrow, my dear friend El! Hope you have a most fabulous day - full of blessings and surprises! xox PS I'm looking forward to seeing those sketches on Friday! ;-)

'Music' ATC's

'Music'ATC's by Shelley, Trish and myself from our April swap. It might be hard for you to make it out, but Trish's ATC has a photo that she took at the U2 concert she went to... I was a little bit green with envy over that!

All rubber on mine is by Paperbag Studios.

The winner is...

Congratulations!!!!

Please leave your email contact here, so I can get your postal address or email me - missmiff@westnet.com.au

Laugh Love Bloom

Stamping & Papercraft Vol 13 No 4

I'm busy writing school reports... no time for creating at present... but the holidays are coming!

Hope you get to 'Laugh, Love and Bloom' in some way today!

DON'T FORGET my 'Give Away' is being given away this evening. So leave a comment here for your chance to win!

Brrrrrm, brrrrm!!!

How clever is Sean!!! He'll be out working the land before we know it!

Yellow

These are being popped in the post today and are heading over to Melinda and Robyn - our ATC swap colour this month, is umm, rather obvious I think! Rubber is by Lucy's Stamps and Hero Arts.

50th Post Giveaway!

Wow, I've made it to my 50th post and I feel like celebrating!

As a way of expressing my appreciation and gratitude for your kind words of encouragement, creative challenges, inspiration and sound advice, I would like to give this piece 'Appreciate' away. It was the first of the 'skinnies' I made yesterday. So if you'd like the opportunity to receive this 'skinny', just leave a comment on my blog and I will randomly choose a name (from a hat?) on Sunday evening.

SS - Shadow Box

At Skinny Saturday there is a two week challenge to create a 'skinny shadow box'. (Skinny = artwork 3" x 5" in size). I nearly didn't attempt this challenge, but I've been busy making some skinnies today and after a little bit of fiddling I came up with this shadow box. I formed the shadow box from chipboard, dimensional tape and K & Company papers from the 'Bailey' collection.


As I was making the box, I drew inspiration from an ATC holder I had seen that had been decorated by Audrey Hernandez... I wanted to be able to change the skinny that was on display in the shadow box, so I've left the top of the box open and I can slip the skinny out through the top.


So I've kinda been addicted to making skinny collages today... it's been fun using these gorgeous ARTchix images and an assortment of other fun bits 'n bobs.

WS - Twinchies

The challenge this week at Wednesday Stamper is to make 'Twinchies'. Each 'Twinchie' is 2" square in size. I've made four 'Twinchies' using lots of little scraps that have been sitting on my table from a number of different projects and grouped them together.

Stamps are by Inkadinkado and Stampington.

I'm on the mend and am very grateful to be feeling much better.

I had a lovely little visit from Sean Alexander today. He is sporting 3 more teeth and crawling around quite quickly now. He was looking as cute as a button in some new clothes I bought for him in Perth last weekend. It's time to 'baby proof' the house, LOL!

1, 2, 3... everyone say, 'Aaaaaawwwwww'!

Sorry, no pretty pics today. I just wanted to let you know that I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, I've just been 'knocked for six' with the flu. I've been feeling dreadful for two weeks - poor me, eh!

Art Stamp Boutique Grand Opening

I'm very excited to announce that today is the Grand Opening of Layers of Colour's Online Art Stamp Boutique. If you've not yet had the pleasure of visiting Layers of Colour, I highly recommend it. The artwork of both Laura and Jessica is wonderfully inspiring! Their artstamps look amazing, too!

Brown/Beige/Cream

Here is the result of having some fun playing around with brown/beige/cream for the Make a Moo or Two challenge this week. The image is ARTchix. Brown seems to be the colour of the day for me... I'm seriously considering the purchase of a new lounge today and it's chocolate brown. All I can think about are the quilts I'd love to make to go with it!!!

Sew Somerset

The latest edition of Sew Somerset (Summer 2008) is now available at Stampington. I feel very honored to have had a piece chosen for the 'Decore' gallery. I was really excited to see that I'm sharing a page with Audrey Hernandez - I just love her work! Audrey has a fab article in the mag called 'Fabric Notepads'. My wonderful and creative friend Debbi Baker has a gorgeous piece in the mag too!

Unfortunately, I haven't taken a photo of the hanging - I'm hoping that I'll receive it back from the US soon - so if you come across a copy check out page 81!

Have a great weekend, everyone! I'm hoping mine will involve some creative time ;)

Tantalizing Turquoise

I'm so excited because a hanging I created for the Tantalizing Turquoise challenge for Stampers Sampler has been published in the June/July issue. The picture above shows it in the process of being put together... just before I had the gumption to start sewing on it. I often hesitate at this stage of the process because once something is stitched, it's pretty permanent. Unfortunately, I didn't think to take a photo of the finished product, but if you click on the Stampers Sampler link you should be able to find a photo of it!

Make A Moo Or Two & ATC Swaps

I've finally managed to complete an online challenge... it's been a while since my last one. I've been working on some ATC's for a swap with a beachcomber theme and made this Moo at the same time for MAMOT's theme Beach and Sea. The image is ARTchix and stamps are from Stampington's Shore Cliff Trim.


I've also finished these ATC's for a swap with Melinda and Robyn. Our colour theme this month is purple.

Core'dinations and Kookaburras

Here's Sean Alexander and Grandpa at the beach in January.


The lovely Steph at Southern Stationery gifted me with a packet of the new Core'dinations Vintage Collection cardstock. The Vintage Collection has a presanded look to it's textured surface and is two toned in colour, rather lovely I think, and no need to sand it yourself which is a bonus! This is one of the things I've made with it so far. I've torn some of the edges and inked them with dark brown ink, flipped some card pieces over to show the lighter colour - pretty easy, eh! The vine stamp is by A Muse Artstamps and the alphabet is Hero Arts.

It's pretty hard to see (bad photography), but the image on the Australian postage stamp is of a kookaburra. I often get woken in the early dawn to the wonderful sounds of the kookaburra's laugh! One of the first songs I ever remember learning at school goes like this...

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,
Merry, merry king of the bush is he.
Laugh kookaburra, Laugh kookaburra,
Gay your life must be.

It's sung in a round, which would have been rather difficult to teach to six year olds, but it's stuck with me and I do so love to sing! I'm in a singing team at my church.