Hello Friends

Hey lovely blog buddies,

Sorry its been so long in between posts. What can I say. Life has been busy and full, some good and some really not good.

All I can say is.....thank you for sticking with me in my absences.

And for those of you who have used other methods to contact me and encourage me....bless you!!

It truly means the world to me.

Last year ended in a frenzy of busyness. Work practically took everything I had to offer and then some, but I made it to Christmas with my mind and my heart intact, even if the body was a bit bruised from the stampede.

I worked through the Christmas/New Year period as I had planned my holidays for early January.

I took my dear Mama home to Queensland to visit our family and friends up there.

And we made it through five days of solid, heavy, rain at Noosa on the coast.

After all my planning and scheming to get Mama up there, we were not really able to see all that I had planned as there was so much flooding going on.

It truly did not let up. Then we ventured up to Toowoomba, which is about 20mins from my hometown of Oakey.

Yes....we were there when the floods came through. We were safe, thankfully, though our room was flooded and my suitcase was soaked through.

We were unable to leave when we had planned though as all roads around Toowoomba were cut by flood water or pavement damage.

Whilst I was incredibly stressed whilst I was there, partly because I was unable to contact my family and friends and partly because it was stressful for Mama and her frail health, in hindsight, given what my family has lost and had to endure, it was so insignificant.

Sadly, I know some who lost their lives in the floods as well as too many who lost property, houses, possessions, livelihoods!!

My heart is broken for you Queensland and, if it was truly within my ability at this moment, I'd be back up there in a heartbeat helping out.

So, I haven't had much time to create lately, though I've managed to produce a card or two when the need arises, it's usually under pressure and I don't have the luxury of sitting and creaing just for the fun of it at the moment.

My roommate is getting married in just over 6 weeks and then I'll be changing bedrooms and creating my very own little crafty cave in our garage!! I'm too excited. A space of my own to set up and leave up for crafting!! Yay. I won't have to put everything away when I'm done and will have everything there at my fingertips to use. Double Yay!!

Anyway, I'm sure you stopped by to see a card, right??!!

Here's one I made last year as a gift for a gorgeous girlfriend.

Kraft and black - does it get more elegant than that??

Be hard to imagine. :)

I've stamped the chandelier images with Versamark and then embossed with black EP directly onto some printed Kraft DP by Basic Grey.

I added some pleated Kraft coloured grosgrain ribbon I picked up at Spotlight and then wrapped this and made a bow with a thin strip of black satin ribbon.

Adhered it to a Kraft base and there you have it.

I hope to blogging a little more regularly from now on and certainly/definitely so once I've made the move and set up my new little "happy" place.

In fact, one of the reasons I haven't been blogging is that our ISP at work blocked access to Google and blogger back in late October. This meant that I was unable to log in to view my own blog, create new posts and leave comments on other blogs as well. I could have done it from home, but honestly, I get home exhausted most evenings from work and by the time I've done dinner, etc., I did not want to go sit in front of a computer again.

I've constantly checked access at work and yesterday discovered - to my absolute delight - that I can now log in again!! Whooopppeeeee!!

So hopefuly that means I'll be back to some regular sort of posting and updating of this ol' Blog-o of mine. Mind you - this is ususally done at the end of the day so we'll see. Its already after 8pm on Thursday evening here now!! Eeeee.

Thanks for sticking with me to the end of this looooooong post.

Much love.

Michey xxxx

Waltzing Mouse Stamps Blog Hop

Welcome to my stop along the first ever Waltzing Mouse blog hop.......if you've managed to make it this far then you have put in a super human effort and deserve a peek at my little angel. LOL :)

If you've started here because you follow my blog, etc., can I encourage you go to Claire's post at the beginning on the Waltzing Mouse blog. You won't be sorry.

I've been loving Claire's stamp designs for a wee while now and used some of her sets to make several of my Christmas cards last year. Sadly, I haven't yet uploaded any of them so don't have any other cards to show you.

For my card I've used the Earth Angel set to create my gorgeous angel. I love this set....it is so versatile - you can create angels or spring fairies or even skipping girlies using this set + the wings can then be used to create totally gorgeous butterflies!! And there are several different wing designs to choose from!! Awesome!! Such an imagination resides within Claire...I'm so glad she is sharing her creativity with us and making stamps of her darling images. I decorated the inside of my card with just such a butterfly!! And since paper piecing is my newest fad.....I just had to piece this dear little angel's dress with a co-ordinating piece of the BG Porcelain paper.

If you click on the Waltzing Mouse badge on my sidebar ------> it will take you directly to Claire's website where you can see all the stamp sets available and purchase straight away if your heart so desires. ;) Claire has even started doing templates too!! I'm gonna say it again......amazing. :)

Now, Mona's gorgeous creation is your next stop on the hop....

(Here's the web address just in case my embedded link doesn't work) http://cupcakescreations.blogspot.com/

CARD DEETS:

Image: WMS Earth Angel

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper/Cardstock: Flourishes Classic White, Basic Grey Porcelain (6x6 pad), SU Whisper White (Card base)

Others: Copics, Stickles, KaiserCraft Rhinestones, PTI Satin Ribbon "Sweet Blush", Giga Scallop Circle Punch, Fiskars Circle Template and Cutter

I also followed Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch for the layout of my card and will also be entering this in the Flutter By Wednesday challenge, which was to include hearts with our winged creations this week.

Thanks for stopping by. Hugs, Michey xxx

A little Paper Piecing, A little Colour Combo and a little Sunday Sketch following.....

I'm here.....did ya miss me?? I've been around blogland, but lurking and peeking at some blogs is about all I've had time for this week. :(

I actually left the hospital a little earlier last night - I was absolutely tuckered out and needed an early night home away from anyone that needed anything of me. I know that sounds a little selfish of me....but I give 110% of myself to my job and patients and have been giving more than that to my Mama the past 2 weeks and I was just a little done in.

So I decided to come home and have an actual meal in my house and catch up with my flatmate and maybe, just maybe, get in some therapy by way of making a card or two.

I really, really wanted to participate in Pam's piecing challenge and thought this Anya would look fabo with some piecing in her uniform. Then I thought she really needed to have matching luggage & it all came together pretty well once I decided on the paper to use and incorporated another colour challenge. I also followed Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch, but have realised I missed the boat as far as uploading in time for the challenge there.

I'm also hoping to participate in The Greeting Farm's FFF colour challenge too!! A couple of challenges using Kraft + Chocolate and another colour!! I love, love, love Kraft & Chocolate....so no biggee there!! LOL. I may just post another card today.....who knows. Housework and grocery shopping are calling my name too. Bummah!! lol

Thanks for lookin. Mwah!!

Card Deets:

Image/Stamps: TGF Travel Anya

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper/Cardstock: Flourishes Classic White; SU Kraft & Chocolate Chip; Basic Grey Indian Summer (6x6 pad + 12x12 Acorn)

Others: Copics, White Gel Pen, Making Memories Edge Distresser (first time I've used this and I don't think I'll be a fan - I ran it around the white circle edge and you can see where the edge as left an indent about 1/2" in from the edge)

Lastly, a thanks to all who've left messages with well wishes for my Mum. Thanks....it is sooo appreciated as are all your prayers. She's still in hospital and will be for a wee while yet. Unfortunately, my Mama has many difficult health issues/probs and whilst the Medical team is doing everything they can to get her well again......there's not a lot of options available for them as my Mum is not well enough or strong enough for too much surgery. And its tough for me to watch her become more and more frail too, being a nurse is sometimes absolutely DREADFUL!! You know too much and understand what is happening. My mum is only 62 (almost 63) and her time left with us in this life is short. We don't know when something will happen....it could be in 3 hours, 3 days, 3 months, etc.....

Anyway, she's holding her own for now.....and I'm doing my best too. My brother and sister aren't really the support I need them to be, for both Mum and myself.....but I'm blessed to have some super amazing friends and Pastors in my world who are keeping me going. And this lovely world of crafting/stamping to escape to when I need some major therapy. :)

Get Well Card; Mojo Monday 125; FlutterBy Wednesdays again

Hey friends.

Gosh its been a big week!! It seems like it's been weeks since I've posted, but its only been a few days!! Unfortunately, I've spent much of the past few days when I'm not working visiting my Mama in hospital. She's been a wee bit sick for the past few weeks, but things took a bit of a turn for the worse over the weekend and she's now lying in a bed in hospital. Luckily, she's here in the hospital I work in so I'm close by and go and spend and hour or two with her when I'm done for the day.

I had such plans to take new photos of my previous cards (see posts below) but got a call on Tuesday morning to say Mum had to come in to hospital and that put an end to all those plans. I have taken some new shots, just need a spare moment or two when I can handle staring at my computer again to change them over.

Anyway.....I needed some serious therapy by the time I got home last night and thought I'd better make Mama a 'get well' card. I wanted something bright and cheery and wanted to use another of Amy's darling Sweet November girls. I based my colours on this piece of BG DP (Ambrosia collection) and went from there. Then I remembered that I had printed off the Mojo sketch for this week and it all came together reasonably easily!! I had initially left off the bow as I had the card turned the other way - but it wasn't working. A quick turn to the right and a little bow and voila!! Magic. I know my Mum is going to say something about the PERFECT bow I managed to make for her card!! LOL!! I never, ever get them this good. Being tired and stressed clearly works for me, haha. :)

Now to go and get an appropriately coloured and lovely bunch of flowers to match.

Thanks for stopping by. Hugs, Michey xxx

CARD DEETS:

Image: Sweet November 'Fidget Goblinspider'

Paper/Cardstock: Basic Grey Ambrosia (6x6 pad); Flourishes Classic White Paper; Bazzill White Cardstock

Ink: Epson Printer Ink

Other: Copics, Stickles (yellow, red, orange/pink & Platinum); Ribbon (from my stash)

Flutter by Wednesday & more SNS!!

Okay.....I'm publishing this post with this super dodgy photo 'coz I'm too excited to wait another moment.....but I'll be uploading a newer, better, more accurate colour-captured shot tomorrow once I've had a chance to photograph it in daylight. (The card is actually lying on a white background - not sure if its the same on your screen but its definitely a lilac colour on mine!!)

I had so much fun colouring the gorgeous "Ginger" in!! She 'told' me before I even started that her hair was PURPLE and her dress was green so who was I to argue. It was sooooo much fun and since PURPLE is my all-time, hands down FAVOURITE colour, it was super easy too. Again, special thanks go out to the Legendary Amy!! However....at 2am when I had finished colouring both the SNS gals in I found I didn't have any suitable green paper or DP in my stash to go ahead and make Ginger's card.

And I knew which DP I wanted to use - Basic Grey Origins!! After I got through all my chores (bores) today, I headed to one of my local scrapping shops and THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT!! Hadn't ordered it and weren't going to either!! Can you believe it!! So I got on my high horse and rode along to my other 'favourite' scrapping shop (where I am known my name, ain't that nice) and purchased 100 times more than I had planned (its why I ration my excursions to said shop!!). Should've gone there in the first place, but was a wee bit concerned they may have been closed already.

(On an aside, the owner also helped soothe my ruffled and definitely upset feathers over my drama with my Cuttlebug machine......I'm gonna drop it by sometime soon and she'll have a look and see if anything can be done!! Yay, double yay!!)

Anyways, drama aside - I came home unpacked my groceries and finalised my car rego deets (which were the priorities on my to-do list for today) and then was able to put my card together. I love it, love it, love it!! And its huge too!! Well huge by my standards. 11cm x 11cm square. I also picked myself up some Tim Holtz Distress Inks finally and have applied Frayed Burlap to the edges of all cardstock.

I'm entering this into the Flutter By Wednesday Challenge....because I can. Ginger has beautifully sparkly wings and is definitely a spritely little fairy so she qualifies!!

Thanks for dropping by for a squizz. Hugs xxx

Card Deets:

Image: Sweet November Stamps "Ginger"

Ink: Epson Printer Ink

Paper/Cardstock: SU Elegant Eggplant (Card base); Basic Grey "Origins", Kaisercraft Dear Santa Collection (Purple polkadot paper); Flourishes Classic White Paper; Offwhite Cardstock (matted under Origins square)

Other: Copics, StarDust Stickles, Kaiser Clear Rhinestones (again coloured with Copic to match); Gorgeous Purple Taffeta ribbon; Fiskars Scallop Border Punch

Another Birthday Card

I seem to have been on a card making roll this last week or two. And its great!!

Had an old College friend visiting Australia and, specifically Sydney again, this week. She now lives in the UK (London) and I hadn't seen her in just over three years, when I was in London on hols and stayed with her. She is affectionately known to us near and dear as the "Tyrant Tour Leader" as she powers us in and around London to see the sights. Its fantastic - I don't have to stop and ask for directions and she knows all sorts of interesting tidbits, its just that sometimes in her zeal for us to see as much as possible in the day or two we usually only have - she forgets to allow us to stop and revive with food and/or beverages as well!!

Anyway, its also her 40th birthday in a couple of weeks (I can't believe most of my friends are now having 40th birthdays!!) and we all pitched in to get her a lovely Pandora bracelet and a few charms for the occasion. I felt that this needed an appropriate card too so pulled out my as-yet-uninked Flapper Anya and got to it. You can't tell, but I've coloured all the tassels and the feather in her hair with Spica Glitter pens too to add a little bling.

I also followed the instructional video from Dawn McVey for tying the ribbon. I had YouTube playing it beside me on my iPhone as I did it. Still getting the hang of it - but I think I'm doing okay. :)

Thanks for taking a peek. Hope your weekend is going great. Michey xxx

Card Deets:

Stamp/Image: TGF 'Flapper Anya'

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper/Card: SU Whisper White; Flourishes Classic White Paper (for the image); Basic Grey 'Indian Summer' collection

Others: Copics; Spica Glitter 'Red'; Brown/Orange ribbon (from Eckersley's)

MTSC59

Wow!! Just realised its after midnight over here and I need to get my tuckus into bed as I have an early start for church in the morning.

This is a card I whipped up this afternoon (make that yesterday afternoon, lol) for one of my bestie's who has a birthday today (Sunday) - though I'm not seeing her until next weekend. Its a semi-big one.....the one before 40!!

I knew which stamp set I was going to use and then looked for the right paper before colouring this delicious Anya set in.

My dear friend is a Psychologist working mostly with children, youth and families. She's especially busy (sadly) and also has some presentations to make in the next couple of months and so is in a super busy time. I wanted to wish her a year of finding time for herself as well as everyone she cares for and these little Anya's were perfect.

I've based my card layout on Mercy's Tuesday Sketch for this week and am so proud of myself for continuing to participate in challenges atm. Hoping it will continue and I will get better at it as the year progress.

I actually decorated the inside of this card too......Cut some of the DP to fit and rounded the corners and used the "after" Anya to finish it off. I hadn't planned on distressing the edges of any of the papers, but clearly I need to replace the blade on my trimmer as it 'distressed' them all for me. :)

Yellow is definitely not my favourite colour to work with.....but I think I've pulled it off. My dear friend does great things with yellow as she has beautiful dark skin and luscious dark hair.

Card Deets:

Stamps: TGF "Me Time Anya"

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper: SU So Saffron, BG Two Scoops 'Creme Brulee'; Flourishes Classic White Paper

Others: Copics, Stickles 'Cotton Candy', PTI Ribbon "Sweet Blush", White Gel Pen, WeRMemoryKeepers Corner Chomper

TGF CHA Relay Challenge 2: Charlotte

Here I am again with Card No 2 for the TGF CHA Challenge.

I managed to get my printer hooked up to my iMac at home (finally!!) and printed gorgeous Charlotte onto proper cardstock. I did a test run to make sure the ink was colourfast with my darling Copics and, whoop-glory, it worked!!

I had a bit of a chat with wee Charlotte about papers and colours, etc. to find out what took her fancy. Wouldn't ya know it, she loves Pink Lemonade!! lol And I tried my hand at paper piecing for the first time.

Anyways, I need to get this loaded up into the gallery before work gets crazy busy this morning!!

Hopefully, I'll be back with a new card tomorrow (or tonight) for Relay Challenge 3!!

Card Deets:

Images/Stamps: TGF Charlotte (Digi), Verve 'Fairy Tales'

Card/Paper: Flourishes Classic White Cardstock, Basic Grey Lemonade

Ink: None (again)

Others: Copics, White Gel Marker Pen, Copic Spica Glitter Pens (Gold & Turquoise), Misc (yet beeyewdifull) Pink/Red ribbons, adhesives