Thank you for taking time to visit, and I hope I am even a tiny bit helpful as I have been helped and blessed by so many others. I have been doing Calligraphy since teens, and card making for many years as well. In 1990 I delighted in the joys of stamping with ink and embossing after a trip to Cairns, Qld. In 2009 I discovered the brayer, 2010 the Cuttlebug, also have now taking to reading up on crafting blogs and lo! Here I am, on one of my own.

I live on the coast of eastern Australia. I am a Christian. I trusted in the LORD down here at the beach, amazingly it is not far from where I now live. It was over 50 years ago, after a Beach Mission Service at the age of 12 years

Wednesday 30 July 2014

Bugaboo Edward Elephant Present First Birthday card + WOYWW

Hullo everyone .. yes another mid week post.. and yes am pleased to report the card begun last week and chair recovering are are both finished yay!!!. 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!
okay an exciting desk for me today for a number of reasons.. firstly have finished Husdon's card which I began back here on the 9.7.14. The lovely aqua butterfly card is from a very special crafter in USA. I met Marilyn on Christian Cardmakers a facebook group which you are most welcome to join. I show her card and Hudson's below. Also I have my very first Lili of the Valley 8 x 8 pad and oh am totally in love.. 8" x 8" is so much better than 6" x 6". Only have three of 6" x 6"  but would not bother getting them now  8" x 8" way to go! LOTV had a sale on them and their stamps so splurged and bought a stamp too the man in the beach chair. One good thing about selling cards means more stash (thanks Nat).. legitimately :D
Kindly sent as RAK from Marilyn On Christian Card Makers Face Book
Punch layered arches corners discontinued SU DP, Victorian squares dies, and SB Ovals petites coloured with primsacolours, EF Is CB Spots and Dots. With sponging around die edge done with Adirinodack Cloudy Blue. Bugaboo 3D "Edward Elephant Present" image for a first birthday card
 




Recovering chair shown last week.. some said last week the cushions could come off but these most definitely could not!! So used blunt nosed scissor and pushed and shoved the folded edge in and under the plastic between cushion and chair as shown.. talk about hard on arthritic hands but well worth it! Don't you think??
Last here are two photos from Oz - took these when was in courtyard garden taking card photos this the weed - it grows where it wants not where you want it necessarily.. it is Vinca and is growing in cracks in concrete. Right back plant is a cordyline.
this is a favourite bromeliad...
A special welcome to two new encouragers of this humble blog - to Cathy of the Playground and Cathy's Card spot - look at this lovely piece! and also to TillyTrotter..trying to hunt out her blog?.
Every blessing, thanks so very much for popping over for a peek and chat and may God bless your day wherever you may be!
 Shaz.xx
Also want to join Bugaboo 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

Saturday 26 July 2014

Christmas Cards Upcycle .. again!

{For Annie's Friday smiles - click here}

Okay some how or t'other the 25th of July has snuck up on me yet again!.. I ask you - just how does this happen!?? am quite sure it was the first, just a few days ago?? so 25th or in my case 26th means it is the time for Sarn's Christmas challenge, called Rudolph Day over at Stamping for Pleasure! 

I do like to try and join cos it means two more cards made for the end of the year.. and they are slowly adding up..
As it happened my sister gave me this week some cards she had finished with - and among them were some  Christmas cards so thought yes! will upcycle these!! I really love this first one is is all sparkly and beautifully embossed too... unhappily not much of the sparkle shows on the baubles. I did not like the greeting. Each of my cards must reflect the rel reason for Christmas somewhere on the card .. if not in the image.. after all it is Christmas we are celebrating ... so re-cut the bottom. Used snippets of gold on this card as well.
 The next card was fiddly cut out.. and not sure would bother again as not 100% on it.. however is it is one more card made for the pile!
The greeting on it was a pass it on card received several years ago and been sitting on top of my drawers. Used more gold snippets and red mounting - simple cards as time was of essence.
 One more thing before I close, I have recently found out about a new method.. thought I would share as this is an easy Christmas card. I hope to make some of them! 
"My quilted candle card, is from the Hanko Designs Holiday Pattern Kit. To see the paper quilting technique, go to this video by Hanko.
I chose to "pad" only the candle, and made the flame with gold textured paper pasted over cardstock and trimmed to shape. It was given a raised effect with 3-D tape underneath."

If you want to see some more paper quilting see Pinterest - my page.
Do pop over to Sarn's for more inspiration folks!! and thank you so very much for popping over for a peek ad chat - and may our wonderful heavenly Father God bless your day wherever you may be!
Shaz in Oz.x
Also want to join 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

Friday 25 July 2014

Mrs A's Butterfly Challenge and "White on White" at Allsorts

{ANNIE"S FRIDAY SMILES - post see down below) 
Hullo everyone well this ultra quick post to lob in and share this card.. over at Allsorts it is White on White (first card) and at Mrs A's challenge is spots and stripes (second card) so decided to combine the two. Had this idea y'see! ;D
So here tis! wanted to use vellum embossed with stamps (Elusive Images) hardly ever used - on vellum, white embossing powder and Versamark, and a frame with glitter card. Now had to use square punch by EK Success and the scallop Spellbinders as two dies (square and scallop) would not work. Embossing folders are CB Spots and Dots, and Candy stripes,  "Just for you" is SU "All Ovals" with oval punch. Then looked at it afterwards and realised: 1. it had no butterfly and 2. my friend who I was giving this too would want some mauve on it. (and why does white look cream on left?)
So out came the Tombows and coloured the back of the vellum, re-stamped the Just for You stamp and mounted on snippets of brayered glimmery card and punched two butterflies with same, added some pearls, and ta da!! another look to the same card. Now is just me or does this one look heaps better?
As this card has snippets am also popping over to the snippets playground and also to Word Art Wednesday and the Anything goes challenge.
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

Annies Friday's Smiles for this week!

Well, am not always good at joining up but saw few things wanted to share this week so linking over with Annie's smiles! for some more to warm the cockles of your heart - look over here!
This brought a chuckle and cracked a smile when read on Facebook, "the fount of all wisdom", this week.. bit redundant the instructions? or maybe the Chinese really think we need them?
This next image I found on Pinterest and really have soft spot for A.A.Milne .. never will grow up s maybe that is why!! and really love the sentiment on this one .. we need much to be thankful each day .. count your blessings, name the one by one! 
One of the folk I am friends with on Facebook often lists three blessings of the day for which she is thankful ~ a good practise I think!
and last one read on Facebook.. gave me a chuckle anyway... definitely age related:
 "Did you just fall???"

"Noooo... I attacked the floor."

"Backwards?"

"I'm talented."


Lastly will share two photos from my garden which gave me a big smile. First one is my rose garden which is why did not post items above this last week as was intended. Was flat out mulching, feeding and laying wet newspaper under all the roses. Then yesterday ultra kind family members arrived with three new babies for this rose lover. YAY!! and so healthy, they are just bursting with buds ... all VERY fragrant as that is the main criteria to arrive in this garden. They are from right to left "Close to You", "Fiona's Wish" and "Firefighters".
This next shot had me puzzled at first, till I woke up. We planted a packet of ordinary sweet peas then cos not many were shooting (but not so now) I bought a punnet of Bijou Dwarf Sweet pea as they would cover the bottom of the trellis. However two plants streaked away and were not fragrant with white only flowers; a little annoyed till realised they were sugar snap peas! yum! so there are the peas almost ready to eat down the bottom of the plant. Now there are only two plants thus far, so possibly the other six plants are bijou and two are peas??
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

Wednesday 23 July 2014

WOYWW + Vellum Card Completed!

Hullo everyone .. well another WOYWW or What is On Your Wednesday is upon us.. yes! amazingly another week has passed. For the initiated, to see just what WOYWW is about do pop over to our hostesses desk Julia of the Stamping ground and see for yourself! So here is my desk!
Some of you might be forgiven for thinking you have seen this desk before as it rather similar to the one I showed two weeks ago! I had to interrupt the making of this ultra cute Bugaboo image card for my great nephews very first birthday to make the card shown below. But now I do have a card layout chosen which is the sketch on the right (but going to flip it have decided) near the monkeys and their WOYWW badge. To left far bottom corner is new Versafine ink pad in Imperial Purple .. I love these pads they emboss so beautifully, and my fav. navy blue pad is one of these and as love purple have decided to get this one .. not tested yet.
Next exciting image is of the newbie in my craft cum computer room. I have inherited this cast off of a swivel draftsman chair which is nicely raised for my desk which is standing height as do most of my crafting that way. As you can see it is in need of new covering and those red colours dont quite go, so have some material saved from old curtain one side were okay other side had worn out. Plan is to cover it ...so watch this space. On left behind it is my cutting station.. an old TV cabinet from 1960's which my dad turned into a bookcase... now has crafty items stored in it. Have a big shot as well as cuttlebug as thought the CB was broken (2 years ago now!) and then someone on WOYWW sorted me out on it so the Big shot is used for certain things and CB for others!
Here is the card I was working on last week's desk (Nat look away). Has La la Corners, the HB greeting is Memory box, Sarah & 18 is Olivia CB alphabet, the 18 underlay gold is from SB labels 8 fancy set. The music stamp is from Victorine originals. Has special poem inside which is on my desk today, under the print out for Hudson's greeting.
Last image of the day is of the large seas we have been having up and down the cost at the moment though they are dropping now. Sadly we have visitors who dont realise how dangerous these seas are. A Scandinavian visitor was swept out to sea at 5pm yesterday, at South West Rocks south of here, and north at Ballina two days ago, a young Asian man was also swept out to sea.. not first and sadly wont be last. And yes has happened right at this spot in last twelve months, usually visitors but occasionally even a local may have it happen.
Well, thanks so much every one for popping over for peek and chat and may God bless your day wherever you may be. Shaz in Oz.x
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  

Wednesday 16 July 2014

WOYWW + Stamping on vellum

Well, this is going to be one licketty-split post today!!
As not much time for the craft room or the computer for that matter.. the garden beckons and will for another week or so until the roses are done. Took delivery this morning of the annual mulch and food for the three dozen roses out the back. It is winter here. They have been pruned, weeded dug over and sprayed with lime sulphur for black spot. Now wait all the bags of food and the wet newspaper and mulch on top to impede the growth of weeds and keep the water in  the soil. Costs a small bucket of money or two at this time every year. Now to my desk... for it is WOYWW or What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday, over at world wide desk hostess Julia’s blog - here!

Okay - card started on last weeks desk is in cellophane bag at back, with NOT any more done on it!! flat out since last Wednesday, out every day till yesterday, plus weeding garden. Had started another card .. an 18th birthday one (hence test run with die cuts with scrap card). I have stamped on vellum with music background stamp (with Versamark and ultra fine Ranger gold Embossing powder). I love the Victorine Original stamp bought on eBay .. beautiful etched and a delight to use! The colours requested were mauve, light green, or yellow and orange. Used the Riveria Kaleidocolor to brayer two pieces of gloss for the die cuts. The plan is to make it like this last  music card on this post here.
Finally sharing a card and atc received some weeks back but kept forgetting to share it .. aren't they lovely? both atc and card made by Robyn of Waterlily cards - thanks dear friend! :D
Now for the photos of Oz today.. am sharing some play with camera - first one is called Reflections and second one is Fragmented (think it kind of does your eyes in  this one). Last one is as the eye sees it.
 
We saw two whales breaching the water, about half way out to the skyline from waves breaking. They were having fun on their way up north to warmer waters. This view is from my sister's verandah.
Happy WOYWW everyone!
I will comment as able but time online needs be limited, I will do my best, may take me while to get back to you :D 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

Monday 14 July 2014

OSA Challenge Cards Sea with White Pen challenge


Over at Oriental Stamp Art group June challenge was to make a card with a sea scene and also for June the challenge was to use white pen.. as the time element was at a premium when for two simple cards..
 Method:
1. cut a frame on large sticky note with spellbinder think this one is labels 25 by Spellbinder.
2.Then used extra re-positional tape to attach it to card and cover up all of card except where you want stamp and colours to go..
3. then stamped stamps (and heat embossed as easier to do white pen then)..
4. then on swirl one used the PanPastels to colour it, but for second one used inks and like it much better. Just used ink daubers mostly with little extra ink on them, had used them on another work so were bit inky.
5. Then added the pen, and removed the masks.
 First card is Sea - a stamp from Artneko still current.http://www.artneko.com/displayItem/A127-SET3 Called "The Wave and the moon Bogo" Coloured with sponge daubers and ink, plus lots of white ink for foam etc. Second stamp which is just for the June Challenge was one I thought of when saw this challenge, a Leaf swirl stamp by Chocolate Baroque (UK), Kanji from Artneko too. "Thank you" is a digi made in Word with a Da font download called One Smear - see here http://www.dafont.com/one-smear.font
Also have another card to share... over at my friend Ginny's blog "Maxam Made" she has lots of freebie digis to share and the shells on this card are one of them.
When saw them, I bethought myself of a half done card in my reject or waiting pile - with an Our Daily Bread stamp "the Sea" masked, stamped and coloured with PanPastels month ago now. Had smeared on edge of plain white card - so needed to trim and mount it.
I printed two small copies of the shells, then 3'd then but as only two layers not sure if this is 3d? :D 
I made the Bible verse digi with a Dafont script (BD Renaissance) - see previous post below on how to install them onto Word .. its so much fun! The CB folder is swirls, with fancy labels by SB. I will paste it below but not sure if is is downloaded as it is just in m Word programme, not sure how to convert them to a png file.


Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man,
the things which God hath prepared
for them that love Him.
1 Corinthians 2:9b

What a privilege we have in our wonderful God! Let us all come to Him for our strength for the day and as our Guide for the way.. 

Every blessing, thanks so very much for popping over for a peek and chat and may god bless your day wherever you may be!
Shaz in Oz.x


Also want to join 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
3. Allsorts Challenge - Splish Splash Splosh! http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/week-267-splish-splash-splosh.html Card 1 and card 3

Wednesday 9 July 2014

DaFont Download to Word + WOYWW


Hullo everyone .. yes another mid week post.. and yes not much time as seem to be working on overload here .. need to get outside and sort out some things out there soon while it isn't too cold. 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!
So here we see me in mid stream...card at top left is from Ginny as won some candy on her blog :D. Centre: I have done the Bugaboo 3D image for a first birthday card... and trying to work out what sort of 1. layout to do and 2. what text to use on the card? Had downloaded four new fonts and really liked them - more on that anon. Also on right is new Spellbinder (Fancy labels 25) bought on eBay( and yes, order done last week meant $ for new stash :D ). Going to whinge here, I was annoyed by the new minimalist packaging on them. Only three layers of ultra thin card between the parcel from USA. It was loose and floating around inside .. not stiff or supporting enough at all. They could have been so easily bent, thankfully they were not. A letter to Spellbinder, plus sender, is coming on, I suspect!
Re the download of the new fonts above if you are like me and like to use digi personalised greeting on computer, this site is really good and this is where some these came from Dafont.com
now if you have Word you can install these fonts into your word programme (Ginny taught me this as wasn't straight forward to me).
Steps are as follows ( I have 2003 version of Word):  
  1. Chose font and download.
  2. Open download file and move to Documents location of folder  called Calligraphy fonts.
  3. Extract files by right click on 7zip.
  4. Select (highlight it) extracted file to actually open the extracted file.
  5.  Use the word doc button on top tool bar and select “Word Font viewer” from clicked on down drop menu of two. 
  6. Click install button on top of pop out with Word Font viewer. It is then installed on Word. Open a word doc.
  7. Find the font in Word drop down menu list and use on Word.
Card made with digi image... and also a freebie digi bamboo image, which added embossing too. See over here on Ginny's blog she often has freebie digis for everyone.. really love this one! Verse is from Word Art Wednesday.
What a great promise to hold onto, His word is our Light and and Guide .. and really that is found the LORD Jesus, for He the Light of the World, and is also called the Way the Truth and the Life! how utterly precious..

To close here is the image from Oz...it is rainbow lorikeet high up in tree munching on some loquats about 30 feet up the tree . I was actually going to say it was a native fruiting tree here, but when went to Wikipedia, just now it says it from China!
We used to eat them on the way home from school, as was tree of them, plus guava tree ,yum... and some mulberries.
Also would like to welcome my newest wodnerful encourager... and a new blogger so go and welcome her! she has some lovely digi paper on offer too, see here Gracie of Graciellie design!
Happy WOYWW every one and may God bless your day! 
wherever you may be! Shaz in Oz.x

Also want to join 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

Wednesday 2 July 2014

WOYWW + Bugaboo + White Emboss Resist card

Well, we passed safely into a new financial year, also into winter here where I live in Oz. It suddenly has become what we call cold at night here, thankfully lovely warm days but hard to be inside when sun beckons outside! 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!
And yes have finally finished all five of Lee’s cards – you can see me with last two print outs done of the poem inserts for inside of cards (under cards) and left last night ; am ready to cut insert for these two cards. (mm, desk resembles push and shove clean up) Purple one showed last week (here, and posted one here too). The blue one was started on last weeks desk, so am sharing it this week. On the right had side next to my small guillotine you can see my homemade bow easy. Have one but is is very safe(?) place :D I needed a grosgrain ribbon bow for blue card - solution? after watching the short clear video saved to my mobile (see here)worked out which dimensions I needed and cut up from scrap card, so there 'tis.
 So this the card which I was working on last week see here for white embossing powder resist. Tip: heat the embossing powder from the bottom, (especially important with large area of embossing like this one) and you wont get dimples in your embossing. Two strips at back of embossing are the Crafts Concepts Budding vine. Stamp is from Stamping Up, the butterflies are from Victorine Originals, punch is MS Layered Arches. The greeting is a digi formatted in Word, and heat embossed if you are quick enough you can heat emboss greetings, etc. Scored line and two pearls.
The next card has been done before (see here), even had some of the embossed squares folder left to make the card. Jazzed it up with dies, as Lee likes fancy; they are Fleur de Lis Labels 8 top and Victorian Squares for greeting, I think? Digi is house moving digi from Bugaboo ..cool huh!! have paper pieced it, but hard to see.
Here is the beach last week, that is Muttonbird island and the jetty in the distance, on one of my daily walks - the afternoon lights are so pretty so clear in winter do enjoy Gods wonderful creation in this part of the world.. have lots of lovely chats to Him down there... sit among the rocks, enjoy, and look and pray!!
A big welcome to Elaine A., latest wonderful encourager, of this humble blog.. many thanks if you have blog let me know so I can join it and also link over to it from a post here.
 Happy WOYWW every one and may God bless your day 
wherever you may be! Shaz in Oz.x

Also want to join 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
3. Penny Black and more June Challenge - Use a favourite stamp.. First card.. http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/june-challenge.html
4. http://inkspirationalchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/challenge-59-blue-with-white-or-cream.html  Blue and White Inkspirational Challenge - first card is an entry for this challenge I just found courtesy of Cornelia. :D 
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