Looks BAD!!! WOYWW

Well, good morning to all you WOYWWers out there. It looks like a warzone in my craftroom at the moment. After last week's cardmaking frenzy to have enough stock for the art expo at school, I just did not have the energy to actually clean up too, because I got a few orders to do from the expo. and tried to get them out. My DD finally moved into her first little place and we helped with the move over the weekend, so you see, not lazy, just busy (thats my story and I am sticking to it) On my desk you will find a little bit of everything I own I think. Lost my glasses somewhere there, so if you happen to see them, let me know. Visit Julia at ( http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/ ) to find out why I would show you my mess. Here are a few of those cards. The first one uses a Mo Manning image, I love Mo's images, they are so easy to colour. It was coloured with my Copics, cut out with Nesties and given a little Stickle treatment. Cardstock is Bazzil and the dp is from Kaisercraft. The next image has been lying in my 'coloured images box' for about a year. I coloured her without looking for dp first and then discovered I had no dp to match so in the box she went. Found this Dp last week but in my haste to finish the card I cut off the info strip and threw it away before I made a note, sorry. The hearts are from some ribbon I got from Really Reasonable Ribbon. Flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and my stash. I would like to enter this card in the Crafts and Me challenge that calls for YELLOW this time. You can find them here ( http://craftsandmechallenges.blogspot.com/ ) This card was a special order. It had to be a tennis player! Have you ever tried to find a stamp like that? Finally tracked down a free childrens colouring page that I resized! Papers are from my scrapbox, cardstock is Bazzil and the Flowers are from Prima (the big rose) and Wild Orchid Crafts. Ribbon is from my stash. The inside of the card has a pocket with cards in the shape of tennis balls for everybody to sign, Really hope she likes it.

I am off to the dr. and to try to get my passport sorted out! Just my luck, they announced last week that passports will be double the price from 1 April, so now every African alive (including me LOL) is trying to get one - wish me luck!

My baby girl left home today and some cards

I have just stumbled back into my house after helping my baby girl (23) moving into her own place. She has been living on her 'own' for the last three years while studying, but that was not really leaving home yet, because she still came home most weekends. Now that she is teaching, she needs to stay closer to her school and found the loveliest place. Its on a smallholding where the owner built six apartments. Lots of security. I am sad to see her leave home for good, but also very proud that she is spreading her wings and flying like a pro!
Here are some of the cards that I made for the art exhibition at school. I apologise for the bad pictures, but I was so busy that I clean forgot to take pictures untill I was at the exhibition and the lighting was not ideal for photo's.
The first one is a Bugaboo image that I have had coloured for a very long time. She was coloured with my Copics and the heart and collar got some Flowersoft treatment. The flowers and seam binding are my new delivery from Wild Orchid Crafts, aren't they just gorgeous? The lace border was cut with a Nellie Snellen Die, Cardstock is Bazzil and the dp is from Paper Explosions.

The next three cards all use images fom Mo Manning. I just LOVE her images. All cardstock is from Bazzil and all images were coloured with my Copics. Dp is from Paper Explosions.
The green dp in this card is Melissa Francis. I used my MS punch for the heart border and the seam binding and flower is from Wild Orchid Crafts.

This one got some Stickles on the star and the ribbon is from my stash.

This image was cut with a Nellie Snellen die. The pillow got some flowersoft and the bunny some fluff. The trim is from Really Reasonable Ribbon and I added some blue pearls.

There are a whole lot more where these came from. If I have time tomorrow (have to go back to DD's new place with the last bits and pieces and hang her pics and her lounge curtains) I will post some more.

Have a great rest of the weekend!

WOYWW

I left home at 6h15 this morning and only walked back into the house at 17h03 South African time, so thats why I am so late today. I can't believe its time for WOYWW again. At least I have something to show for this week, I did not walk into the house empty handed, I collected a parcel from the Post Office. My order from Wild Orchid Crafts YAY!!!
Cut the box open at lightning speed and then remembered it was Wednesday, so ran for the camera (If you are wondering what I am going on about, visit our leader Julia at ( http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/ ) and you can also become an addicted stalker of desks!)

And here it is, in all its glory and so worth the wait! Lots and lots of lovely flowers and some trim and some seam binding, yummy stuff I tell you.

I have been crazy busy making cards, because the art teacher at school asked me to do a display of my cards at our school's annual art exhibition. Murphy's law my stock is at an all time low, so sorry everybody, I can't stay and chat, I have to start making some cards. The exhibition is tomorrow, so maybe I will be able to show you all my hard work on Friday.

Have some other very good news to share - I am going to America!!! CHA here I come. Need some advice from those of you that are pro's at this. Where do I stay (gotta be cheap, remember I pay in Rand) , what do I have to do and see and buy? Well, any advice would be great.

Have a fantastic week.

WOYWW and card thats a little different

I am happy to report that my desk is still presentable. Not squeaky clean, but still not messy. In the foreground you will see my new Martha Stewart punch and my new stamps, still unused. You will see the container with all my inks to your right and in the background to your right are my containers with brads and other small embellishments and in the middle at the back my dreaded marking. It seems like it never wants to end. Just as I finish one lot, the next lot appears. (Oh well, the lot of a language teacher, I suppose.
Here are all my stamps. Thought I would show you how I store them. Most are in CD boxes. I am slowly but surely taking all my other stamps off the wooden blocks and mounting them so that they take up less space. On top you will see all my Copics and the plastic containers hold my inks, flowersoft, Stickles etc. Now that I am looking at the photo, its obvious that it needs a good clean. If you are wondering what this is all about, visit our leader, Julia at (http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com ) .

I made a card that is very different to my normal style, but I actually really like it. The background is from the WOJ Spring kit and the little Tilda is from Magnolia's Spring kit. The images were coloured with my Copics. I used my new MS punch 9see, thats why its still lying on my desk, and some Flowersoft for dimension. Apart from that, its Bazzil cardstock and BG dp and some ribbon from my stash. Do you think this qualifies as a CAS card?

Have a lovely week everybody, hope to see you soon with some more Maggie cards.

Sugar Nellies, why did it take so long?

I got up on the 1st of March at 6 o'clock to buy them, coloured them that same day and made cards within that week, so why am I only showing them now? I don't know. I have had Bronchitis and my DD was really sick with a throat infection, but I still can't believe it took two whole weeks, must be getting old.
These two baby cards uses the new Adorables from Sugar Nellie and aren't they just too adorable for words? The papers are all Bazzil cardstock and bits and pieces from my scrapbox. The lace is from my mom's sewing box and the ribbon from my stash. The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and my stash.

The next one uses some of the new things from Hobby ex. The die cut is a new one and so is the dp, its from Paper Explosion, a local company. The flowers are very old Primas that I have had for ages, and the dragonfly brad is from my stash

How adorable is this little boy? Just love him. He was coloured with my Copics just like all the others. Dp is from my scrapbox. (I am very proud of the fact that I am looking in the scrapbox first, before I cut into new paper.) They were all cut with Nesties and the ribbon is from my stash again.

I have started playing with my new Magnolia Spring kit that arrived in the post on Friday and really hope it won't take two whole weeks to show you.

Have a great week everybody.

WOYWW and no. thats not all the ribbon I have!

I am proud to report that my desk is still clean, one whole week and a whole lot of cards later. I went to Hobby ex with one of my blogging buddies Ursula and did some shopping, so on my desk you will see the spoils. Some beautiful paper from a local company Paper Explosion. Some new stamps, some tiny little pom poms and some velcro closures (I can feel some boxes coming on) and an embossing plate which I can't seem to figure out how to use. I have put all of these away in their proper place since I took the photo. If you do not understand why I am showing you my beautiful, clean desk then head over to Julia at (http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com ) to see what is going on there and join in on the fun.
At Really Reasonable Ribbon (http://reasonableribbon.blogspot.com ) they are looking at different ways of storing ribbon this week. As most of you know, I am a bit of a ribbon junkie, so I begged my DH to help me with storage and this is what he came up with, the best ribbon storage I have ever had. Dear man did not think I could ever fill it, but I proved him wrong very quickly. This is not the only way I store my ribbon, just how I store the rolls of ribbon. If you look carefully, you will see some ribbon hanging in the right hand corner of the photo. Pieces that are too short to go on a roll, gets sorted by colour and hung on the side of my stamping shelf.

At the bottom you will see my book bags, full of tests that need to marked TODAY and the roll of net curtains? They are for my DD's new flat. She is moving in at the end of the month.
That's me for today folks, I better get back to marking those tests and stop blogging during my free periods!
Have a great Wednesday, see you soon.

The last of the new WOJ Spring kit/

Good morning everybody. Yes, you read right, its still morning and I am posting. No, I am not bunking, school I finally gave in and went to see the dr. yesterday. Turns out I have Bronchitis, on top of my lungs being weak it has really hit me hard. Thank you for all your concerns and good wishes on my previous post. I have some serious antibiotics and a whole lot of other meds, dr. says I will be up and running by Monday. Boring being at home all alone, so thats why I came to chat.
The next card was made with some more of that wonerful dp from the local firm Paper Explosion. The quality is really nice, I think I found a new favourite brand.
She was coloured with my Copics the punch is a new one and the ribbon is from my stash. I did follow the sketch from Friday Sketchers, bur seeing that it is Friday today, I think I am late.

This one uses my favourite, OK ONE of my favourite colour combinations. The dp is from Melissa Francis. The lace is from my mom's sewing basket, so it must be quite old. The ribbon is from my stash.

Thats all of them except the bacground stamps which are just as delightful, I just ran out of EZ mount, but found some at the Hobby Ex yesterday, so watch this space. First I have to play with my new Sugar Nellie Adorables.

Have a fantastic day.

Sad today.

Please note: This is my second post for today. The WOYWW post is below this one.
Before I tell you why I am so sad today, here are two more cards from the new WOJ Spring set.
How cute is this little one with her pot of honey? The paper is from my scrapbox, the ribbon from my stash and the flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts. The lace from my moms sewing box.
The paper for this one is from a local company, but in my 'wisdom' I cut the paper into 6x6 squares when I was tidying my scraproom this weekend and cut the info off. I think its Papercrazee! (Edited to add: Its from a company called Paper Explosion http://paperexplosion.co.za/ ) - any of the local girls? Please help! The little flowers were punched and the pearls in the centre is from Paola.

Now onto why I am sad. If you don't like the personal stuff, stop reading here.

I haven't been feeling well for a few weeks, but tried to hide it from the family, Every time my breathing becomes difficult, it scares me a little and I get this urge to clean up and throw away everything that I don't need. Crazy and stupid, I know, but I don't want somebody else to clean up my mess if I can't.

Well, today I started cleaning my classroom at school. Purging big time. Threw away worksheets from 1997. Who keeps things that long? As I was going through every piece of paper, and there were lots of it, I found some unexpected treasures. Photo's from the time when I coached Cheerleading and my squad were the National Champions, photo's of My DD Anke and myself, from the time she was at the same school, she was about 9 or 10, and then I found something that made me cry.

Why do you think the funeral letter of my mother's funeral would be in a box at school? Not only the letter, but all the correspondence we had arranging the funeral. The note she left, telling us she wanted us to choose the cheapest casket there was, find out the price for the most expensive and donate the difference to a charity she had been supporting for a long time. The note from her Bible with all her favourite songs and her favourite scriptures.

I also found the eulogy I had written and could not do myself, I asked the minister to read it. All those memories came flooding back (It was 1992) and they were just as painful as they were then. I remember that my dad said, when I asked him whether the pain ever goes away, that he did not know, he thought it would be better after 28 years, but he would let me know. Turns out his mom had been gone 27 years then.

I remember her smell and her ability to hear God's voice. I have always said that if I could have any of my mother's traits, I would choose her ability to hear God and listen to what He says. How desperately I miss her today and every other day. If you still have your mom, treasure her and hug her from me.

I remember how she always knew just what to say, even if it was not what I wanted to hear. I remember her honesty and her courage, her selflessness and her love for all God's people. I remember her creativity, her wonderful stories - I still believe in Fairies because of those stories and the way she loved my father so much that she sent me home with him that last night.

I was determined to spend the night with her, at her bedside and to let my father go home to rest. When he left, she called him back and asked where I was going to sleep. I told her that dad was going to rest and I would stay with her, she actually got quite agressive and insisted that I go home with dad and come back the next morning.

I remember turning around and asking her if she knew that I loved her, she answered that she knew that and she knew something else too. When I asked what, she smiled and quoted the whole 'Jesus loves me'.

Dad and I went home and got a call about an hour later to tell us that she had passed away. For a long time I blamed myself for listening to her and not insisting on staying with her, untill I realised that she loved my dad so much that she would rather die alone than have him be alone when he heard the news.

I am sobbing as I type this, but it is very healing and I thank you for reading this if you made it this far.

Sleep well my friends.

WOYWW - WOJ Beauties

Is it Wednesday, is it March? You have to be kidding me. Its WOYWW again and this time it gives me great pleasure to show you ladies and gentlemen..... behold .... my desk! Its a thing of beauty this week. It took me two of the four days of mid-term break to clean it up, but it was so worth it. Suddenly Mr. Mojo is back with a vengeance. Could it be because I can find things again? LOL
I finished a record number of cards in the last week. I have used every single image of my new WOJ kit on a card and as you can see I bought (don't tell DH, I used his credit card) the new Adorables from Sugar Nellie as soon as I woke up yesterday and started colouring as soon as I got home from school. To the left of my beautiful desk you will see my embellishment shelf (the recycled chocolate stand) and on the bookshelf my flower collection all neatly colour coded in containers. How did I manage to collect THREE containers of white flowers?

And here are some of the beauties from the WOJ Spring kit. They are all coloured with my Copics. I used Melissa Francis dp for this one. The flowers are paper flowers from my stash and the centre brads are fom WOJ and came with the stamps. The sentiment is also WOJ and the swirl is from Prima that I coloured with Copics. The pink lace was cut with a Martha Stewart punch.

Then, just as I finished, I remembered those awesome, tiny, flatback pearls I bought from Paola and I had to make another one. The dp is from my scrapbox and the swirl is the leftover from the previous card. The trimming is from my stash.

The next image is rather big and I did not think it needed any dp, so only Bazzil cardstock in this one. I cut the circle with my MM circle cutter (see what you find when you clean up?) and the scalloped circles were cut with my Cricut. The bling is from my local Habby store. Plain and simple, but very effective.

There are four more to show you, but this post is getting very long, so hop on over to Julia at http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com )

Have a fantastic week everybody.