August ATC Theme

Do you love these gorgeous pieces of mini art??? Well if you do, head on over to http://www.scrapbooking4less.com.au/ and sign up to join in our August Swap - "Under the Sea". I'm picturing gorgeous blues and greens, mermaids, seahorses, colourful fish and sparkles! I cant wait to sit down and work out what I'm going to do -- i might actually draw on this one, instead of my usual collage style... should be interesting!

August Card Swap

Good Morning Everyone in Blog Land :D Im hosting my first Card Swap over at http://www.scrapbooking4less.com.au/ . If you would like to join in please head over to the forum and become a member! Swap Details: Sign Up By: 8th August 2008 Items to be posted to By: 5th September 2008 Items Posted to Participants: 12th September 2008 (sooner if i get them all) REQUIREMENTS: * You will need to make two cards for each person who signs up for the swap. (ie. if there are 10 sign-ups you will need to make 10 birthday cards and 10 cards of your choice ie Thank You, anniversary, holiday ) * If we have under 5 sign ups, we can each make 4 cards ( i.e 2 birthday cards and 2 Thank You/anniversary/holiday cards for each sign up) * Cards should fit into a C6 sized envelope. All items should be able to go as standard postage. * Please Include a blank envelope for each card to go in. * The inside of the card should remain blank. You may put a small signature or "made by" on the back of the card. * Include a stamped, self-addressed envelope so I post your cards back to you. Please place your cards into a ziplock bag/Page Protector for postage Id love to see some new faces join S4L as its a great forum full of wonderful ladies who are talented, helpful and very very welcoming. We always have loads of swaps and classes going on over there, so if your looking for some crafty action there is no better place!

Magic Wand Swap

Ive just joined my first international swap! Its a WAND SWAP! How gorgeous, and so so so magical.

If you want the chance to create something that will be cherised and adored, head on over to http://bella-enchanted.blogspot.com/ and sign up. You have till the 1st August to sign up, then you mail to your partner on the 1st September. Im really excited about this swap, i bet its going to be super awesome! I cant wait

Party Hats and Happy Mail

Yay, Yay, Yay! Id just like to say thanks to Kris over at Ruby Street Designs for kindly sending me the Artchix Party Hats -- Kris thank you thank you thank you! Your an absolute GEM I am so excited to have these gorgeous party hats in my hot lil hands, i cant wait to get home tonight and start on my ATC's. The only problem is they are so gorgeous its a real shame they have to go on ATC's to new homes... i just hope they bring as much joy to the new owners as they have done to me!

Waiting....

Morning all.... Im just waiting for my computer to stop playing funny buggers so i can upload some pics of what ive been working on... every time i attach my camera to the computer it has a lil episode -- im thinking its just sick of being used.... Ive ran into some issues with my ATC's, the artchix party hats i ordered were sold out :( so thats a bummer will have to rethink what im going to be able to do for my celebrations theme.... I will have to post some more soon, but right now i have to get back to the exciting world of superannuation contribution surcharges ( dont you just wish you could have my job...)

How gorgeous is this bag?? To make it head to www.savvyseams.com They have a free pattern there for the more experienced sewer - i cant even sew a straight line, let alone do something as difficult as this... but its so gorgeous so i just had to share it with you. If you do have a go at making it, be sure to come back and show us your masterpiece

What do you do when a brilliant idea flops?

Don't you just hate when you can picture the perfect card/layout/off the page project, yet when you sit down to work on it, the idea either flops BIG time or isn't how you pictured it in your mind..... I had this happen with the Chrissy Cards I'm making for the July Birthday Celebrations over at www.scrapbooking4less.com.au i had what i thought would be the best idea ever, yet when i sat down, it didn't work.... i was stumped at what i should do, and how i would go about making something that i would be happy to send to Shelley...so i put it aside and waited for inspiration to hit... Thankfully, I didn't have to wait too long as the gorgeous goodies i bought from the wonderful Barb over at www.thestampingqueen.com.au arrived the next day and promptly got the creative juices flowing freely.... ( if you are looking for awesome unmounted stamps... i suggest you clicking and get on over to thestampingqueen...you wont be disappointed) So my cards are ALMOST done now, yay! Oh and i must with a very happy anniversary to my parents, 27 years of Marriage today!! Congrats Mum and Dad, here's to another 27 years of bliss!!

A Practical Guide for the 19th Century Man

I sometimes wish, that Men could be more like the men of yesteryear, id love to be on a crowded train and see a man give up his seat for a older woman or a pregnant woman, lately it just seems to be other women standing for women. SO i thought id share this lil tidbit with you all

In the Presence of Ladies

"Chesterfield says, 'Civility is particularly due to all women; and, remember, that no provocation whatsoever can justify any man in not being civil to every woman; and the greatest man would justly be reckoned a brute if he were not civil to the meanest woman. It is due to their sex, and is the only protection they have against the superior strength of ours; nay, even a little is allowable with women; and a man may, without weakness, tell a woman she is either handsomer or wiser than she is'" Martine's Handbook, 1866 "When entering a crowded streetcar, a lady should leave the door open. It is quite permissible for her to appropriate the seat of the man who gets up to close it" The Cynic's Rules of Conduct, 1905 "A gentleman will assist a lady over a bad crossing, or from an omnibus or carriage, without waiting for the formality of an introduction. When the service is performed, he will raise his hat, bow and pass on." Hill's Forms, 1873 "In passing through a door, the gentleman holds it open for the lady, even though he never saw her before. he also precedes the lady in ascending stairs, and allows her to precede him in descending." Polite Society at Home and Abroad, 1891 "Do not press before a lady at a theater or a concert. Always yield to her, if practicable, your seat and place. Do no sit when she is standing, without offering her your place. Consult not only your own ease, but also the comfort of those around you." Martine's Handbook, 1866 "It is not deemed polite and respectful to smoke in the presence of ladies, even though they are amiable enough to permit it." Martine's Handbook, 1866 "If you meet a lady of your acquaintance in the street, it is her part to notice you first, unless, indeed you are very intimate. The reason is, if you bow to a lady first, she may not choose to acknowledge you, and there is no remedy; but if she bow to you--you as a gentleman cannot cut her." Hints on Etiquette, 1836 "A gentleman removes his hat when entering a room where there are ladies. When he meets a lady friend, he should raise his hat gracefully..." Polite Society at Home and Abroad, 1891 Should one demand the surrender of a seat to a lady in a crowded theater?"To this, we would answer that, if the gallantry of the gentlemen thus situated does not prompt them to proffer the seats in question, it is rudeness to request it. A lady is a lady, it is true; but if she could not come early enough to get a good seat, she cannot expect that spectators who did should inconvenience themselves for her sake" Gody's Ladies Book, Jan 1850 "...remember also that really well bred women will not thank you for making them conspicuous by over officiousness in their defense, unless, indeed, there be any serious or glaring violation of decorum. In small matters, ladies are both able and willing to take care of themselves, and would prefer being allowed to overwhelm the unlucky offender in their own way" Hints on Etiquette, 1836

A Question

I have been sitting here wondering, what do you do when your part of a swap, and one persons work isn't up to scratch? I don't mean talent wise i mean not putting in 100% effort ? Do you speak with the swap organiser? Do you talk to that person directly? Do you just let it go? or Do you put less effort into something that you know will end up going to them? What is the correct way to go about it? Id love to hear what you all think about it.

Hows this for advertising? ( Advertising from the 1930s-1950s)

How Devine is this cupcake??

1st July 2008

The first day of the new financial year, how exciting! By the end of the day, i will know who I'm buying a secret Santa gift for, how many Christmas cards, tags and ATC's i will be making for the swaps that are happening this month over at www.scrapbooking4less.com.au I am just waiting on a delivery of ATC supplies from one of new fave stores The Stamping Queen http://www.thestampingqueen.com.au/shop/ , the stamps and goodies that this store has is AMAZING, i want at least one of everything..and I'm also waiting on a delivery from Ruby Street Designs http://www.rubystdesigns.com/pages/home.htm I'm hoping that they come before the weekend, so i can get a start on my ATC's and Tags. I'm also planning on making some more ATC's to send into the Australian STAMPING & PAPERCRAFT MAGAZINE, would be pretty cool to see my work in print... I have come to realise that after making just a few ATC's that my style is very much collage cross vintage, i think i will find it hard to do more modern looking ATC's, and the people featured in my ATC's will either find themselves with wings made from petals or be surrounded by hand cut words from old books. In saying this, i would love to use fabrics on my ATC's and i think ill make that a "new financial year" resolution. I am currently on the hunt for vintage playing cards so i can dissect them for use in the ATC's, same with old photographs and old worn out books, and its proving to be quite exciting and time consuming. Also on my list are various bits n pieces, basically anything vintage or vintage looking.