Craaaaazy

Running away for a brief break

with Mike and my parents.   

We are off to

for 3 days and 2 nights.

 

I think there will be a lot of this going on - along with maybe a spa treatment - and checking out some of the fun shops and yummy restaurants in the area.

Should be lots of fun!

TRYAHWYANHAR - Friday!

Started off Friday with a good deed.   A good friend of ours - who regularly comes to my monthly MeetUp crops and also to the retreats was moving house.  I had asked her did she want any help - and she still had all her scrappy stuff to move.    So Mike (who was working from home for the day) and I headed over to her old place at 9am - via Starbucks to grab Annie and us a coffee.   

We filled my truck up with lots-o-stuffs, pretty much all her scrap stuff - along with some other bits and pieces and Annie filled her car up and we headed over to her new place.   It is lovely - so much nicer than her old place!!     Unpacked that load and I asked Anne if she would like us to do another trip.   She was delighted - so we all went back - just in my truck this time - and loaded it up again.   We got all the tall stuff, bulky stuff, outdoorsy type things, paintings, suitcases and the like until we could fit no more.   Headed back to Anne's - very quietly cos geeky Mike was on a conference call.    We unpacked that load - and I heard from Anne - that those two loads made it easier for her to get out of her old place quicker - YAY.

On the way back from helping AnnieFannie - we stopped in at Michaels - there is one very close to where she has moved to - and I had a coupon - and cos it was raining and well .. just because. 

 But mainly because I had a coupon for extra % off some beading items - that I wanted for Cait - who is making more earrings - and is going to open an Etsy store (more on that when we get it up and running!)    

So I grabbed lots and lots O bits she needed and then cos I was there - had a wander so see if there was anything to take my fancy.   But no fancies were to be had!!

 

 

  Came back home to a yummy lunch prepared by the MR.  

Panini with ham, sharp cheddar and caramelised fig and onion spread - OOH BABY it was good!

As  the rain kept coming down and down and down - I set myself up to scrap some more.  

Fave music on loud - Check

Fave chippies to munch on - Check

Iced Americano to drink - Check

Chocolate from NZ (Smarties - so much better than M&M's) - Check

 

There was not a lot of day left at this stage - but I got some projects done.  

 

 

Decided to make some stuff using Kaisercraft's new Class of 87 line.  

First up I made a pen/pencil holder by covering an empty Truvia carton - oh my thriftiness knows no bounds!

 

 

Then as I had finished my tube of Smarties - I decided it would look perfect in the pencil box.   These Smarties came in a cute set - it had 5 colours and yes the crayons do work!   So I covered up the Smarties tube with more Class of 87.

 

Added some IKEA markers and it is ready to go!  

Although I think it needs more of the big crayons - so I might have to take one for the team and eat another tube or two of Smarties

*LOL*

To finish off I covered a notebook with some more of the yummy papers. 

I even did fussy cutting for the image of the girl playing hopscotch.   Have I ever mentioned how much I HATE fussy cutting!   I actually did a lot of it over these few days - I think an alien has taken me over!

So that was Friday - we settled in for the night and watched a movie and had a relatively early night!

 

SPA TREATMENT well I was going to go and have a facial with a coupon I had - but I never made the appointment - silly me!

DINNER - ooh homemade nachos, didn't he do well - they were yummy too!!

DESSERT - Pistachio Instant Pudding - and again with the lashings of cream - oooh baby!

PRIZE WON - NYET NYET NYET... methinks this retreat host is sucky!!

CHA - to prove we really are here

although this next one is a shocking photo and seems all askew!

The weather has been gorgeous - I already have coloured up a tad - I even have a watch mark!   Yesterday we sat outside to have lunch - and I had this Tower O Onion rings which was yummy!

Then Terri went back to do another class, and on my way back to the hotel I stopped here WOOO HOOOOO

much cheaper than an airfare back home - and look at all these flavours of REAL New Zealand ICE-CREAM!!

and i sat outside in the sunshine and enjoyed this... adding here I also sent photos to Mike and the kids, who have informed me I am just mean *LOL*

 

OK I am off to bed, before I fall off this chair.  I do not have anything first thing in the morning YAYY - so will upload more photos then.

Stay tuned!

Resolutions !!!!!!!

We all make them.

We all break them.

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em; Know when to walk away, know when to run.. WHAT?? get outta here Kenny.. wrong song.. and I don't even like country music.   Anyway... as I was saying.   This year I have lots of things I want to do/change/be/start/end etc.    So instead of standing there at midnight making rash promises - I have spent the last couple of days making a board.

So I present - My 2011 Resolution Board

I took a large piece of tin (left over from an old project) and punched a couple of holes (good ole cropadile) and hung it by wire.   Because the edges of the tin were a tad sharp, I wrapped the edges with 7gypsies tape.   Over each hole where the wire came through I put two buttons as added stability to stop the wire pulling back - and as luck would have it I had two buttons with the #1 on them so it is for Year 11!     Then I grabbed some el cheapo wooden pegs and glued magnet strips on to the back of each one (which came with a message board and will never be used).   Then I painted the pegs in different colours.

Peridot - Daily

Periwinkle - Weekly

Aquamarine - Monthly

Red - Year

Then I set to, and made the actual resolutions for each peg.   Some are just visuals, some are words, some are a combination.   Scrappy items came in handy here!   The whole time I was making it - I was thinking about all the things that I wanted - and even before it was finished - I had/have already started to implement some of them.    This is hanging in my little office area so everytime I walk in and out I see it.  

So here is a close up of the different areas.

DAILY

These are things I want to change on a daily basis. 

I found some fun images in a recent magazine and some I had on my computer.

No that is not moisturiser on the moisturise label but liquid pearls - looks realistic though!!   

My personal fave - Stop letting it - with the visual of  time slipping through my fingers

In making the actual board - I already started on the save money part by using items I already had.   You might laugh at the "dressed before 9am" - but let me tell you - working for yourself from home, it is so easy some days to get up and start working - and suddenly it is nearly lunchtime and you are still in your jimjams!!   Enough I say!

 

WEEKLY

The 2lbs down goal - that is my minimum - I think I can do better - but that is my weekly aim.  

Some of the exercise goals will change to daily. 

The SWIM is swimming don't you think?

Fix Something refers to the house.   We all have little jobs that need a bit of DIY - that always seem to get put off - no more!!

 

MONTHLY

My poor old Vespa has not been ridden in yonks.  With the way petrol is flying up - I need to get back in the saddle! 

1 layout a month might seem paltry - but as I have done NONE layouts a month over the past year, well!!   It seems as though since I started *working* in the scrap industry my own scrapping has become a thing of the past!

Something for me - a little AB FAB dahling - or a little putting me first.  Might be as a simple as a pedicure, or lunch with friends, or as involved as a weekend away.

I am changing my albums up - pulled the layouts all out over a year ago - they still sit... sadly waiting for a new home.

DATES!!   I want some!!   Not just a night at the movies either!

 

YEAR

These are goals I want reached in 2011.

The bath - that actual bath (and tap) is sitting in our garage - in a box - waiting to be installed. 

We bought it last year along with a new basin unit.  

We want to totally redo the main bathroom which is 70's kitsch small YUK horrible nasty.  

It is going to be a big job - everything ripped out - along with an adjoining wall (cupboard) to make the room bigger, and a skylight pushed through - as it is an interior room and dark as a coalmine with the lights off.   But this year it is HAPPENING!

I love the font for learning something new - and I know what it is I want to learn - and no I am not fessing up.      The other image is very self explanatory and I won't be commenting!

 

So there you have it - the Board.   I am thinking this should be the topic for the layout I do for this month!    I have a few other items to go on the board - need more pegs - and over the year some of the items will change their status to daily, weekly, monthly.    Some will be bumped up (exercise) and some will be bumped down (dig photos) as situations change or get completed.

>>>>I've been craftily Christmassing<<<<

or is that Christmassy craftaling???   Anyway - here are some photos of recent projects.  

First up - a selection of the Christmas cards I made this year.   I was so late with making them and sending them out this year, in fact halfway through writing them I had to make some more as I did not have enough!  So I did not swamp this post and make it slow to load for some, I have made the images a little smaller.

The first set are showing what you can do just using punches and scraps of paper.   This actually came as kit from McGill and I got it last year on clearance.  I love the way they turned out.   My fave is the wreath one - amazing what your punches can do!

   

This set of cards also comes in a kit, I bought one last year too - it was slightly different.  But it is GREAT to have on hand when you quickly want some more cards - that still have that handmade feel.   It is Designs by Leere and comes in a cool box - that is great to keep.   I picked mine up at M's - of course with a coupon ;-).  If they have any left and they put them on clearance - grab one!   I still have last years box, and both of them make for great storage for Christmas card stuffs!!

 

This card is by Bo Bunny - from their Winter Joy line.   It was part of the Christmas card making class I did at the last retreat.

All of these cards show you can whip cards out - that are cute - using Cosmo Cricket papers (Jolly by Golly and Oh Joy) and SRM stickers (Quick Words and Sticker Sentiments).   These cards were also part of the card making class at both of the last retreats.    Just one sheet of Elements, a couple of pieces of paper and 1 sheet of stickers and you would amazed how many cards you can make.

Secondly - we always exchange gifts with our neighbours - usually something we make.   This was my offering this year.   I had bought this adorable little set of pots in a stand from IKEA and my initial thought was I was going to fill them with different homemade jams.  However on getting them home I discovered they had holes in the bottom - they were little planters.   Hmmmm foiled!!

So bright idea #2.    I planted small plants in them - lemon thyme, lemon sage and a lemon cypress (not edible actually an indoor plant).   Then I put some Anna Griffin snowflake stickers on each pot.   To round the gift off I made some lemon honey with lemons from our tree, and ta da!

 

All wrapped up and ready to be delivered!

Third, the completed Maya Road Album which I taught a couple of weekends ago.   I LOVE LOVE this - it is just adorable.   It is one of those lovely bulging at the seams albums.

I am not quite sure what I am going to put in it yet - fave photos?? fave Christmas quotes??  hmmmmm  

I still have 2 of these kits left - so if you want to purchase one - email me.

 

 

 

 

 

only 2 more sleeps until Christmas... so are you all ready??

 

 

 

**WW** can you smell the Nutmeg???

I am sure everyone's house still has yummy smells in it from all the Thanksgiving cooking goodness that went on.   And yes, I did get the meal done for my family - they did not just get a plate of CC Nutmeg :-D   Very nice it was too - we are using up the last of the leftovers today - and there is a little bit of one dessert left!     Did anyone brave the shopping madness??   I actually went out on Thanksgiving - mad I know - with my oldest Hannah - and we went to M's for a browse.   I got some fun little stocking things and a pressie for a friend in NZ - and also bought some fun wool to knit a scarf (don't even ask me about my other unfinished knitting projects ACK).  Hannah also got some wool, some patterns and a project to make *........* for someone for Christmas - sorry can't divulge - they might read this blog - but I will show you the project when she is done - it is cool.

 

But it's now Sunday (where did the 4 days go!!) so time to draw the winner for all the Nutmeg Goodies (and yes I did slip some Boyfriend chipboard in there too).

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

1	

Timestamp: 2010-11-28 17:16:27 UTC

well it just pays to be quick off the mark!!    I don't think #1 has come up in all the giveaways.   So who is it??

Monica Blain said...

Ooo I love Nutmeg! I was trying to find this line for my fall projects this year but every place was out of bits & pieces of it. Love those woodgrain letters, too.

Reply November 24, 2010 at 02:48 PM

Well done Monica - I guess you will be getting those projects finished now. 

You will have to send me photos when you are done for me to post for all to see!

Now remember to come back everyone next Wednesday - I am sure you can guess what the month of December giveaways theme is going to be!!

Also make sure you get your order in to the store by midnight tonight to take advantage of.....

 

*-GREEN WEDNESDAY-*
~~SALE ENDS SOON~~

 20% discount STOREWIDE
ends tonight at midnight

Use the code greengobble

~~~~~~Happy Thanksgiving~~~~~~

from us to you and yours

and because this is way better than just photos... a video... did you all know I have an accent... but I am sure in real life I do not sound so shrill and high pitched LOL...

We are going to have dessert for dinner I think - we are all a tad stuffed!

 

but wait.... there's more!!

raspberries that is.

8lbs of them in fact... to be made into more raspberry jam.   The kids and Mike (oh yes maybe me too) have been scarfing through the two lots I already made so I thought I better make some more before the fresh ones disappeared from the markets.

Last night at our local Farmers Market which is on it's second to last week for the year, they had them for $1.00 a punnet.   Yes you read that right - only one freaking dollar!!    I was not going to pass that up!

So I bought lots - officially it was 12lbs of raspberries, but I decided to freeze 4 lbs of them.     This time it better make enough jam to last us until next year - otherwise YUK YUK we will have to have storebought UGH YUK BLEECH.

So my first job today (after showering and getting dressed) will be turning those beauties into more pots of jam!

As to yesterday's Wednesday Winner's post - every little dollar counts - it does not matter how much or how little you can donate - so head back to that post and be in to win!

**Wednesday Winners** mid-Summer Christmas

Being from New Zealand – having Christmas in the summer makes perfect sense to me.     I mean I had 36 summer Christmases before I moved to the Northern Hemisphere.   I am not sure I will ever get used to a winter one!    The photo above is of a Pohutukawa Tree, commonly known as the New Zealand Christmas Tree.   It blooms around Christmas time and is a blaze of red ..... just  GORGEOUS!   

 Despite the heat of a summers day we would still most times have all the traditional stuff – let me tell you it’s a little rough having the whole Turkey with all the trimmings followed by Christmas Pudding on a hot summers day.... but we managed....   ooooooh Christmas Mince Pies... another fave... ok now I am hungry!

The one thing I really miss I think is all the trimmings – because it was all fresh young vegetables (often out of Dad’s garden) and summer fruits – all of which were in season.   Christmas Lillies also are a big part of chrissy in NZ. – the smell of those ALWAYS mean Christmas to me.  So... to recreate this costs me an arm and a leg because everything is out of season.

So in NZ - we would often have get together with friends and/or family and have a midwinter Christmas – in July.   So I thought today’s giveaway – should be the opposite.  

A midsummer Christmas in July giveaway.

 

I think I actually want to keep all this stuff for myself because I can think of wonderful things I can make!!... even gifts... nothing like being prepared – cos there are only

156 Days  14 Hours  50 Minutes

left until Christmas!

I mean what about making a fun Advent Calendar with these from Little Yellow Bicycle??

 

Or instead of using this on a page, what about painting a tin, covering it with this (also from Little Yellow Bicycle) and filling it with yummies for a neighbor or friend

 

You could make fun jewellery with these from WeRMemoryKeepers (we don’t need no steenking page embellishments)

Oh well if you insist on being a picky scrapbooker, I guess I better throw in one of these from LYB....

And some Christmas ribbon out of my stash, and then I guess you  want to cover that album with some paper - so throwing in some of this as well.... old tyme Cosmo... yummilicious it is...

ok I tricked you .,.. that last piece is Making Memories.. but it is so damn KEE- YOOT!

 

 

Zee RulZ

Every Wednesday for eternity (or until I retire, run away from home, go broke or kick the bouquet) there will be a contest on the blog with prizes for you.   

Each week you have to comment on the Wednesday Winners blogpost to be in the draw – and the weiner whiner winner will be drawn on Saturdays. 

The winner has to send me a photo of something they create with their WINNINGS so I can post it on the blog for all to see and be INSPIRED by.

Ok are we all clear ???

 

Make sure you bookmark this blog or add it to your feed – so you know when the latest *WW* has been posted.  You never know I might just throw in an extra contest here and there!

FECK - it's a Flock of Fabulous 50th and Fathers day Fotos