WOYWW + Gumblossoms ~ Snugglepot and Cuddlepie

Ah here we are everyone ~ another Wednesday!

Last one for September, suddenly realised it's three months Christmas - yes, I know some folks dont like mentioning it, but ostriches dont live here! :D

Happy WOYWW everyone!! (WOYWW = What is On your Workdesk, Wednesday?) Do join us peeking/stickybeaking at desks and work spaces around the world! over at Julia's hosting blog - Stamping Ground!! 

Now I wonder how many of you do what I did yesterday?? I was supposed to making my gum blossom card (showed you the stamped images last week from RosA). 

Suddenly I went off on a tangent on another card!

See below! There is the image in the centre - the brayered night scene? 

Well, found it looking through my dies for the proper card. Immediately an idea for it jumped into my head and I was off!! 

Here I am inking the mount card with foam for background to a deeper royal purple to match brayered ink colour. And yes, do work with dear monkeys + WOYWW frame there all the time :D

 

 I will add the Christmas card in separate post (down below) as I will enter it Dis Snippets challenge and Sarn's  Christmas Card Challenge. Here is my desk no 2! As you can see I finally worked out how to mount the coloured gumblossom image.

Caran D'ache pencils in centre of desk, as well as brads. Am trying to work out which one to use and yet to add greeting it. It is a thank you card to France. The tape is there as always use it when using dies. Need to attach them sometimes when lengthening or shortening die cuts in cutting them.

For those of you who may not know what real gumblossoms look like, here is one that is growing near our church, one of the WA species and is really beautiful. Most are yellow or red flowers, this one is clear pink. 

 I wonder if any are familiar with the story ~ the Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie - these were written by May Gibbs, an Aussie, written in 1930s for children (see more here and here). 

 

Well, thank so VERY much everyone for popping over for peek and chat (you make my day). May God bless you day wherever you may be.

Shaz in Oz.x 

PS Next week (Tues) is eye surgery so no WOYWW post but will have scheduled posts.

PPS. here are the actual Gumnuts that Sugglepot and Cuddlepie live in:

 A Lemon flowering gum called Bloodwood, at the front of my sister's house.

Snippets Cards for Christmas!

Hi there everyone - well just realised it is three months til Christmas so thought better make this one - if you read my WOYWW post later you will see I was supposed to be working on something else - but hey, that does not really matter does it? as long as it all gets done in the long run.

This was a brayered snippet which I did forever ago it is brayered piece with Kaleidacolor Blue Breeze with post it note of glossy card, the stamped and embossed with SU Lovely as a tree set.

 

Mounted on blue lattice rectangle Spellbinder and then on purple card which I deepened to ink colour (see this Wednesday's desk post< you can see me doing it for WOYWW). Added a silver peel off for greeting. So would like to enter this in Di's Snippets challenge and have a play in the playground (swings please!! get giddy on merry go around!). Snippets were purple + black card + image. 

I thought would enter it in the Christmas Card Challenge over at Sarn's - see Sandra of Stamping for pleasure. I think it has something to do with reindeer's (or was it chickens??) but mine is hiding behind the trees! :D

Thanks so very much everyone for popping over for a peek and chat - and may the LORD bless your day in a special way wherever you may be!
Shaz in Oz.x

PS. don't you hate the way you dont remember everything?? As was finishing this card off, I thought of the Craft a Scene Challenge. which this month is "Trees", see here and then forgot when I posted it!

And B. left a comment to remind me! So there you are, friends always come in handy.

PPS. Oops, I am sorry, Sarn, it is is not "Lovely as tree" set - funny how 0ne forgets - it is the Victorine Originals tree cluster stamp.. see this post here where also used it, they are a US stamp company. sell unmounted stamps - bought mine on eBay, but they sell on their site too. 

PPPS. Oh and guess what just picking myself up off the floor!

Thanks so much to the wonderful ladies at this Challenge blog ~ they do such a marvellous job, and are a great inspiration!

Thomas is Three!!

Hullo there everyone - another wonderful day here! we are having the most amazing spring here this year, with such beautiful days. This past week we even were blessed with some precipitation which it was really a God-send and pray for some more!

About a month ago now Thomas was three, and put off showing card cos it had not been given then kept not getting around to it.. however today am going to show you it!

Made with monkeys because he loves his monkey... and thus used Monkey DP several sheets bought on eBay and o an unmounted stamp bought online at Kraftin' Kimmie - very reasonable! this one is called "Cheeky Monkey" -  bought another one yet to use, I really recommend her great service! Saw this stamp on another blog last year, and that sent me to it! funny thing with this card I think I made every element at least twice - funny how it happens sometimes.

I coloured it with mix of Caran d'Ache watercolour pencils and Promarkers with background done in chalks. 
Used Spellbinders octagonal shape and the Spellbinder labels computer generated for greeting. Also did smaller die for the number and used Olivia numbers in Cuttlebug series to cut the number.

TIP 1: 

When cutting small numbers, letters or shapes add double sided tape BEFORE cutting, peel and it adheres very easily (this is from Ikki's Cuttlebug Cupboard years ago now!).

TIP 2:

 It may not be obvious but used the cut outside the die method to do the picture. This is handy when the picture is fraction larger than die and you dont want to use the next size up. For further instructions on this see this post here, where the Kookaburra card is cut around the die.   (or my post here)

Last year's card for Thomas is here and the recipe may be seen on this post here!
and to see a pickie of Thomas and his mummy at the beach, click here

 Thomas' first birthday card is here below, and I have never posted it before, as made before I blogged. To be honest I  have no idea what I made when he was born. I was not keeping records that well back four years ago.

 

 Made with Stamping Up DP paper from 2010 as I had bought some that year and adore these colours. Also used the Penny Black Hedgie Baby Stamp set and the Spellbinders Fleur de Lis border and the Labels (5?) dies from Spellbinders, and again computer generated greeting, image coloured with Promarkers and SU Certainly Celery and Bashful Blue, coloured with foam for background. Leave die in die-cut to get the crisp white border when shading. Again used Cuttlebug Olivia die for the number.

Thanks very much every one for popping over for a peek and chat - I really appreciate it and all of those who say hi!  and may God bless your day where ever you may be,

Shaz in Oz.x

I would like to enter Thomas' monkey card in the following challenges:

Just Add Ink – Children/Kids cards
Totally Papercrafts – For a Child
Simply Create Too - 2W - Week 2, Anything Goes   
 Polka Doodles - C10 – Inspired by a Song 
In this case it was song I learned as a child ~ "Jimmy Monkey had a tail, He swings from tree to tree, Swinging up and swinging down, He is a happy one, If we all had tails like him I think it would be fun!" :D 
It is one we sang in Oz but not sure why or where it is from.

WOYWW + Missing Posts?? anyone?

Hi there everyone! Yes, I could say wow! another Wednesday is rattling by - but I wont!! :D and for those who dont know why Wednesday might be different from any other day of the week? 
Well, Wednesday is where the nosey er, intellectual among us take peek at all the crafty goodness on other folks desks out there in World Wide Web land! 
To join us in our learning :D experience pop over to our dear Julia of the Stamping Ground.
 Second matter of interest to me - has any one lost their posts, or as I suspect had them deleted by blogger??? 

Earlier this year I did a post on Disabling word verification. 

I had saved the link so as to share it with others, and have used it heaps of times so know it is (or was) right:

http://calligraphycards-shazinoz.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/tuming-off-word-verification-please.html

...and for some weird reason it is not there any more! 
Dear Blogger says:
"Sorry, the page you were looking for in this blog does not exist."

As you can see by the link it's from March 2012. 
I thought maybe it had been removed by blogger, because it is on word verification removal. 
I am wondering if anyone else has had a similar issue??

Do others back up your blog? and if so how do you do it?

Okay, that is enough of the hard grey matter material for now!

To my desk...YAY! am actually working inside as back yard is finished, not front yard yet, but that is not really my department I figure!

Here you will see a great big mess - which I managed to do in a matter of minutes. You see, I had a card nearly finished which I cannot show you till end of the month. I needed to start another so dug this pile out of my my imaged sheets or words drawer!
I wanted something in snippets to make a card and of course took me til the bottom of the pile to find what will be superb. 
The card is a "thank you" to send to France, so a Gum-blossom card will be just the trick! This sheet plus few sheets more were stamped last year for me by Ros.A of WOYWW after I admired them on her desk, she very kindly offered to do some and sent them off to me! and to my shame have never used them yet but hopefully next week will show the result.

And below this am showing you some photos taken recently on my phone at a birthday party near the beach, just ten minutes north of here! we are blessed to live in such a beautiful part of God's creation.

Thanks so much every one for popping over for a peek and chat, and may the Lord bless your day wherever you may be!
Shaz in Oz.x

Something to Smile about!

 Hi there everyone - hope this finds you well today.

I received this email and thought it so good I wanted to share it as a post

Story behind this photo:

H.M. The Queen, accompanied by H.R.H. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, paid a Jubilee visit to Nottingham and, during the three hours in the East Midlands city, attended a children’s event in which the 5-to-10 year olds were asked to present something to celebrate the Jubilee. Out of the more than 1,000 children attending, six were chosen to give their own speech to the Queen, of 50 words or less, that expressed their devotion and admiration for Her Majesty’s long reign.

The last child to say his piece was 8-year-old Devon Parker who stood at the microphone 25 feet in front of the Queen and, as a result, the royal photographer caught Her Majesty’s reaction and response.

Devon Parker: “Your Majesty, I think you are the nicest old lady in all of England, but I wish you weren’t so old because, if you were younger, you would live a lot longer.

Thank you very much.”

The Queen’s reaction and reportedly her response: “Now, what can I say to that!?”

Hope it has brought a smile to your face - it surely did mine!! totally cracked me up.

May God bless your day everyone, and thanks for popping over for a peek and chat,

Shaz in Oz.x

WOYWW! Exotic fruit + Sharon's Craft Cupboard!.

Hi folks, 

Well another week and although we are so enjoying the sunshine, we do need some precipitation - but hey rain will come. if we pray and pray and wait, and pray some more!

Before I forget have been meaning for weeks to share with you a very new blogging friend here in Oz. She must have really great taste as her name is Sharon :D 

and her Blog is "My Craft Cupboard" -link here !  

Just to prevent any misunderstanding, this is NOT my card. 
Made by Sharon ~ My Craft Cupboard's stunning card, please pop over if time permits - her blog is http://sunshine2go.blogspot.com.au/

As you can see such beautiful, exquisite work is over there - I told her about WOYWW but she said she was not game to show us her her desk... maybe pop over say hi and let her know we would love to see it!!

Some pickies to share, because it is WOYWW and the great World Wide Blog Hop of What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday, please do take peek and join with us over at Julia's fab blog.

No desk today, as it's the same as last week here - zilch done in crafty dept!! 
Getting jobs done inside and out before cataract surgery 2.10.12. Have made few cards which will schedule soon, but they are given away so not on desk. 
I was asked by Morti of WOYWW if my fruit tree shown also in last weeks post tree was an exotic one - so here it is!

Exotic (!) lemon and lavender - the lavender is a natural insect repellent!

This week I have made something with our lemons, so sharing it instead!

Lemon peel on the plate, it is Granny's Lemon Cordial as you can see -  peel is thrown out afterwards. Recipe is below if anyone wants it. If trouble reading it just email me! really yum, Granny's was not brown like mine as she used white sugar, I use raw sugar. So nice in summer.

We do have an exotic fruit our yard, so I thought would share this. It is a Macadamia nut tree, full of abundant flowers as you can see. This photo is almost on full zoom, about 15 ft up.

Yes, we do get some nuts but as it is in our neighbour's yard (it over hangs our fence) it is not sprayed, so little greedy insects get most of them! It never fails to amaze me they bore  tiny, weeny holes through the hard outer husk, as well as the very, very hard shell! For more info see here.
One last photo thought you might like! 
Finished mulching the roses and here is the third and fourth rose of the season.

Black Beauty Rose and Sutter's Gold very small small bud - with visiting lady beetle :D I did not know till after uploaded to computer it was on there! (Oh, to left front, my wee Scottie dog from Scotland)

I would really appreciate it if time permits and you can check out 
my "Consider the Clouds" post down below! You will see why if you do!

Happy WOYWW every one and thank you SO very much for popping over for a peek and a chat. May God bless your day wherever you may be!
Shaz in Oz.x
PS a VERY special welcome to new followers Cardarian, Mary H, Gita and Lori!

Consider the Clouds.

(WOYWW post below, sorry)
My dear dad is the one who taught me to love clouds.

When I was young, we would sit on the sandhills watching such clouds as they rolled across the sea.

There we watched the glory of the storm as it approached us, then took refuge in our tent.

I well remember one day when about twelve, new to town, and there we were were on what seemed to be the top of our new town, looking at and talking of these wonderful clouds above us....

To me now, they are the finger of God pointing the way to Him.

I was reading Our Daily Bread (by RBC - Link here - and here) again this morning, and thought I would really like to share this. It was titled Consider the Clouds.

The passage used was from the wonderful book of Job - Job 37:1 - 16 (for link click here). Here is the Our Daily Bread excerpt - by David Roper

"One day many years ago my boys and I were lying on our backs in the yard watching the clouds drift by.

"Dad", one asked, "why do clouds float?"

"Well, son," I began, intending to give him the benefit of my vast knowledge, then I lapsed into silence. " I dont know," I admitted, but I will find out for you."

The answer I discovered is that condensed moisture, descending by gravity, meets warmer temperatures rising from the land. That moisture the changes into vapour and ascends back into the air. That is the natural explanation for the phenomenon.

But natural explanations are not final answers.

Clouds float because God in His wisdom ordered the Natural Laws in such a way, that they reveal "the wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge." Job 37:16

Clouds can be thought of as a symbol - and outward and visible sign of God's goodness and grace in creation.

Remember this: the One who makes all things beautiful makes the clouds float through the air. He does so to call us to look with wonder and adoration, and to look to Him for salvation. 
The heavens - the cumulus, stratus, nimbus and cirrus clouds - declare the glory of God.

Creation is filled with signs that point to the Creator. "

This reminded me of the passage in Psalm 8: 3, 4a.

"[3] When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; [4] What is man, that thou art mindful of him?..."

I have had a rather topsy turvy week with some very stressful things (now, God willing, are ironed out).

However, when it seems like everything is hitting the fan, I find it is great comfort to know with all my heart - God is there in it!

God, Who formed the beauty of the clouds or the beauty of the sea, the glory of the rose. etc., the whole of creation, God - He cares for me (and you)!

In the depth and length and breadth of the problem I am (or you are) going through - He is in it with me (and you).. and will bring us through the other side of it.

My dad loves to paint the clouds he loves, too. This is one of his paintings North Wall beach looking south over to the Jetty and the Marina - you can just see the masts of the boats.

I pray for each of you who read this, that it might really bless you heart, and that the LORD might walk with you through the rest of your day, wherever you may be, and bless you in it all.

Thanks so much for popping over for a peek and chat,

Shaz in Oz.x

PS I would also like to link this post over to this weeks Little Birdee Blessings blog hop, as this week it is as shown below - please take look at the rest!

~ Increased Strength~   Posted by Little Birdie Blessings

Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the LORD,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
 He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might
He increases strength.
Isaiah 40:28-29 (NKJV)

Wow! it is WOYWW again!

Hullo there everyone ~ another week flying by and over here we are into spring +summer all at once! it is supposed to be 27C here today and another week of sunshine ahead ~ would you believe, here on the north coast, we have had 9mm of rain here at my place since 14th of July?
Mm we had our winter's rain in June and then sunshine ever since it seems almost..
NSW wide total fire ban today, and they have brought the season forward, too.
Now to the business end of the day, my desk!!

First of all a very big thank you to each of you who popped over last week and sent so many get well cheery messages .. My tooth is fine now (and pray most earnestly it stays that way, please Lord) and well apart from self inflicted aches from attacking the garden as you see down below..... and as you see there is very little going on the actual desk - except some of Mrs A.'s very scrummy sea glass has arrived - she found a big pile of after much searching on the Mediterranean coastline in Italy ~ see her desk here!

We dont see it here on our east coast of Australia, I guess not enough glass thrown overboard on big ships.. I do have one piece have found - a clear piece in many, many, many days of walking our beaches up and down the coast...
Anyway, how very kind of Mrs A.  to share here stash. I have graduated it as when you look at each piece they are so very different - fascinating isn't it, how unique everything is? including us! God's wisdom in that.
Also on my desk is Bridget in Oz's ATC as found hunting through my posts I had not shown it - must have been one of my off weeks, - very sorry and THANK you, Bridget! Here is where my desk has been for most of the past week or so - the garden!

I have been doing the roses again - have about three dozen and it is time to feed and mulch them with sugar cane mulch. The bottle around each rose is my deep watering system it mean 2 litres of water gets to the roots of the plant when watered. May well be needing this for this summer at this rate..

Rose, second of season called "Delores", tough as nails and magnificent long lasting blooms.

This bed is half done - has been weeded (first by male hands, then I come along after - never good enough - fussy, huh?) and feed but only half has been mulched. In an effort to deter weeds, we cover it with wet newspaper before adding the sugar cane mulch.

Also following on from last week here are some more crab eggs.. or really crab excavations balls at very very low tide late yesterday afternoon like my other shots. You can tell it is spring. These were seen on yesterday's walk.

  Here is a dwarf yellow Kangaroo Paw and Breadfruit Tree at the T intersection on our street near the creek mouth. Railway bridge in distance also.

No more time here, must fly - but do rush over to the best exploring and learning blog hop around at Julia's  - the Queen of WOYWW for What Is On Your Workdesk Wednesday!

Happy WOYWW everyone and thanks so very very much for popping over for a peek and a chat. May God bless your day wherever you may be!

Shaz in Oz.x
PS I promised someone who blogs here in Oz this am that I would show them my non stick scissors and now I cant remember who it was - please email me or leave a comment and will try and let you show them by next post ..dont you hate memory block!?