MerryMade Crafts etc ...

  The view we started with off Palm Cove Back at the beginning of November I ticked another thing off my bucket list. Growing up in Cairns we would often visit Palm Cove on the weekends and just offshore you can see Double Island and Scout Hat Island (real name Haycock Island) - Wikipedia info here and has a photo of Double Island which I didn't think to take. Over the years it was a resort for the rich and famous and I am neither of them, so never visited.  I discovered that you can kayak around Double Island and thought this is my chance to finally make it there.  So with the help of Brad from Palm Cove Watersports  my friend and I were up at 5.30am for a 6am start of kayaking.   We are on our way in a double kayak, just my friend and our guide Brad heading to Scout Hat Island both of us thinking - "what are we doing". Yep, I led the way and my friend steered us from behind as I was hopeless at that. Just around the top end of Double Island to back of the isl...

This will be a long post with lots of photos. :-)  Morning everyone, hope you have had a great Christmas and it went to your plans, if not to plan it was still lovely all the same.  Our Christmas was the latter - nothing drastic happened just not as I thought it would. My husband surprised me with a Cricut Joy cutter, something I didn't even know I needed but now I can imagine so many possibilities.  If anyone has one I would love to hear some hints, tips or great blogs/sites I can visit. Today I want to share photos of the the little Olive Back Sunbirds that have chosen our back verandah as their nesting area.  It has been such a pleasure and joy watching them build their nest, sit on the eggs, feed the chicks and very quiet and sad when they all fly from the nest.   More info here. The couple of sunbirds joined us 2nd October and they decided to build their nest on one of my succulents. One day when the chicks were hatched we had a bit of strong wind which ble...

Hi everyone, well it's Christmas Eve here and the perfect time to share all my Christmas creations I have made this year.  I have continued on with the challenge to myself to use up all the christmas papers and embellishments I have so I can start afresh next year. I have had a wonderful time creating and knowing that my papers etc are getting put to use rather than sitting in my binder year after year. This year to help me achieve this challenge the only Christmas decoration I have put up is the christmas tree and fairy lights. I had fun trying some of the different origami christmas ornament tutorials.  Most of them are easily done. I think I had two styles that didn't make it to the tree. Our tree all decorated with the origami ornaments, paper chain garland, added candy canes and two gifted glass/crystal ornaments.  Topped with our version of a candy cane angel which was planned to be a star but just didn't work.  The angel looks sad because it has already taken ...

  Hi everyone, I've decided this year to try an use up as much of my Christmas paper stash (which has been my plan the last couple of years).  This way I can happily fill my folders again with some nice, new, fresh designs when Christmas comes around again next year.  Some of my papers are 5 - 10 years old, been given by my Mum and another close friend - so not really my choice and from magazines. I have also decided this year as it's just my husband and I at home with a weekly visit from our daughter who both aren't into Christmas decorating that I would just put up our tree and decorate it with paper ornaments I create.   I started with these origami five point stars - once you have done the first one they are very easy to create and fun.  I used these instructions -  https://christines-crafts.com/how-to-make-a-5-pointed-star-origami-tutorial/    The star above is my first attempt, yes a couple of refolds in there. Here are the stash of stars I ...