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 21 January 2015

Pineapple Progress + Fruitful WOYWW

Hullo there everyone!
another week and another WOYWW have whooshed into view! :D
 Here is WOYWW or What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday over at Julia's blog we peek at desks of the world ! To my messy desk (has been tidied a little since then but more needing done).
Well, on last week desk I had six cards on the go. Here is the main one completed in front centre, which is posted on post below or click here (as well as butterfly one), on right of it is the prototype I made to get the idea of design, and will be made into 70th birthday for a friend on 7th Feb. Thanks card not quite finished, made as thanks for cookies given by 80 y.o. friend. Far left on desk is half done for a missionary birthday card for Feb. Last one is the Christmas tree NBUS stamp not yet made up. In centre of desk is my card blog stamp (details here) ready to go with my home made embossing buddy (see recipe here) and EP in wee round container, pricking tool and dies used to be put away.. done now :D
Two photos from Oz today - and fruity variety - first below! At Woolworths I bought  large Kensington Pride (my fav.) mangoes, 3 for $4.55. Lovely juicy delights! Two of three below, next to my glasses for comparison.

My pineapple has grown quite a lot since last sharing here (Last link over). Full story of first plant see here.
Oh and before I close I did think perhaps I might learn something from this frog, and just stick to one card at a time (one day!):

Thanks for popping over everyone for peek and chat.. sorry, I will comment as time permits :D but really appreciate your thoughtfulness to comment.
May God bless your day wherever you may be.
Shaz in Oz.x

"O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways." Psalm 139:1-3

Wedding Card Snippets ++++ with NBUS Challenge



Hullo there everyone! Well two cards to share ~ one made entirely on snippets only new items were the tape used and pearls !!! Think this is a record for a snippets card for me!
Oh, and some NBUS on both cards.
First card - snippets used - except base card. The Crafts Too blossom embossing folder + butterfly Vivienne MB are both new unused items. Inks (Distress) were shown on desk last post below. Card for someone in need.
A wedding card for a friend. The NBUS is the Gold labels 4 in the centre with greeting, I was able to emboss the printed digi after printing because of glossy sheen on card. All card used was from invites to wedding, except the base card which was a order of service from another wedding. So all printing on invites are on the back. The slightly tinted pink on bottom of petals of  Britannia Poinsettia dies is another piece on invite as it is the bubbly centre piece. SB Borderability Scalloped also used and popped up on each layer. Swirl is leaf swirl by memory Box. Initials are from Cuttlebug Olivia dies
 
Can see layering better here. The Embossing folder is Couture creations Tied Together. What was such an answer to prayer was found the font used on invite and matched perfectly (on Dafont - AdineKirnberg Script).
Also recycled the envelope by turning it inside out re-gluing it, and putting black and white music print washi on sticky edge of lick down part of envelope, now on outside. Wrote names by hand on the back.
Well thanks for peeking everyone, happy WOYWW and may God bless your day wherever you may be, Shaz in Oz. x
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105.
Also linking over:

Di's Snippety challenge - Used  a number of snippets on cards. http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/
Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au.
Stephanie's Enchanting Rose link up party 

Wednesday 14 January 2015

Ink Block Imprints + WOYWW

Hullo there everyone, well another quick post to link over to WOYWW for those not in the know it is What is On Your workdesk Wednesday.. pop over to our Julia's desk at the Stamping Ground!
Now to my desk: 
Okay this is 24 hours ago, but still like this.. I was in withdrawals so although technically not supposed to be here went along with some inky playing .. I counted this morning I have six cards on the go and this is one of them.One of the good things about having a craft room (and still revel in this side of it) is that you can come and play for ten mins then go back to what you should be doing.. This is the Distress inks (Peacock Feathers + Dusty Concord) squished on large rectangular ink block spritzed and the water colour paper also spritzed. (NOTE: leave inked up ink block on the paper for while before removing and gently lift off so as not to lift too much ink.) Butterfly (MB Vivienne) is going to be on it and added vellum underlay since then and sprayed it and the water colour ink  image with Diamond Dust Glimmer mist. The Peter Rabbit Thank you card is from 9(?) year old Daniel in France, cute huh? Oh, and Monkeys say "Happy WOYWW" everyone!
This is a card started ages ago and finally finished this week.. masked off die cut shape and inked over then stamped with SU Small Silhouettes in deep blue then debossed the next size die around the image. as it was snippet of neglect since Feb or Jan last year am entering the snippets playground with this, off to swings :D an' Miss, will bring some of our sunshine!
This is the first Australian image today... a sunset at the beach - it is two black cockatoos flying across the seaside sky from my sister's balcony last Wednesday evening. They are huge birds and flew so fast was surprised I caught them on camera. There were about a dozen of them around their big bird bath the night before but missed that. (Edit: BTW had a swim at our beach/ creek this afternoon :D)
These are our two Kangaroo Paw .. red and yellow no idea of exact names as grew red from piece from neighbours and the yellow was in tiny tube and was bought as a dwarf. The funny thing every other year it has been dwarf like the ones at front but ones at back are mixed up and think they are as big as the red one now!
Close up is to show you why it is called a Kangaroo Paw... the plant when open supposedly reminded the first settlers of the paw of the kangaroo.
That's all for me today except am bit behind in giving a VERY big welcome to some new folk, who have joined this 'ere 'umble blog:
**Hazel of My Card Attic (here).. Hazel is from the Uk and has some beautifully made CAS cards, do peek!
**Connie of Connie's Crafter Creations (see her lovely blog here) and Connie has exquisitely executed cards and  Connie loves her die cuts, like me.
**Desire Fourie of Doing Life blog (here) who has inspiring complex card layouts, from which we can all learn.
I really do appreciate all folk who join as wonderful encouragers of this blog.

Thanks for popping over everyone for peek and chat. I will return comments as time permits :D and really appreciate your words.
May God bless your day wherever you may be.
Shaz in Oz.x

"The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
  The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all"... Psalm 145: 8,9
Am linking over to these challenges:
1. Di's Snippety challenge - Used  a number of snippets on cards. http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/

Saturday 10 January 2015

What God Hath Promised ~ Grace, Strength, Hope for the Day!

I came across in tidying up a bookmark, an incomplete poem I felt .. so looked. It was not all the poem (or hymn as I found out) but wanted to know who wrote it as the printed bookmark did not have that either. Upon reading it all I wanted to share it .. for it so touched my heart, and thought it may bless others (the link used is here):
" This the last hymn written by Annie Johnson Flint. 
Her hands were so gnarled by arthritis that she was unable to hold a pen, so a crayon or stick of chalk was wedged between her fingers, so she could write on a surface suspended over her bed. She had hoped to become a concert pianist, but in her late twenties she was diagnosed with arthritis. By the end of her life she was just four feet tall."

What God hath promised
God hath not promised skies always blue,
 flower strewn pathways all our lives through.
God hath not promised sun without rain, 
 joy without sorrow, peace without pain, 
 
God hath not promised we shall not know
 toil and temptation trouble and woe.
 He hath not told us, we shall not bear,
 many a burden, many a care.
 
But hath promised strength for the day,
 Rest for the labour, light for the way,
 Grace for the trials, help from above,
 Unfailing sympathy, undying love.
 
God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
 Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
 Never a mountain rocky and steep,
 Never a river turbid and deep.
 
But God hath promised strength for the day,
 Rest for the labour, light for the way,
 Grace for the trials, help from above,
 Unfailing sympathy, undying love.
 by Annie Johnson Flint.

 It really tied in well with this illuminated work I did some time back for a very dear friend in Melbourne. 
 I pray the LORD might use this lift your heart, to cheer you on your way, wherever you may be.. 

For He cares for you, not in a light-hearted, flippant way but in a deeply loving understanding way.. He knows your every need, care, woe and burden and grief of heart. He is a true Father and cares for His own... 
So cast all your care upon Him..  and leave them with Him, dont pull them back :D
He is able to bare your burdens, that is why He is called the Burden Bearer.
Sending loving thoughts and prayers for each of you who read this, praying at the throne of grace where we find Grace to Help in time of need. 
Shaz in Oz.x
A biography of Annie Johnson Flint is here .. and she also wrote the extra special hymn "He giveth more grace", another great favourite of mine.
see here:
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need". Hebrews 4:16


Linking up to:
Annie's Smiles over at  Stitch in time - as this hymn and researching this post really brought a smile to my face and joy to my heart.
Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au.

Wednesday 7 January 2015

3-in1 Link over ~ Enchanting Rose, NBUS + WOYWW

Hullo there every one.. well, it is that time of the week again seems like blink it was New Year's eve and here we are a week into 2015! (for those here for Debby's five favourites of 2014, my link is here)
Now the business of the day is three fold:
1. Over at Darnell's she has another NBUS challenge which stands for Not Used Before Schtuff, so posting my cards for that below (great prizes). Also linking to:
3. The post for WOYWW or What is on Your Workdesk Wednesday over Julia's  ~ we check out the desks of the world, all of which are much tidier than mine, I am sure!!! look and see!
Okay , was great excitement here when post came this morning, the stamp set (middle) from Sweet 'n Sassy in USA were here! Mailed by my kind friend, Marilyn in US *(SharingSimpleThingsBlog is here) and as a surprise she very kindly stamped all those wee nativity images and die cut them as well! I so liked her card she made (see below) for my Christmas card.. SB dies on left are through her too as she found a Scrapmart $10 and $5 SB sale in USA, more "speshul" generosity!! card on top right was blogged last week, just happened to be there still, other is mailed to Sue of bookmark below).
*Marilyn's card with Sweet 'n Sassy Nativity stamp and die set.. isn't the most wonderful card? Connecting the theme of the manger to the cross, with embossing folder by Darice - Cross/with words
Memory box "Glowing candles" some NBUS used here with Digi Verse: "the Father gave the Son to be the Saviour of the world" for ribboned greeting will make more of these, do like them! Holly Ribbons is EF from CB
More NBUS on lower left (Part of $10 SB Moroccan die set, ad the one top right had for ages another SB, but dont recall every carding it before, Fleur de Lis top-left had used before not counted for NBUS.
A bookmark made for my friend Sue, suffering from cancer, I put this poem on the front and the image below on the back, laminated then added ribbon and lace in the top punched hole.
If anyone wants poem let me know and will add it so you can Copy and paste it .. it is hard to find it whole and with poet's name .. mostly shows up as anonymous! {EDIT: had already request in second comment, so will add below poem "the Weaver by B M Franklin" as it is hard to find}.
Corners are from Fleur de lis Square die and just cut up black die cut into pieces for corners, and the Prim poppy from Memory Box.
I made this digi image from Google picture + used averse from Word Art Wednesday some time back love it ..!
 Here is photo from Oz today, one from a few years ago as this is very late on Tuesday night and dont have time, tomorrow is full on and either do it now or now at all.. sorry :D
where I went swimming last week... :D
Well thanks for peeking everyone, happy WOYWW and may God bless your day wherever you may be, Shaz in Oz. x

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights." James 1:17

Have scheduled this post and will link over later, when time permits :D
Also linking over  two otehr challenges ohter than NBUS Challenge:
 Di's Snippety challenge - Used  a number of snippets on cards. http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/
Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au.
and over to Hazelnuts Christmas card challenge too! http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/chnc-challenge-210-anything-goes.html


The Weaver 

My life is but a weaving
between my Lord and me,

I cannot choose the colours;
He worketh steadily.

Oftimes He weaveth sorrow,
and I in foolish pride,
Forget that he sees the upper
 and I the underside.

Not ‘till the loom is silent
and the shuttles cease to fly,
Shall God unroll the canvas
 and explain the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful
in the Weaver’s skilful hand,
As the threads of gold and silver
in the pattern He has planned.

Behind my life the Weaver stands
and works His wondrous will,
I leave it in His all- wise hands
and trust His perfect skill.
         B.M Franklin

Thursday 1 January 2015

Every blessing of the LORD in 2015.

May the Lord be our Guide and keep us in the hollow of His hand, all through each moment of 2015.
For those who know Him not - may this year be the year they see Him truly, and receive His gift of salvation, found in Jesus - link here.


 Jesus  said:

"I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." John 8:12

"Without Him, I can do nothing. "  John 15:5
"As thy days so shall thy Strength be." Deuteronomy 33:25

 Every blessing of the LORD be upon you all, as you walk through 2015. Thanks so very very much for all your encouragement in 2014. You are such a blessing to me.
Shaz in Oz.x
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