Our Beautiful World

Welcome 'Inside' our home this evening, you can see our tree through the front door and our outdoor lights have just come on

 

 

Just inside the front door of our home, a Christmas table....

 A little corner inside my kitchen....

  Our noticeboard in the hallway....

Bedside table...
Inside my home.....for Our Beautiful World, week 75 
where Wendy has suggested this weeks theme.
Thanks for taking a peek, please join in and visit the team members blog for their 'Inside ' photos.

Kirsty - Handmade Little Things

Ros - Mikey's Mum

Wendy - Loving a Rustic Life

Manuela - Elasdistrict

Robyn

Autumn tag

My tag for Novembers 12 Tags of 2014 leaves a bit to be desired...I think it's a bit drab for me, but anyway I had a go...had to use that wooden leaf embellishment to create the impressed image on my autumn coloured background and to trace and cut around as I had neither embossing plate or die to use. Thanks for taking a peek Robyn

Friday Smiles

It's Week 95 at Annies Friday Smiles blog....join in and share your happy moments for the week.

A few things that I'm happy about this week...firstly look what is flowering in my pot plant garden, my Blood lily (Scadoxus) with a second bud as well...the flower head is about 5 inches in diameter and quite heavy for the stem.

Secondly I posted my overseas cards today..YEAH!!!!

I also finished Sophies Christmas dresses and posted them off too (sorry no finished photo, I forgot)

And Monday I went along to the local Quilting shop and joined in a social morning....principally to get some assistance to finish of a Log Cabin quilt I made 25, yes 25 years ago...so watch this space to see the progress...I cut the borders this week and will sew them on this weekend.

 

Spotted this on FB and got a chuckle from me....I' looking at the ABM and wondering what he's thinking...

This sign we spotted out side a big general store in Bali, at an eating place.
"HUSBAND DAY CARE CENTER - Need time to Yourself?  Want to go shopping? Leave you husband with us!  We look after him for you. You only pay for his food and drinks
Hope  you've had a happy week, life is too short not to make the most of it.....
Cheers and here's to a great weekend - Robyn

What's On Your Workdesk, Wednesday?

Good afternoon from my desk here in Australia...just put my dinner on and taking a few minutes to join in the Wednesday desk visiting phenomena - WOYWW #286 ...want to know more - pop over the Julias blog and read all about it and why not join in or visit some crafty desks to see what others are up to.

My desk as it was first thing this morning...late yesterday I was working on this pink card (now posted) and left it overnight to see if I was still happy with it and then to put it all together. I asked my MIL is she'd like me to send her some cards (as I have way more than I'll use and I already give them to my mum), so I'm making a few feminine ones to add to those already in my stash to send down.

Also on my desk ink trays on the left, drawers askew as some of the mess from yesterdays workings need to be returned. Middle a bear stamp used to make a Christmas card, a corner punch, metal dies, card of coloured twine and card scraps.  On the far desk my drawers of card stock underneath and white on the top left, next to that my container of Christmas cards (I am so glad I've been making these all year there's enough pressure now to get them all written up and addressed), then my stash of 6x6 and 8x8 paper packs and my die container. My curtain is pegged back as the room has terrible lighting to take photos.  

Enough waffle, I'm off to post this and visit a few desks before dinner. Thanks to everyone who visit and leave kind comments I love reading them. Cheers and enjoy your week Robyn

Happy Birthday

  

This is my first card with Add a Little Dazzle and somewhere on a blog I saw this challenge and technique. I'm always up to try something new and the door on the inspirational photo really caught my eye. This challenge,  #52 asked for an option - Inlaid Die Technique. Well my dies that look like the door only emboss not cut so I opted for this fancy label where I had to collect the little cut outs and re-position them, so the white tag is actually flat. I used this lovely pink background paper with a metallic floral that matched with the metallic fancy diecut paper and finished the card with a Simon Says sentiment and a floral doiley embellishment I put together with die cuts and ready made flowers. I'm also posting to Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes with an option of Leaves

Thanks for taking a peek Robyn

Our "Toppings" option this time is... LEAVES

Jingle Bells

 In my stamp collection I have this cute Christmas bear so when I saw that Merry Monday #135 theme was Bells I just wanted to use him on my card (well as I write I'm too late the challenge is closed), and I also knew that at The Mixed Media Card challenge #5 for November the theme is Christmas with an Option of Bells...so here is my special bear card.

The background panel was created using a technique I saw on the net by Mel (here) - you dry emboss a piece of patterned card and then use clear versamark on the raised embossing and then  with clear emboss powder heat set the raised areas.  Then used ink rubbed into the background to cover the patterned card and welllaa!! you have a new piece (way to use up all of those not nice card stock in your stash). I used a mid to dark blue ink but didn't like it so went over it again with teal green. I stamped my bear in Fire Brick distress ink and used the same to watercolour him and yellow on the bells which I glazed with Dimensional Magic. I embossed a row of stitches on the tag and stamped on the sentiment then tied it off with some ribbon and cream twine tied with 3 tiny bells.

Thanks for taking a peek Robyn

PS I am also being inspired to use tags on my cards by Traceys' 25 days of Christmas Tags

 

  

 

Our Beautiful World

TYPICAL NOVEMBER

....this weeks topic set by our dear friend Manuela at Our Beautiful World.

WELL....this one really got me thinking and I was a total blank -

so I asked hubby and his answer was - OUR BUILD UP.

Now what could that be you might wonder, but living in the tropics you would know that we are talking about the weather.

 An this past week we have started the build up in earnest, with the skies filling up with those heavy rain clouds only not to pass a drop and with the heat, whammy your all steam and sweaty and on go the fans.

Views of my street this week -

 Monday morning

Tuesday morning

 Wednesday morning

Thursday morning

Thank goodness Wednesday night we had an almighty thunderstorm; not only the lightning and thunder but we did get a good few hours of rain, so now everything is fresh and the dead lawns already have a tinge of green. But with the sun coming out in the afternoon, the heat brings out the humidity. Unfortunately taking photos of the lightning didn't enter my head not that I'm sure I could have captured anything either.

And along with the storms we get the occasional cyclone so there is much media advertising now for homes to prepare their cyclone kits with the essentials they may need to 2-3 days.

On the other front of course is all the preparations for the Festive Season, with shops and centres decking out with Christmas displays and families busy with their outdoor lighting. We're commencing our decorating this weekend so as yet I don't have a photo to share.  Below are local shops in our town.

We'd love for you to share your photos with us at Our Beautiful World and please pop over to the other team members to view their November photos...

Kirsty - Handmade Little Things

Ros - Mikey's Mum

Emanueal - Elasdistrict

White Christmas

Today I have finished my White on White card for the ABC Christmas challenge "W"

I do struggle with these type of cards so it has evolved on my desk over the week.  I embossed a white card with this large square swirly folder and masked a stamped three small trees in white embossing powder along with a few stars. The I adhered with foam tape a die cut tree and a double layered snowflake and decorated them with clear gems. I finished the card with an embossed sentiment.  Thanks for taking a peek Robyn

PS...I think I just might add some glitter glue to give the card some sparkle.

W for All White!

Friday Smiles #94

Happy Friday Smiles dear friends from across the globe. It's been a grand week here for me, other than my car having to go to the mechanic with a petrol leak that turned out to be major and need a new petrol pump, costly!!  Still I have plenty to smile about. Last week I found a local scrapbooking shop that runs a few classes each week, So I rocked up Tuesday and asked for a lift home (as the car incident had just happened and hubby could drop me off but was heading off for the week), lovely ladies they are - so I got to stay and made my first mixed media canvas. Talented Candy guided us (5) through the process and of course we all ended up with a variation of this..undersea mermaid..lots of fun and glue and texture paste and glitter and spray paints. Next I finished this little Christmas outfit for gorgeous Sophie - just stitched two layers of tulle and some lace to a store bought  singlet.  Then this morning I discovered this naughty boy (Arthur) had spent the night outdoors - must've been a bit of a trial because he's been resting lots this afternoon.  AND extra naughty because I found him with a tiny bird in his mouth this morning and then he disappeared - gone all morning without breakfast..mmmm. He's woken up now (just because I wanted a photo and is all smoochy and like "I didn't do anything wrong" look about him.   Anyway I'm happy because the little bird ended up unhurt and after an hour or so in a covered bowl in the kitchen I discovered he could fly so outside quickly with him - no cats in sight and thankfully he flew away without me getting a photo. So I've had a happy week, with a wonderful thunderstorm on Wednesday night to cool things off. If you'd like to join in Friday Smiles, pop over to Annies blog and add your post and read what's been making other happy this week. Cheers and enjoy your weekend Robyn

What's On Your Workdesk, Wednesday??

WOYWW Week 285 - these Wednesday creep around fast - and if you'd like to know more about this craze pop over to Julias blog, read all about it and join in - it's addictive.

So here is my desk this morning...as hubby is away again!! I get to craft heaps and today the mojo was flowing - I made three and a half cards.  The easel calendar card next to my laptop, the maroon framed card and one that came together out of the blue with bits from my 'might try that' pile....all posted now if you're interested to look. I have the pieces of a white on white Christmas card on the go but keep changing my ideas, as you do.  On the very left nearly falling off the desk is my external DVD player - I have joined the local library and got a few audio books to listen to while I work. Scattered around my desk is the makings and tools used on these recent cards and a small pile and stamps that need cleaning and putting away. And in the center on my bird card holder is an olive green card from my friend Vikki in Tasmania. At the moment that I am typing this post it has started to rain - thunder and lightening storm  - much needed and refreshing, but the thunder's is a bit close, Hope it's pleasant weatherwise where you live.  Thanks for taking a peek and to those who leave comments...I'm off now to visit a few desks, cheers Robyn

Jingle Bells

Hi there once again today...I have been busy at my desk today.  For this card I used the layout at CAS - Colours and Sketches #100 - cheers for the team there on their one hundredth challenge. I also used the Merry Monday #135 inspirational photo - to include Christmas Bells on your project.  This is a pretty simple card where I have used a length of silver swirled gauzy ribbon and a teal coloured metallic strip that I ran through the Cuttlebug with a Christmas wordy folder.  Then I die cut my bells and dressed it was a bow and an embossed tag sentiment.  Thanks for taking a peek Robyn

Live all the Days of your Life

Today I have made an Easel Card in the form of a Calendar.

Over at Kaisercraft blog the November challenge #1  is... "time to start your next years calendar/journal/filofax." and at Scor-pal challenge #10 the thene is Family or Thanksgiving... while here in Australia we don't really celebrate Thanksgiving as elaborately as in the US I thought these calendars would be a great 'thank you' gift for family when we stay over during the holidays.

So I have used papers and elements from the Kaisercraft Pickled Pear set, stamped and coloured the floral sprig and fussy cut it and mounted it over a band of hessian and ribbon on the front of the card, then added one of the die cut sentiments from the set which I thought very appropriate for a calendar. Inside I adhered a band of weatherboard paper matching the front and a scalloped edge and then the mini calendar and finished off with a wood flourish and handmade flower - which helps to support the easel as the calendar pages are removed.

I really enjoyed making the card, not difficult at all and will be off to select some more papers and elements for the next one.  Lucky for me I have these great thick card envelopes I have had for a while to use with them.
I am also posting my card to Just Add Ink  #240 where the theme is to ADD Texture.

Thanks for taking a peek Robyn

Just Add Ink # 240 - Just Add Texture!

"More Than One Score" Challenge #10 - Family/Thanksgiving

Joys of the Season

At Jingles Belles, this week the challenge is to make the theme of your card "Outdoors".  So I have stamped a tiny scene against a foreground of embossed swirls and snowflakes. I framed the scene with maroon paper and added some glitter glue and gems to highlight the embossing. I finished the card with a fancy label I design cut using part of a die and stamped on my sentiment.  

Thanks for taking a peek Robyn

The Great Outdoors