Share the MOJO

Just had to share this new blog that Allison has created.

It is simply called Share the MOJO and that is what you do.

Allison was saying that she had lost her MOJO although you would never know from her creations.

So she created this blog so that you can add a link to a fantastic creation you find while blog hopping.

Hopefully inspire someone.

Cardmadfairy's 'Digi Days Challenges'

Just a reminder everyone that there is a new challenge blog coming to town.

Yes, Cardmadfairy's Digi Days Challenge.

Everything starts this Friday, 4th February and it will be a fortnightly challenge.

A place to use your digi stamps on your creations.

Don't tell anyone but the first challenge will be all about 'Romance'.  shhhhh!!!

Don't forget this wonderful candy will be drawn on the 4th February. 

To be in the draw you must be a follower of Cardmadfairy's Digi Days blog, leave a comment and share the word.  

There is also a set of Jenni's newly designed 'Love' digi stamps on offer.

So can't wait till we start so I can see all your terrific creations.

Robot Card

I made this card for my friends little boy's 3rd birthday. 

I have used the wonderful robot stamp (Robots2Build) from Stamps for Life.

I coloured him with my silver and gold metallic pens.  Teamed him up with this wonderful cog patterned paper I have in my collection.  Stamped some cogs on the white card and then overstamped with the Happy Birthday sentiment all from the same set.  I thought the card need a little dirtying up since it was going to a little boy.  So I put my finger on the ink pad and tried to leave my dirty finger prints on the card.  I think I was a little too heavy on the ink.

This card is perfect for the Fountain of Youth Challenge at Stamping Vacation that asks for Robots.

Australia Day and Mum's Day cards for Aussie Troops

Australia Day today in Oz.

A day to celebrate being Aussie which I am very happy and proud to be.

The anniversary of arrival of the First Fleet to Australia from Great Britain.

Lots of barbies will be had, plenty of time at the beach and probably a beer or two drunk around the nation.

For me, so far I have been enjoying the coolness of the morning with a cuppa and wander around blogland.  Then covered myself in mozzie repellant to prepare myself for the journey to what used to be my garden before leaving on holidays.  Problem with lots of rain is that my plants enjoy it are lush, green and huge but the weeds and vines have grown just as quick.  

I have found two gardens now only a couple more to go. 

Now I can sit back and relax until the washing machine is finished.  

I am sure to make a couple of cards today and run the kids from A to B and probably back again. :-)

Hubby is enjoying the day off too.

Now on to my cards.  These are more cards for our Aussie Troops serving overseas.  I enjoyed making the Christmas ones for them last year.  I have now seen that Tracey at Stampin Up Australia blog is asking for Mother's Day cards to send off to our Aussie Troops.  So they can send them to their Mum's or other special Mum's they know.  Tracey has asked to receive these by 16th March.

So here are two that I have made.  

I used a blank white gloss BE card then a layer of DCWV Textured card, next a layer of this lovely paper called 'Something Special'.  I added this lovely fairy chipboard tag that came with a magazine at some stage.  Teamed this up with three white paper flowers that I added white roses to the centre of .  Dug out a 'To Mum' sentiment that I again have saved from a magazine giveaway at some stage.

This card is much the same as the first....just a purple version.  I love these little fairy tags as they are such pretty images.  I finished this card with the lovely daisy sticker border from Sticker Store.

Have a wonderful Wednesday where-ever you are.

Apricots it is......and a card for Rio.

Thanks everyone for joining in the fun yesterday.  Thanks to the people that guessed eggs as that is what my daughter was wanting to hear.  :-)  Yes, she was trying to trick you.

Cathy is our winner guessing apricots in a syrup....first up.   I will be sending some stamps off to you today or tomorrow.

They were in fact apricots in a caramel syrup ready to be used in an Apricot Upside Down Cake. Recipe here by Bill Granger.  Very yum.  Although, I think the syrup on mine ended up being a little burnt.  Good reason to cook it again I think...to get it just right.  This recipe asks you to do the syrup and apricots in a frypan on the stove top and then to mix the cake mix in a bowl and put spoonfuls of the cake mixture on top of the apricots in the frypan.  Then the frypan goes into the oven.  Something I have never done before although quite often see people on cooking shows put their frypan into the oven.  I was afraid of the handle melting but read somewhere to wrap it in heavy duty alfoil.  If that is not available two layers of regular alfoil.  Well, I did four layers to be on the safe side and all worked well.

This card I have created for Rio.  Yesterday, I spied this image over at Cheryl's blog 'My Cardmaking Haven'.  Cheryl had a link to Betty's blog called 'Betty Simply Stamps' on there you will find a lovely story of Betty's daughter and what she plans to do for her birthday.  Rio, has decided to donate her birthday gift which she asked for money to be donated to St Jude's Hospital.  How special is that.

Her mum (Betty) had a special image made for Rio's birthday.  Now has put this up for sale and any money made from these sales will also go towards Rio's donation to St Jude's Hospital.  Betty has also asked if we could send on a card to Rio to surprise on her birthday.

So here is my surprise card.  

I started with the 'Build A Sketch Challenge over at Stamping Vacation.  Denise, has given us a list of six different shapes to use - Nos. 1,2,3,9,14,15.  I took the liberty of changing #1 from a rectangle to a square for the base card.

I have used a Lilac Metallic card for the base card.  Layer of Orange Bazzill Bling, then Purple Bazzil.  I cut out an oval from the Lilac Metallic card then stamp the only spider web I could find which was part of a bigger stamp.  Then added the square white card with the rub-on 'Happy Today'.  I coloured the image with my watercolour pencils.  Finished with faux stitching on all layers, bling and flowers.

I would also like to enter this into these challenges.

Paper Cutz Challenge #75 - Anything Goes ends 27th January

Penny's Challenge #45 - Anything Goes ends 2nd February

Digi Doodle #43 - Anything Goes ends 27th January

Can you guess? Daughter's challenge.

My daughter and I spent a little time in the kitchen yesterday and she so loved the look of this she took a photo.  Now my DD said that I should post it on my blog and get people to guess what it is.

So here I am this morning with a challenge for all my followers. 

Can you tell us what is in this photo?

The first comment with the perfect guess or the nearest guess will win a couple of small stamps I have.

Good luck.

I will let you know the winner tomorrow sometime (25 January Aussie Time).  So this is just a quick quiz, a little fun. :-)

Queensland Flood Fundraisers, Blog Candy, New Challenge Blog etc.

 Didn't want you to miss out on all the fun over at Cathy's Sewing Room.

Cathy has put these items that she has sewn up for auction to raise funds for the Queensland Floods.

So far she has raised an amazing $160.00

All money goes directly to the the Premier's Flood Relief Appeal. 

So if you have been thinking of donating this is a novel way as you receive a little something back for your generosity. 

Be quick though as bidding ENDs Tuesday, 25th January 9:00 AM(Adelaide time).

Click this image and you will find a list of other crafters who are doing the same thing.  Be sure to scroll down as the list is long.

********************************************

Something else thats worth a mention.  Jenni over at Cardmadfairy Creations is starting up a new challenge blog called Cardmadfairy's Digi Days.  The first challenge will be 4th February...so be sure to mark that on your calendar and be ready with all your Digital Stamp images.

To help celebrate this big launch Jenni has put up Blog Candy.  So all the followers of Cardmadfairy's Digi Days has a chance to win.  Winner randomly selected on the 4th February.

Oh and Jenni....draws the most amazing Digital Stamp Images and has some Valentine themed images available for 99p in her shop.  Hmmm....they may be handy for a challenge at sometime. ;-)

*************************************

This weekend I have been paper piecing some of my stamps and digital stamps for a desk calendar.  I have really enjoyed this and hope to do it more often.  I have a question though for those that have more experience.  Do you use a special program when you are paper piece?  Do you print the entire image out each time on the different pieces of paper that you want to use for the image?   I do....now I have pieces of paper I can't use because they have the remainder of the image on.  Seems a waste. 

Thanks for any help.

Edited:::: forgot to add that I have a Mac.

Have a wonderful Sunday.

Happy Birthday to my little sister. :-)

DT Card - Sticky Situation Challenge - Hearts - Stamping Vacation

Hi everyone.....another Design Team card for you.  This is for the Stamping Vacation - Sticky Situation Challenge.   Denise has asked us to use heart stickers.  If you are like me you must have heaps of different shaped heart stickers in your collection.  I would so love to see your creations.

I started with this heart embossed card to which I added the collection of stickers I found.  The smaller stickers are from sheets from the Sticker Store.  The bigger glitter hearts from a local $2 store.  I went around the edges of the card and frame with my gold pen to give a faux stitching look.  Then stamped this cute image from Stampin Up Nice and Easy Notes.  I coloured her with my water colour pencils.

Just a reminder of the prize up for grabs at Stamping Vacation this month is which is drawn 1st Feb:

$25.00 gift certificate to spend at Stamps of Life

So be sure to visit Stamping Vacation as Denise has a different challenge for every day of the month.
There must be one there that suits your style.

Remember to that there is a $20.00 gift certificate on offer for when we reach 300 followers.  The winner will be chosen by random from the followers.

DT Card - Fountain of Youth Challenge (Robots) - Stamping Vacation

Been a while it seems since I have done a Design Team card for Stamping Vacation.  That is only because I had all my other cards done before holidays.  Nice to be back and to try out this wonderful stamp set (Robots2Build) from Stamps for Life.

This card is for the Fountain of Youth Challenge....where Denise has asked us to use Robots. 

So I stamped this robot onto some white card that is folded in half as it is a bookmark.  I then coloured the robot with my watercolour pencils and Stampin Up pen.  I cut the arms out and attached them with 3D foam.  I then masked the robot and using Stampin Up inkspots I stamped the various nuts around the robot.  To finish the bookmark I attached two strips to of magnets to each side of the inside.

The card is a BE pre-scored white card which I attached this perfect paper that I won in my first ever prize that I won in blog land.  Finished with a ribbon down the front and  a 'Party' rub-on.

Just a reminder of the prize up for grabs at Stamping Vacation this month is which is drawn 1st Feb:

$25.00 gift certificate to spend at Stamps of Life

So be sure to visit Stamping Vacation as Denise has a different challenge for every day of the month.
There must be one there that suits your style.

Remember to that there is a $20.00 gift certificate on offer for when we reach 300 followers.  The winner will be chosen by random from the followers.

Queensland Flood Appeal Auctions.

Just discovered there are many more wonderful items being generously auctioned to raise money for the Queensland Floods.

Click here to go to the Master List which is updated daily at 9am Aussie Time.

Be sure to scroll right down the list.....I reckon there would be at least 100 sites offering an item.

Milan...our last stop. :-)

Tram on the main street of Milan that we walked down from Centrale Train Station.

More of the same street...full of the most beautiful shops.

This is the Leonardo Da Vinci statue in La Scala Piazza.

This is why we walked for half hour or so in the freezing cold.  I had seen a photo of this on the internet before we left and thought if we had time this was a must see.  Next time I will research how far away things are.   This was worth all the the cold.

This is Duomo di Milano ..... Cathedral of Milan.

Isn't it stunning.

1386 construction was started.  Read more here on the amazing history of it's construction.  It seems to have been continually worked on over the many years.   The last gate was inaugrated 6th January, 1965. This date seems to be the very end date for all the work on the building.

This was a bonus surprise.....so stunning and huge.  Right next to the Cathedral is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II  this was built between 1865 and 1877.  This is filled with shops of high end fashion and yes McDonalds.

Isn't this a great shaped shop...  Tiffany's of course.

The side of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Inside the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

195 metres long. 

This connects Piazza della Scala and Piazza del Duomo.

Following are more views and angles of these amazing structures.

I love the colour of this photo...almost brings this monument to life.

This a Monument of King Vittorio Emanuele II.

Now that brings us to the end of our photo journey.

Thanks so much for joining us.  I have had a wonderful time going through our photos and sharing special sights with you.   Just remember I have at least another 900 that you haven't seen. ;-)

Take care and I will now return with some crafting creations.

I hope.

Burano - full of colour

On our last day we decided to take a water bus.... vaporetto...... to Burano Island.   Above is Murano Island ... the sign shows a friends surname.  We didn't have enough time to do everything and decided that we had seen enough Murano glass in Venice that we did not need to visit there.

This is a Vaporetto or water bus.

Our first view of Burano.....oh so colourful.  The rumour we heard is that the wives paint their houses these bright colours so the fishing husbands can see them while they are at see.

Isn't it so quaint.  There are lots more colours to follow.  I will let you look at admire.

Couldn't resist .... another leaning tower.

This is definitely the brightest place we did see.  Shame we didn't get a photo of the door as it had the most beautiful glass work on the door.  It was a little like stained glass but certainly had that Murano touch.  I bought some beautiful glasswork here.  I get the feeling a lot of the glassblowers make Burano home.

From this shot down are our daughters view of Burano.....I hope you enjoy the different perspective. 

I love how neatly they paint up to their border lines.

I just had to add...this is another place I would love to come back to spend more time.  We had an hour to see as much as we could.  Definitely needs more time for exploring and enjoying.