Merry Christmas

My last card for today is for the ABC Christmas Card challenge - "Q" for a Quick Layout.
And a nice quick card this was - I used a stocking image I had in my leftover stash from last year which was already coloured with Distress Inks - so all I needed to do was fussy cut it, add some white gel pen highlights and mount it on a tag I found in a designer paper pack, add some tassels and a sentiment and mount it to the background....Quick and Easy. Thanks for taking a peek

The theme for this fortnight is:

Q - Quick layout

Friday Smiles

 Week 183 Friday Smiles....oh it has been a happy week here, the only down thing I can think of is the number on the bathroom scales...it's just right to eat all those yummy things while you have visitors - Right!!

 I loved having mum here for three weeks, she flew home yesterday -  so it was one last breakfast on the front deck.

Little Mia isn't 10 months till the end of this month.....I think mum and dad are going to have their hands full...

She was walking yesterday holding onto just one hand and just about got her balance to stand alone.

 Here we all are - "The Girls" --- how hard is it to get a photo with everyone looking - even the adults

And our two gorgeous girls

See why I'm smiling....

Have a wonderful weekend and please pop over to Annies blog and check out the other smiles and maybe join in and add your little bit of happiness.  Cheers

Twas the night before Christmas...

Oh it is feeling good to be making a few cards.... another Christmas card and this one for the Colour challenge at 52 (Christmas) Card Throwdown - and the August palette is Red, Black and Kraft.
I had this image already stamped in my stash and so just so chose the three colours in Distress Inks to paint the image and simply layer it to bring out the colours. I thought this sentiment was  quite appropriate.  Thanks for taking a peek

   

Merry Christmas

Three Christmas cards finished today, so I'm feeling very pleased.... This RED card is for Jingle Belles - Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer challenge - predominantly red .... so you can see I stuck to the theme.  I stamped my Poinsettia image and sentiment on white card and embossed them.  Then using my Candied Apple Distress Ink and a dry baby wipe I coloured in the whole card.  I used a paintbrush and Aged Mahogany DI to highlight both and some Ripe Persimmon DI on the berries.  Thanks for taking a peek

  Here's a pic of my Poinsettia growing in a pot in my garden.

The Season of Peace

Another Christmas card completed today - this one for the Merry Monday challenge, Lori's Christmas in Summer Linkup - the girls are having a couple of months off so we get to select a past theme and I've selected one from April - #202 - "Let It Snow", create a snowy Christmas card.
I created the background with Brushos and used Distress Inks to stamp the snowy trees scene. Add a white EP star and snow, a few gems and a sentiment to finish.  Thanks for taking a peek

May the Spirit of Christmas bring you Peace

Well it's the middle of August and I'm just starting my Christmas cards... I did have all mine made this time last year and happily now that all the house renovations are done and my craft area set up, I can at last make a few cards.  So this week I was off snooping around the card challenge sites and Happy Little Stampers August Christmas challenge is to use Snowflakes.
My night sky background was created with Brushos, then I stamped on the snowflakes and embossed with White EP. Finished off with a few glitter glue spots and a mounted sentiment.  Thanks for taking a peek.

Friday Smiles

Happy Friday Smiles everyone --- Week 182 over on Annies blog so if you have some happy moments to share please pop over and join in. 

This week I've had lots to smile about so I'm sharing a few photos.....

 our son Ryan celebrated his birthday, so of course there had to be cake

and what little ones don't love candles and cake

Sophie was eager for her slice of cake - we tried our hand at the checkerboard layering!!

 AND then another cake - Lego this time for Ryan to take to his workmates

 We met with the grand daughter for lunch in the park - here are the fun loving Nannie and Pa at the swings.

And I've had a happy busy time in the garden trying to restore the place after all the building  

 Still working on my water feature garden at the base of the front stairs

  And down the back under the mango tree - some reshaping and planting

At the back steps - new brink edging and plants - these poor devils have been struggling along in pots for 12 months or so

And lastly we need to replace lawn underneath the backrooms where it was not going to grow, so we've been working on using up the pavers.

That's all for this week, hope you have a wonderful weekend, Cheers 

Friday Smiles

My goodness where did that whole week go .... Friday again (or early Saturday morning here) and time to post my happy moments for Week 181 over at Friday Smiles on Annies blog.   Hope you've had a wonderful week, we certainly have.  I've been busy in my garden in the lovely mornings and then relaxing with mum in the afternoons. 

This year our city - Townsville - is celebrating 150 years and the council are putting on various activities to celebrate.... so last Sunday there was a free concert in the park with the Barrier Reef Orchestra, 1RAR band, Tasmin Little a violinist from UK, soprano Valda Wilson and hosted by our flamboyant radio announcer Steve Price

It was an excellent performance in a beautiful setting.  Mum enjoyed it thoroughly and we sat right up the front with my friend Janice and her visiting friend Barbara.  The orchestra combined with the band for the last item -  TCHAIKOVOSKY, The Year 1812 - Festival Overture  -  and the audience were given paper bags to use as cannon fire for the finale, with others shaking their car keys for the bells.   Mum and I also went along to swimming lessons for the girls and while we watched Sophie, Mia was in the pool with her mum ... she loves the water. Here she is learning to grip the floatie board - those littlies are amazing.

Off for some more digging now, join in and share your happy moments and have a fabulous weekend