Deborah's CCC for January :)

Hi everyone,

I have a little share today about my entries for Deborah's January CCC.  I should say I have a story to go with my cards ;).  Firstly the cards (then that way you can always go & not have read about the dopey stuff I do).  Deborah themes for the January challenge

1. Valentines Day
2. Australia Day
3. Friendship

So of course me being an "aussie" couldn't resist doing the "bleedin' obvisous" ;D.  I really do feel for Nancy my partner!  So I decided to make some cards with the colours from our flag - red, white & blue.  I also decided to use the sketch that Deborah provided.  Which resulted in the two fish cards.  Then I had a brainwave & made an Aussie flag card with our chant of Aussie, Aussie, Aussie.  Then I decided to make another card based on the sketch.  Only because I am not so keen on the red, blue, white together (sorry Nancy).  I made it "girly" with a huge flower on it, using one of my fav dies Tattered Flowers from Tim Holtz.  So feast your eyes on these :D

Now for the rest of my story.  As you all know we had some devestating floods recently here in Queensland.  Which affected everything including the mail & aircrafts.  Which meant that I was late in sending these cards.  Luckily for me Nancy & Deborah are so understanding.  In the end I sent Nancy pictures of the cards as well as Deborah, just so that Nancy wouldn't feel left out. 

Yes the fish do have googly eyes, complete with eye lids & lashes.

Happy crafting everyone xoxoxoxoxo

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!!!

Happy Australia Day everyone,

Today is the 26th January which means it's Australia day.  You can go here for a techno explanition.  Or you can read about me rambling on & on about how wonderfully greatful I am to be an Aussie.

Especially since the floods.  The whole of Australia has literally rolled up their sleeves & said "What can I do to help?"  We have raised so much money (thank you to all those outside of Australia who donated as well), donated so many needed things from clothing, toys to building materials & labour.  It truly is our way of doing things.  We hate to see our mates down & always tend to battle for the underdog.  During such a sad time, we have so many stories of mate"ship" of strangers helping strangers. Amidst the sadness & chaos there where some truly heroic people who risked their lives to save others.  This to me is what Australia Day is about, it's people helping people no matter who, what or where they are. 

Have a fantastic day where ever you are, we are going to my parents place for a barbie (no shrimps for me yuck!) ;D

Hugs to you all & happy crafting xoxoxoxoxoxo 

I'm learning to go digital

Hi everyone,

Firstly thanks for the well wishes, everything is fine (& not too sore).

If you know me, you will know that I am not too bright on all things computer related.  So you can imagine me trying to learn to make a digi card.  I spent literally hours & hours trying to get Gimp to work for me.  After a few cuss words, tears & a long time looking for tutorials on how to use Gimp.  I have finally gotten there....................................sort of.  Here is my second attempt at a digi card.  Every thing on this card is from free digi stuff I've gotten or been given. 

 I don't normally do simple cards.  But I really do like this one.  I must admit I decided to add the stitching after I had put the card together.  Normally I do everything then add it to a base card.  I was inspired a lot by the incredibly talented Lucy & also the equally incredibly talented Alice.  Lucy for her simple style (something I can't do) & Alice for the way she colours. 

This "page" I whipped up in about half an hour.  I really am pleased with the way this came together.  All the elements on this page except for the butterflies are from this free kit.  The Butterflies are from Hero Arts & can be found here. 

I am always going to love my rubber stamps, because I love to colour them in with Copics. 

Happy crafting everyone xoxoxoxoxo

Sneaky Peek

Hi all,

Well I finally finished my secret squirrel stuff.  Here is a sneaky peek.

I may or may not be around for the next few days.  I am going under the knife this arvo.  Nothing to serious folks.  So no getting into too much trouble whilst I'm away - that's my job! ;D

Happy Crafting every one xoxoxoxoxo

Jingle Belles Challenge

Hi everyone,

Well I've been able to make a few cards this last week.  I even mastered Gimp (sort of).  Just wish I knew how to upload to the internet what I have done.  Any ideas, any one?  I am slowly becoming computer (kicking & screaming all the way) smart.

Any hoo, this is my latest card for the Jingle Belles challenge this week.  What do you think?  I made a lot of boo boos on this card.  That'll teach me to do things when I'm bone tired.  I stamped the sentiment crooked (so hate that), so then had to angle the nestie label on an angle.  Then somehow I managed to not align my papers correctly, so a knotted ribbon covered that.  Lastly I managed to get a black mark on the pink background, so gems covered that up.  I also managed to make the distress inks run when I used some Pearl-ex & water.  Oh well, I guess that these things happen.

Well I'd better be going, I'm trying to get both my girls to have a sleep this arvo (so wish I could have one ;P)

Happy crafting every one xoxoxoxo

I love thunder storms & I hate critters I tell ya! :(

Hi everyone,

How are you this rainy night? Yes it's raining again, hopefully this storm will blow over by the morning.  Queensland is famous for it's afternoon electrical storms.  You know the ones that make a lot of noise (lots of lightening), blow a lot of wind, occassionally hail & rain for a while.  Sometimes they are very destructive, like the one the day before yesterday.  Brisbane copped it again, as if the floods wheren't enough.  As a rule I love storms, especially when things cool down afterwards.  Not so keen on all the destruction though (go figure). 

I'm also not so keen on some of our native critters!  Like the 3 foot Red Belly Black snake under our stairs the other night.  Good thing Doug spotted it when he came home & shooed it away for me (my hero - swoon).  I don't mind snakes, but at night it was a little scary.  I hate Hate HATE  spiders of any kind & demand (usually at the top of my lungs) that they all must die!!!  When ever I see one, I try to get dh to kill it or at the very least get it out of my house.  If I have to deal with it - it goes to heavan.  Sorry I try to use the "Live & let live attitude", but spiders have more than one set of eyes & legs & really freak me out.  Plus here in Australia we have quite a few of the deadliest spiders in the world & the ones that aren't deadly are as big as your hand (including fingers!).  The other critter I'm not fond of is Cane Toads.  Horrid slimey (not really) gross (really) yucky (really yucky) animals - blah!  Especially when it's dark & they are at the door.  Noxius pests that they are. 

Well enough dribble from me tonight.  I wanna go work on a secret squirrel project ;).

Happy crafting & have a good week xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo 

Two Birthday cards

Hi everyone,

I have 7 birthdays (8 if you include mine) & 1 anniversary in February.  So I have been trying to get some cards done in time.

As usual this is a scrappy card.  These papers are all Basic Grey (Lemonade?) with black c/s.  The ric rac left over from the Basic Grey kit.  I coloured Gretel with my Copics.  I then stamped some flower scrolls (don't know the stamps names sorry) coloured them with Prismacolour pencils & added some stickles & pearls.  I also added stickles to Gretel's wings.

For this card I used Butterfly Nora, but I then altered her.  I think this is only my second attempt at altering a stamp.  All I did was change the bottom of her dress & added shoes.  Orginally Nora was sitting & since I didn't have anything for her to sit on I wanted to try & make it look like she's standing.  Again I used Copics to colour her & distress inks for the label.  

Thanks for stopping by & Happy Crafting xoxoxoxo 

I've changed my name & a manly card

Hi everyone,

Firstly I just want to say no you are not going crazy! This is/was Pajalus Paper & Fabric Addiction.  As you can see I have decided that I needed to have a bit of a change.  I felt that my blog's name didn't really suit who/what I do.  Since the majorityof what I blog about is cards & most of my cards are made from scraps.  I felt that I needed to change the name of my blog to reflect that.  Then decided to go the "whole hog" & change a few other things as well.  Hope you like the new name/look :D.

Now onto the important stuff - my latest card ;-D  which is for Mike. 

What do you think?  Is this blokey (manly) enough?  Like many of you (I'm guessing) out there, I don't have much in the way of manly stamps, papers, etc.  So as per usual I had a rumage through my ice cream bucket of scraps & found these bits of Curio papers from Basic Grey to make the "bones" of my card.  I then had a good look through my Hero Arts stamps to see what I could use.  The tree seemed ideal, as it reminded me of saying (which I can't remember) about how trees can stand tall in strong winds, it seemed to be a good idea at the time.  Then the band behind the sentiment is just one section from CG112 Hello (go here to see the stamp).  I really like the way it turned out.

Happy crafting every one :) xoxoxoxoxo 

Sunshine & a card

Hi all,

Yes I'm still here ;). I don't think I will take sunshine for granted ever again. We are the lucky ones really. Other than localised flooding in all the usual spots (no where near us), which we knew about, there isn't any major damage to the Sunshine Coast at all. Plus for the last three days we've had Sunshine & it's been wonderful. We still get the occassional rain shower, but nothing like it's been.


As you can see I made another card with those scraps (I seem to have a lot of scrap!) I guess when you're on a roll - go with it?! I am hoping to do some more cards this week. Em starts back at Pre-prep so maybe I can squeeze some work in whilst she's at school & Lil' is sleeping.

Hugs to you all & Happy crafting everyone xoxoxoxoxo

A flood update

Hi all,

I just wanted to ask you all for your good thoughts for those directly affected by the floods. Tonight it's worse than ever......................

Here is an article on what has happened "locally" (the south east corner) in our state.

Thanks & keep dry xoxoxoxo

Thank you cards

Hi every one,

I just thought I'd post a few cards to cheer myself up, after that last gloomy post. These two cards I thought might be ok for Jay Gee's Nook's latest challenge.
I loved the colours & the fact that my scrap "bucket" had a lot of these colours in there. So it was a good thing all round.

I also want to thank both Alice & Dawn for their wonderful help in giving me tips on how to use this new version of blogger. I'm so grateful for your help - huge hugs to you both :D xoxoxoxoxo

TTFN & happy crafting xoxoxo

Rain, rain go away!

Hi all,

Well it's been bucketing down here in Queensland for some months now (yes I mean months!). Just in the last 24 hours here (Sunshine Coast) we've had something like 300mm. Which I think is close to 5 inches (am probably wrong) of rain. It's so wet here at the moment our earthworms are all coming out of the ground or they'd drown.

Em was suppose to start a week of swimming lessons, but today's lesson has been cancelled due to localised flooding. The way the rain is pelting down at the moment I think tomorrows lesson will be cancelled as well.

For those of you who don't know a large part of Queensland is underwater at this very moment in time. They say an area the size of New South Wales (another state of Australia) is currently underwater & it's all heading south, so it's coming our way soon. I think they are saying it's one of our biggest national distasters. The problem with so much of Queensland going under is now the price of food will sky-rocket. We grow alot of fruit, plus meat & grain here. Also the mining industry has been hit hard as the mines (all open cut) are now lakes. My heart goes out to all those that have lost everything. Let's hope the sun remebers how to shine & comes back soon.

A CPS challenge

Hi everyone,

This is my latest challenge card. I tried to keep everything to a minium - trying to do different things. This card is made from scraps, even the flower, button & ribbon are leftovers from other projects. As you can see I did my best to stick to the sketch. I had to put the circle up the other end as the giraffe was looking the wrong way. The stamp is Hero Arts cl173.

Well Lilly is awake again, so have to go rescue the dh (he needs his beauty sleep!) Happy crafting everyone xoxoxoxoxo

Jingle Belles - Inchie Challenge

Hi everyone,

Yes I'm back again, with my second post for today. I don't know what happened to the old blogger that I could use :(.

This card I made tonight for Jingle Belles Inchie challenge. I am hoping that it still counts even though I have put the inchies onto black strips, which makes them look like they aren't one inch square. I used Copics to colour the ornaments & Tumbled Glass Distress ink around the edges of the squares just so they didn't look so stark. Then mounted the inchies onto the black c/s, which I then mounted onto some of my "precious" Fa la la paper. Which I then mounted on some green shimmer bazzil.

Since I am computer stupid, you will have to put up with my one card posts for awhile (until I figure things out). This is about my third or fourth attempt at these two posts.

TTFN & happy crafting everyone :D

90 Minute Scramble

Hi everyone,

I did my very first 90 Minute scramble on the Hero Arts' flickr group today. It was a lot of fun & if I am truthful a little stressful for me. I need to remember one of my New Year's resolutions - to sit back, relax & BREATHE.

There where two themes to choose from. The first was to use one 2010 & one 2011 stamp. The second was New Year. Since I don't own any 2011 stamps I had to do the New Year theme. So what do you think? I am so-so about this card. I think it needs something more (but then again I always think that), but I wont be adding to it. I've decided it can stay that way. Ever since I read Kathy's tutorial (with lots of yummy pictures) on backgrounds, I have been playing with my Distress Inks.

Thanks for stopping by, TTFN & happy crafting everyone ;)

PS When did blogger change & does anyone know how to move the pictures you upload to the entries? PLEASE help me I have no idea what I am doing!

Happy Anniversary Dad & Ginny

Hi all,

Well I guess the new year has herald in a new change! I've managed to not only make some cards, but blog, comment & enter a contest or two. Not bad heh?

Tomorrow is my parent's 27th Wedding Anniversary so have made this card for them. Only problem is it's raining again so I am not sure if the stickles & glossy accents will dry in time. I just adore this owl stamp, that ribbon, the pins & that buckle. I also love my Copics!!!! They make anything look good don't you think?

TTFN - happy crafting everyone =) xoxoxoxo

One card - two challenges

Hi every one,

This is my second post for the day. I am entering this card into two challenges. Lucy's sketch challenge here & here in a new challenge blog I found called Jingle Belles. This year I am getting organised!!! So I wont have to scramble at the end of the year again.

The Kaisercraft stamp is new, I brought it just before Christmas & haven't had a chance to use it until now. The pp is from Making Memories Fa La La which I have been hoarding for a few years now, 'coz I love it so much. In fact I think this is my last sheet :( of it. I brought those gorgeous red pearls specifically for this stamp. I coloured the image in with my Copics & the sentiment is a rub-on.

Thanks for stopping by - TTFN & happy crafting xoxoxoxoxo

Yay an actual blog post about cards!

Hi all,
As you can see I have been busy :D making cards & photographing my two "angels". I brought this Kaisercraft Mini Clear Stamp about a month or so ago & have finally gotten around to inking it up. I really think this is one sweet owl. I was going to enter this card into Lucy's challenge here, but because I haven't stuck to the sketch properly decided I couldn't. I did intend to give this to one of the mum's in our mothers' group as she is giving birth to a girl on Friday. Unfortunately I am not sure if this is now suitable for a baby card - what do you think? If I do decide to use it for a baby card I will add "Congratulations" along the bottom of the card. I wish you could see this card up close & personal, the hounds tooth pp has glitter on it & I glossy accented the heart on the owl as well as adding stickles to the centres of the flowers. The ribbon is velvet & is soooooo yummy! Ok now for some advice to all those mum's out there................................don't run out of disposable nappies!!! Especially when your dh is (home alone &) in charge of looking after bub. Then end result could be very interesting as you can see.

Yup that is a saftey pin holding the nappy together in a rather unique spot ;D. Not sure what Doug was thinking, but hey at least he didn't use gaffa tape right?

This is our new "Puppy" what do you think? We went to Underwater World with Em(on Tuesday) & afterwards went over the road to the Wharf (at Mooloolabah). Where there was a lovely lady doing face painting & one of her offerings was a puppy. Em is always pretending to be a doggy, so I knew she'd pick this one. She is really happy in this pic, but her dad made her close her mouth so he could take this photo.

Well that is all for this post - TTFN & happy crafting xoxoxoxoxoxo