2008 is coming to an end

I hate to say it, but it is another year almost over and where has it gone? Behind me quite fast I think. This has been an interesting year to say the least. I started 2008 off with a full time job in childcare and to end it with not working at all. I started 2008 not knowing a single thing about these little things called Artist Trading Cards and at the end I have made 51. It doesn't sound a lot but when you are studying as well and working (I was up until September) I am quite happy with this at almost 1 a week and I only started doing them in March. 2009 will bring many new things to me. I will have finished my course and be even more qualified in Childcare. Both of my daughters will be at school. And I will have more time to create in either ATC's, Scrapbooking or even back to my early craft of quilting.

The other day I posted my last ATC for 2008, now it is my last Scrapbook layout of 2008. The photo of the girls and santa was taken on 15 December. It seemed fitting to end this year on a positive.

To all my friends, blog followers and visitors - thank you for your friendship and kinds words you have left. Please feel free to leave another one ;-)

Last ATC for 2008

Hi All
Well I have created my last ATC for 2008. This is for Peace in the USA who was one of the winners in the WTA on ATC World. In fact I made 6 cards but three have a slighty different embellishment as I ran out of the metal ones.

I loved this picture of Santa which is on my friend Diana's blog and he came up well in this card.

Next year (also referred to as next week) before I file my christmas cards I might just scan the pictures so that next time I have the right image and I don't spend almost 4 weeks pondering on oh what do I do.

Hope everyone has had a fulfilling 2008, I sure have. I have a folder dedicated to ATC's for this year and when I go shopping for school stationery I will get my folders for 2009. Perhaps I will get two folders filled with these lovely pieces of artwork instead of one. One of my goals for 2009 is to learn how to make fabric ATC's and to complete my course.

I finally created

Well for one of these I had to. It was for an ATC at the Scrapbook Cupboard and it was due on 14 December. I did it on 19 December only 5 days late, but who's counting. The image on the front is an old family photo of my maternal Grandma. I am guessing that this is around 1910. The theme was Era and I tried to do something nice and simple to suit the simplicity of this black and white photo. This is one of my favourite cards. Probably as there is a sentimental meaning to it.



This is just a background at this stage. Not sure on what I will put on it. On Friday I received my Lumiere Paint order from the USA. All I did was paint on some Crimson Lumiere and when touch dry I lightly tipped my paint brush into the Bright Gold and just did random strokes. Once dry I got out my Time Holtz Flouish ATC stamp, used jet black Stazon and stamped the image to the card. This background I really like and must be one of my favourites for this year.

Not a lot of creative mojo happening

For the past two weeks I have created virtually nothing. I have no urge to play with paper, fabric or anyting else. All I have done is create a couple of backgrounds and started the massive clean up of my craft room. I am not keeping alot and actually tossing out heaps too.

I do have the video of Katie's school performance to upload but unfortuneatly the file is bigger that what blogger allows and I don't have the software to reduce the file. Katie and her class first did a song for everyone and then all of the year 2 and 3's did one for the parents etc with singing and sign language, I was very impressed with her.

Today we headed off to Dreamworld and the girls had a blast. I was very pleased with Claire, she went on her first rollercoaster. Although we were there for only 4 hours we didn't get to see everything and will leave something for next time. I still refuse to do the thrill rides. I kind of like keeping my tummy in its right place and the contents inside it. But yet I love the thrill of taking off and landing in Aeroplanes.

Photos are the girls one the Rollercoaster and on the Crocodile. Now if one wanted to lie in its mouth - there would be a great photo.

This will probably be my last post before christmas. Hope you all have a lovely christmas. I aim to bring you a better blog next year. I will have more time as my girls will both be at school.

Till then
XoX

Time to move out of my comfort zone this week

I was crazy enough to sign up for the AdvancedArtistTradingCardsUk yahoo group for the Lady Lucky dip 2 swap. I chose my cards and then agonised over what am I going to do. This time each card has something on it that I have never done before. I used beeswax on one, melted tyvek (USPS Global Envelope - recyling) for one, Ripped up a servitte/napkin and adhered it using gel medium and printed on fabric. The quilt pattern on this card is actually from a swap I was in with 11 other ladies in Australia and New Zealand.

I will have to figure out what I am acutally doing in regard to adding info below the card but the top two are Lady on a Swing and Lady in a fruit hat. Bottom two are Mermaid and the Dolphin and Pollys Quilt. The mermaid is of course my daughter Claire.

I hope these meet the expection in this group of extremly talented ladies. I do live in fear that I am not good enough.

Till next time.

XoX

It's beginning to feel a lot like Chirstmas

Here we are at the first day of December, where has the year gone. For most of us this is the start of the busiest month of the year. And in the words of Prince 'Lets go Crazy'.

Justin has just had three days off work with a numb foot and lower leg and now has to see the Orthapaedic Surgeon for the back issues which are causing the foot and leg issues.

On Friday we went to a little shop called Christmas Every Day and bought a small train set to go under our current tree and with the plan of getting a new tree for Christmas 2009 and putting it on Layby. Unknown to me on Saturday when I left to take the girls to swimming lessons, Justin was off to the shop to buy a piece of train track for the train (Not that we have enough now!) and came home with my chrstmas tree. Talk about being surprised. The branches are so much thicker than my old tree and hardly any of the decorations fit so it looks a little bare. Mind you it is now 7ft tall and rounder than the old one. What a reason to get more decorations.

Till Next Time
XoX