Biggest Morning Tea a success

The weather turned it on for us on the weekend.  Saturday the sun shone (after a week of rain)  so we could mow and Sunday it was another beautiful clear day and a pleasure to be sitting out on the back verandah with friends.  We had a great turn out and raised a massive $307.00.  

We pulled out any lacy tablecloths or doilies we could find.....borrowed some from Mum.

I put my cards up for sale and $1.00 from each sale went towards the fundraising.....so I happily put $21.00 in the donation box.

My daughter and I had baked a few things during the week.  Top shelf Brown Sugar Shortbread a first time for us and definitely won't be a last.  Regular shortbread and Savoury Biscuits with parmesan cheese and herbs.

My daughter spent time last week creating the blue and yellow banner that was provided by the Cancer Council.  Then decorated with balloons on the day.

Gluten Free Chocolate muffins, front a bowl of rockmelon and pineapple, right - top shelf - Blueberry Almond Tart and Strawberry Jam Drops.

The loaded table with a basket of tea on the left from a friend and on the left back corner yummy lemon meringue tartlets from another friend.  

Just a couple of visitors.

Sadly at the end our lovely day we got news that my husbands father had passed away.  He is the man on the right who loved to fish and to keep fish in aquariams.  Although my husband has not talked to his Dad in a few years due to family issues he did have a wonderful childhood and all those times are flooding back now.

So today I put my husband on a plane to Sydney so he can say goodbye (today) to his Poppa who just turned 100 and pictured here in the Santa suit.  Then tomorrow (Wed) the family will be travelling up to Newcastle to say goodbye to their father the person Santa has held of.  The shoulder pictured in the hawaiian shirt happens to be my husband. :-)

Sorry to leave on a sad note, although for both of these men are at peace now so it is a good thing.  

Thanks for visiting.

Biggest Morning Tea

The last few years I have taken part in Relay for Life but the thought of another sausage sizzle or months of fundraising had worn thin on me.  So this year I had decided to be part of Australia's Biggest Morning (fundraiser for Cancer Council) tea which officially happened yesterday although you can have your morning tea anywhere in May or June.  Mine is this this Sunday.  I have always wanted to use these beautiful tea cups that Mum had passed on to me years ago, so this is the perfect opportunity. 

The other reason I wanted to this morning tea is because I work a little now I just don't catch up with my friends like I used to and this way I have most of them in one place at one time.  The fact that it has been raining off and on for the past week and it is not easing has helped for a good turn out as a bit of sports has been cancelled. :-)  So glad we have a large verandah.

So yesterday arvo my daughter I were in the kitchen.  Here some jam drops.  We also did shortbread, parmesan cheese savoury biscuits, gluten free choc chip muffins (got to cater for all), and a vanilla cake.  Half way there.  I have seen cheesecake in shot glasses so want to make that and my friend gave me a recipe for Blueberry Almond Tart which always turns out but I am waiting for Saturday arvo for that.  Still working on decorations.  Thought we may need a couple of short little games too since we now have 18 people coming. :-0  Originally, I was thinking I might scrape through with 10 guests.

So may take me all of next to recover.  I will return.

If you would like to make a donation at all just click here.

Thanks for all the lovely thoughts and wishes in my post below too.

RIP Poppa

We had a lovely time at Poppa's 100th and he enjoyed himself too giving cheek to almost everyone at the party.  This is a photo of Poppa and my husband.

We have just heard that Poppa passed away quietly this afternoon - 22nd May.

So we have great memories and he is now resting.

Relay for Life Fundraiser Cards

For the last three or so years I have been attending a fundraiser for the Cairns Lion Dancers Relay for Life team (you can donate here).  Organised by the energetic Glenda and our card kits created by the talented Ruth Massey Stampin Up Demonstrator.  Thanks to Stampin Up who are so generous in donating prizes for this fun night.  I was lucky and won some paper, and two rolls of ribbon.  Also got to make these wonderful cards.  I so love the woodgrain stamp we used as the background to this card and the simple addition of a string of gold sequins around the bottom flower really finished this pretty card.  I realised that I have not added the sentiment which is on a tab and runs across the pink flower. I had thought I might use this as a card for my Mum on Mother's Day.  So was waiting to add that sentiment when I got home. Changed my mind.

Amazing how satisfying it is to stamp splodges of ink and black lines.  It doesn't show in this photo but the little hearts on the vellum are silver....really pretty.  I like how easily this card went together and such lovely colours.

I really like this card.  The demo card had the reverse side of the black banner with spots but I liked the writing.  The demo card also had the white front panel attached directly to the white base card.  My friend, Helen and I decided that a layer of another colour card stock would make the white panel pop even more.  I went for the Blushing Pink as I had some on hand.   

This is what was waiting on the table for each of us when we arrived.  Yes, Ruth and Glenda had been very busy creating at least 20 roses and the three card kits for inside the bag.

Here I am hard at it......I think I am holding my tongue right. :-)

Christmas Churn Dash Block - Craftmad Swap

Time to share some blocks I have made for our April Quilt Block swap over at Craftmad.  We were swapping Churn Dash blocks using traditional coloured Christmas fabrics.  I kept the top block.  There are three of us who swap at this stage.  I make three blocks each time so that I have a sample of what I send off to everyone to include in my finished quilt.  This time I was at the end of all my fabrics so had to make the different coloured blocks for everyone.

This block I sent off to Mandy.

This one headed to Cathy....check out her blocks here as they are so very, very neat.

My sewing machine has now been in for a service - first time in a least six years.  It now sews so quietly and the tension is just right. :-)

Celebrating 100 years

I have the privilege this Saturday, 17th May to share in the celebrations of my husbands 'Poppa's  (grandfather) 100th birthday.  Imagine what he has witnessed in his lifetime.  Poppa, has outlived two of his three wives.  Has three kids (daughter and two sons) from what I know eight grandkids not sure how many great grandkids but I am sure I will find out later today.

Poppa and 1st wife, my husband's grandmother.

Poppa with his daughter on her wedding day.  My husband's Mum.

Poppa in the front with my husband as a baby. 

My husband's Mum sitting at Poppa's left shoulder 

 and her mother and grandparents.

This is a photo of the wedding to his second wife....affectionally referred to as 'my Mary'.

Wedding day to Bunnie, Poppa's third wife who is still with him today.

This is such a lovely photo taken only a month ago of Poppa being fed by his daughter.

Happy 100th Birthday Poppa (George).........

Kittens in a box card

I made this card for my sister-in-law for her birthday last Thursday.  This is a Pop-Up Box card and I followed the wonderful tutorial here at Stempeleinmaleins.

The outside looks pretty ordinary but then.........

You push the corners towards each other and it pops into a box.  My sister-in-law loves cats so I put these cute 3D Papertole kitties to good use.  I punched out the orange flowers and attached them to strips of acetate and then attached to the panel in front of the cats.  I then hand cut some grass to sit along the front of the scene.

I was surprised at how easy this card came together.  Great fun.

Black and White - Craftmad April Swap

Today, I am sharing the second black and white card I sent off to my Craftmad partner for our April swap. (Gallery here of members wonderful creations).

Again, I started with the acetate sheet of images I received one Christmas and created the card around the image.  I had with all the layering and embossing on this card.  Also some fantastic bling.

  Thanks for your lovely comments.

Mother's Day

Hi everyone, what a busy week last week was and I think this next one will be a little busier... definitely makes the time go quick.

I made the top card for my wonderful Mum for Mum's day.  A little while ago I saw somebody had put card stock on their card on an angle and I really liked the effect so gave it a try here.  The yellow handmade paper I have had in my stash for a long time now.  I topped with these beautiful 3D paper tole kingfishers from Blue Edge Crafts.  I then punched some light blue and gold flowers and attached with my new bottle of Dimensional Magic.  So nice to have flowing glue. :-)  The gold 'Happy and day' are die cut with my new Elizabeth Craft 'Happy Birthday' die.  I was really impressed at how easily and cleanly it cut.  My first word die. :-)

This is the card I made for my Mother-in-Law.  I have had this wonderful sticker in my collection for a while now and I thought this was the perfect opportunity to put it to good use.  I attached the flower sections of the sticker to acetate and cut them out and then layered them up adding the bling centre.  Added some die cute corners from my Marvellous Squares die and printed out the Happy Mother's Day sentiment.

I wish both Mum's a beautiful day and hope they are spoilt.

Happy Mother's day to all Mum's out there.

Black and White Flower

Hi, how was your weekend?  Ours was just perfect weather wise and life wise.  Got in and worked around the house Saturday so that we could enjoy a drive and lunch on Sunday. :-)  Just a hint of coolness in the air of the mornings these days and clear blue skies.  :-)

This card I made for my Craftmad partner for our April swap which was 'Black and White' (check out the  other member creations in the gallery here).  I have been wanting to use some of the images off an acetate image that I received from a Secret Santa one year.  So I cut out this lovely flower image and created the card around it.  The design paper was from Blue Edge Crafts.

Have a lovely Monday and thanks for visiting.