WOYWW ~ with Surfie cards.

Hullo everyone .. yes another mid week post, and was MIA last two weeks .. succumbed to one of those dreaded lurgies floating around.. 

Enough waffling, here to my desk, for it is WOYWW or What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday, over at world wide desk hostess Julia’s blog - here!

This desk is in readiness for more creativity or that is the plan... the books are old Gould League Bird books which show you how to sketch birds if anyone on is interested found a digital copy on a Digitised Resource viewer but cant save link correctly no matter what I do.. it is the  third link just below "Images" on this Google search.  Hopefully that works.
 I bought two old copies about thirty years ago in op shops in Victoria when lived down there. In centre is a test run of some Da Font scripts to see what I will use (FYI on Da Font script downloads to Word) for "Emily Sleeps Here" .. did one for older brother but she doesn't have one, yet.. naughty me! On "Thomas sleeps here" ( see below) - I did a Koala and used Bodoni script. You can also can see one of the Playground PB butterflies. I did card stamping it with vellum on post below.

Done just before started blogging in 2010.

Although not blogging was making cards.. this was for one of the grey haired "surfie" in our family birthday on 19.8.14. Labels 8 for digi image not longer available, done in Primsacolor. Image bought in 2010, folder are CB swirls and bubbles, HB stamp is a Disc. very old one.

This obviously is for Thomas five years old and one of the younger "Surfies" in our family :D DP and digi paper as well as digi image. Die is Victorian rectangles, and greeting is digi with SB Petite Ovals, 5 chipboard was freebie in parcel years ago. His birthday is today so a big 
HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY THOMAS!!

The Aussie photo today is courtesy of my sister.... they have just come back from travelling around. This was some pelicans looking for food on their trip and a seagull is trying to join them too...

Thanks so much every one for popping over for a peek as chat, may God bless your day wherever you may be!  Shaz in Oz.x
PS I also want to welcome two new Wonderful Encouragers of this blog.. so peek over and say hi to them.. one is an Aussie, just north from here :D Cathy of the playground, and the other is from USA -  Roxy of Living from Glory to Glory.

Also want to join over with:

1..Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au  
2. Allsorts Challenge -Warm sunshiny colours... both cards are that way inclined - being surfie cards... bright and cheery.

3. Over at Penny Black and More the Challenge this month is Anything goes! first card as it is only one with stamp on it.

Butterfly Summer Challenge in Winter ~ Downunder :D

(Sarn's cards down next post below...)

Well am just sneaking "last-minute-like" for this challenge ... over at Mrs A's Butterfly challenge.. it is summertime there!! I made this week ago but did not get around to posting it.. I had some "pixie post" arrive, with a yummy card from Miss. and one of those equally yummy PB butterfly stamps!! woo hoo! thanks so much Miss!

So that very day of the pixie post I embossed the stamp with iridescent embossing powder and Versafine on vellum..... then coloured the butterfly with Sakura Gelly Roll pens which are iridescent too, and fussy cut it out, tried to pick summery colours. Sprayed with glimmermist a background for the card..

Here is the finished card with Stylised Flowers cuttlebug folder, and Spellbinder Petite ovals and stamped greeting. So fluttering quick smart over to the flutterby challenge .. see here.

May God bless your day everyone and thanks so much for all your wonderful encouraging comments, too.

Shaz in Oz.x

 Also want to join card over with:

1. Di's Snippety challenge - Used snippets on card.   http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/
2.Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au
3. Penny Black August Challenge - Floral Fantasies use flowers somewhere, on folder. 
4. Over at Penny Black and More the Challenge this month is Anything goes. I have used the PB Butterfly cling stamp as shown in first image.

Snippetty Christmas Cards in Oriental Quilting style

Hullo there everyone .. well there has been rather a deafening silence from this neck of the woods for the last two weeks. I have been sick for a week foll wed by another week of recuperating and major catch up.. there is nasty lot of bugs doing the rounds downunder this winter, and many are succumbing. I have actually been carding for birthdays and made a couple for challenge but not blogged! So here is my Christmas card offering (by two as required by rules) for Rudolph Day Challenge over at Sarn's - see here.

I did a few weeks back on this post HERE, an Oriental Quilting card.. my first attempt and show how it is done on this post. It was for OSA (a Yahoo group - Oriental Stamp Art) and found a number of samples saved onto my Pinterest Oriental page and have few more going to try.. if you want to check them out, look here.

Step 1: design the outline for cardboard (scrap) mounting.

Step 2: cut out card and also thin foam for quilting (make foam slightly smaller than outline so not squashy).

Step 3: choose washi scraps to fit outline of shapes and cut out, add tape on back of the card, wrap around the shape.

Step 4 If mixed shape attach on back of scrap card to assemble pieces.

Finish card as desired.

I chose two patterns - the simple candle shape .. going to do more of it; and the pieces for Christmas tree. May do more of it too: it is bit trickier, but fun. There is another really nice heart one I like...in two different styles, on my pin board, which I want to try too.

As used lots of snippets linking thse over to Miss's snippets Challenge too.

May God bless your day everyone and thanks so much for all your wonderful encouraging comments, too.

Shaz in Oz.x

Also want to join card over with: 
1. Di's Snippety challenge - Used snippets on both cards.   http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/ 
2.Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au

 

Illuminated text + A Sufficiency Check

Hullo there everyone!!

 This post came to me last night during my devotions, and so sent myself an email on my mobile :D

I have a prayer list which I use most days for prayer. It has many pages and on right side are people's names, on left side are verses to pray for them (and me). 
This one just leapt out at me afresh and sent me meditating....
"Not sufficient of ourselves to think anything....of ourselves, BUT OUR SUFFICIENCY IS OF GOD. 

I Cor.3:5

See verse on the middle of page on the left hand side (yes need to make new one of these, as this one was made years ago and has pencilled inked additions all way through on right side with name... it is on the list)!

"For our life is as a vapour, it appeareth for a little while and vanisheth away" James 4:14
John 15:5b "for without Me ye can do nothing."

A true perspective on life is often more clearly seen in the deep waters of trial, rather than in the calmer water's of life.  'Tis then, when the rubber meets road in life's steeper paths, then we realise our own inadequacy and insufficiency....

And the need of One Who" never leaves nor forsakes us"..
For " lo, I am with you always.. even to the end of the world."...

 our Lord Jesus Christ will meet our need, right where we are at!!!
Yes right where we are at Now.

I have a precious sister in the Lord who thinks SHE has to get her heart in right place before she can be right with God. 

But that is not God's way. 

We don't and can't do it in our own strength alone.

We need to simply lean on the Lord, our Strength. He didn't say in the "Abiding" chapter of John 15:5  "Without Me, ye can do Nothing." without a good reason. 

Nothing means Not A Thing!!

Just as we cannot make ourselves ready for Salvation (see here)

and make it to God's perfect standard in our own strength, so we cannot make ourselves ready for Service, or even just for the day ahead..

We must come as we are, right where we are at - yielded at the nail scarred feet of Jesus.

So rest in the ALL sufficiency of our great God and our Saviour for your daily walk.

 For "As thy days, so shall thy Strength be".

This is done in 1990's before digital camera and was using water colours rather than Gouache, so colours are much more subtle .. found even very good water colours faded too much.

I hope this little mediation might bless your heart as it blessed mine last night in communion with a very dear patient Saviour. Some folk might look at me and so very wrongly think what good person I am.. but you see I know my heart.. it is a desperately wicked heart, as the LORD says in Jeremiah 17:9 
 I need the LORD every moment of every day, truly without Him I can do nothing..

" I can do all things through Christ, who strengtheneth me" Phil. 4:13

May God bless each of you who take the time to read this all the way through and may these words be a blessing, and challenge too, as they are to me.. each and every day.

Shaz in Oz.x

Going to link this post over to Word Art Wednesday.

Nicecrane Bird Blossoms, Oriental Quilting card + WOYWW

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Hullo everyone .. yes another middle of the week has whooshed into view! It seems to have come extra fast this week cos extra busy... for the uninitiated Wednesday means WOYWW ~ or What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday, over at world wide desk hostess Julia’s blog - here!

Well this desk shows evidence of trip to the big smoke . alias Sydney for the doctor on Monday flight down and back in one day (with awesome test results, so praising God for that!!). Amongst tests and appointments managed to literally squeeze in bit of shopping at two craft stores in the city. The washi paper + Mizuhiki cord were a great find, but rather expensive sadly so restraint was the order of the day.. under the 3 sheets of washi are quite a few sheets of shimmery card 12 x 12" , yum! + not so expensive so heaps more... some stamps at reasonable prices too. At left back are two cards supposed to be mailed today.. shown below.

Desks below show the making of the Oriental card.. a type of Quilting with washi. You can see my mobile opened at my Pinterest to copy the card. A fan pattern made with a scalloped Spellbinder circle cut in chipboard card. Cut some thin foam to fit also, see below.

I should have cut the washi a bit bigger but made it fit, although not good all the way around.. was not going to cut it again and waste it.

Inked up embossing folder (Sizzix - Retro Circles) in gold with snippets of red and black. Centre panel is basket weave stamped in gold embossing powder on gold card, used washi paper on the die cut of scalloped circle section of chipboard (as shown above). Kanji is chop from Artneko.

Had real fun making this card I was given ages ago this set by Ignacio of Nicecrane designs cant find the link cos the site is down for maintenance but it called Birds and Blossoms set so check it out when they are back online. I added a Bible verse from Word Art Wednesday on it. They are meant to be used for calling cards etc but I tried three with a Bible verse inserted in a Word text box - loved how it worked! :D I spritzed Perfect Pearl on the image, the snippetty backing card is Blossoms folder and the white card is a CB Caramello left over from making the third of these cards here. The side peach ribbon is adorned by edging die from Nellie Snellen "Ribbons" die. For Betsy's friend, an encourager of this blog, but doesn't make cards so offered to make one for her, she has cancer.

Late afternoon clear lights of  winter down at my spot... wonderful wonders of Gods creation!!!

I will comment as able but time online needs be limited, I will do my best. However I really want to thank you so very much for popping over for a peek and chat. May God bless your day wherever you maybe.

Shaz in Oz.x

Would like to join these over with the following:

1. Di's Snippety challenge - Used snippets on both. http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/

2..Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au (both cards)

Our Daily Bead Design ~ Sponging or Stencils

Over at  Our Daily Bead Design the challenge for Sponging or Stencils is on, so here is an entry in for this week. I had to make a card for a friend who has just had very major surgery in Sydney and so decided to use this verse from ODB. Had this white rose 3Ded but not carded for while so it came in handy too. I pray much for my friend, Gail, that the LORD will bless her with His healing and merciful Hand. The LORD is indeed "our Strength and Song".. "For without Him we can do nothing"!

Marianne die for the frame with ODB stamp and sponged around the die before trimming it and remounting it again for strength, adding the 3D rose. The folder is Swirls by Embossaliscious, extra large one which I cut down cause I loved it so much. I sponged the ink all over it to highlights and at side too. The curved border die is by Spellbinder, favourite Lala Land Filigree corners.

 Things very busy this weekend and into next week so will return comments as able.. 

May God bless your day everyone and thanks so much for all your wonderful encouraging comments, too.

Shaz in Oz.x

Also want to join card over with: 
1. Di's Snippety challenge - Used snippets on both cards.   http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/ 
2.Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au

Annie's Friday Smiles + Nicecrane Birds and Blossoms

Hullo there everyone .. another Friday here in Oz is drawing rapidly to close, so better do my Friday post to link up with Annie's Friday Smiles.. and the snippetty playground too.
Okay these are borrowed again!!! firstly some from Pinterest :D

The funny thing was chatting to my sister just today and she was about to tell me about something then went looking for it, and she said, "oh no! cant find it now, I have just tidied up this morning!"

Quite frankly, not sure what would do if found it on my car??  are foxes harmless??

Thought this clever on Facebook, then someone funny added this one below on the Comma Cat post :D

Just want to share a card I have just made for a friend who is has cancer and fighting a very hard battle .. love this verse... "in the fear of the LORD is strong confidence, and His children shall find a place of refuge".. ah a Refuge is time of storm ~ we all need that! I truly would not have made this far through life if the LORD had not been my Strength and Stay through each and every day!

Had real fun making this card I was given ages ago this set by Ignacio of Nicecrane designs cant find the link cos the site is down for maintenance but it called Birds and Blossoms set so check it out when they are back online. I added a Bible verse from Word Art Wednesday on it. They are meant to be used for calling cards etc but I tried three with a Bible verse inserted in a Word text box - loved how it worked! :D I spritzed glimmer mist on the image, the backing card is made with the CB Houndstooth embossing folder inked up in Memento Chocolate before embossing, distressed afterwards with sanding blocks - looks like felt. :D Added two brads, snippet of chocolate ribbon at side.

 .. hope it brought some smiles to your face!

Happy Smiles day everyone!! 

and may God richly bless your day wherever you may,

Shaz in Oz.x
{PS. As this is supposed to be smiles post wont mention that today is the first of August.. pinch and punch for first of the month ...
Wow, is it skating by? all downhill from here :D) }

Linking the card up to:

1. Di's Snippety challenge - Used  a number of snippets on card.   http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/

2..Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au