WOYWW - Has it been TWO weeks?!

I can not believe that it has been two weeks since I have had time to sit behind the computer to blog. Lots happening at school (setting of exams, choosing leaders for 2011-2012 and, and...). Even more happening on the home front. (DD's car had to be fixed, DS's car broke down completely and he had to get a new one, other DD is struggling financially and we had to help and, and...) So sorry girls, but blogging had to take a back seat,
On my workdesk today you will find this wrapped box! It is being delivered tonight. It is my eldest daughter's 32nd birthday today.
Inside the box you ask? I know my sister is jumping up and down right about now. LOL Ever since we were children she has hated a wrapped present and if you took too long to open it, she would just 'help' you open it, so here it is just for you Berdine, the contents of the box.

A beautiful cup cake gift card holder in Daniela's favourite colour - purple. Ribbons and flowers are from my local Habby shop. Paper is by Melissa Francis. I also added a Pandora bracelet that I made at a fraction of the cost of a bought one. All beads are from Paradise Crafts

And a matching necklace.

I am really hoping to not be gone for weeks again.

Just in case there is somebody out there that hasn't heard it or, just maybe I have never mentioned it before -I am going to CHA in July! All tickets and Accommodation is booked, VISA is in my passport, so now I just wait very 'patiently' for July.

Happy crafting everybody.

WOYWW 101 - I tried, I don't know if I conquersd.

Its all your fault WOYWWers, I saw all those incredibly beautiful Journals and I just had to try my hand at it. So today you will find my attempt on my desk. It doesn't really look like it did in my head, but I guess its a start,
In the background you will see a folder containing part of my scrapping from the Mega Crop I attended on Saturday. I am determined to finish it before I forget about it. Here is a close up of my journal. Love that texture paste! Will have to do some more work shading that tree, it looks a bit flat to me. What is the verdict girls? Carry on with this, or stick to what I know?

Thought I would share some of my cards. I recently got some more Mo Manning images and they were just too cute - I had to use them immediately. The papers for the first one are from a paperpack that came free with a magazine. The border is a MS punch and the ribbon and charm from my stash.

The next one is a lot more colourful. I used papers from my scrapbox. The cardstock is Bazzil, the ribbon and cherry charm are from my stash and the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

The last is another one of Mo's images (I just adore her images!) Its called 'Newly hatched" The papers are all from my scrapbox and I sewed them onto the background. Cardstock is Bazzil and the ribbon and the flower are from my stash.

All of these images were coloured with my beloved Copics of course.

Hope you all have a great week.

Before I forget, did I tell you I am going to Chicago in July? My VISA was approved, so now its just waiting for July thats killing me.

WOYWW 100 - I'm late, I'm late!

I am very late today, sorry girls, but life is hectic! We started ( actually the builders did ) building a very large verandah (for my South African friends - 'n lekker groot stoep) in our backyard, I had to go for my VISA interview at the American consulate. My DD had an Epeleptic seizure while driving and drove into a ditch (thank goodness nobody was hurt!) and I was on Granny duty for the last few days.DH just phoned in a panic, the Building supplies are closing at 5 and I HAVE to go and buy something RIGHT NOW!!!! Don't you just love it when they think that you can just drop everything and run when they need you?
SO, before I tell you about all the photo's I have to run. Be back soon with more.
OK I'm back. Went there, bought what DH wanted, loaded it into my tiny little car and drove the 8kms home in about an hour in peak hour traffic.
Now for the desk - As you can see, I am proud to present a clean workspace. You will see the e-mail I printed out to get the address for somebody I promised some stamped images. There are some jewelery cord and yes, there is the obligatory chocolate!

And here I give you, my newly resorted bookshelves. On it my beads, sorted into colours. There is also my art journal - OK, my empty journal, I bought it and the Gesso and the texture paste and the paint and I will be trying my hand at it soon ( I hope! ) I have all these ideas in my head and all the inspiration I can hope to get from all the wonderfully talented WOYWWers ( http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com )
I thought I would show you the card I made for a friends birthday. I found a great tutorial and true to form couldn't find the link when I wanted it. The image is a Maggie and was coloured with my Copics. The papers are freebies from Papercraft Planet. The border was done with a Martha Stewart punch and the lace is from Really Reasonable Ribbon. I used some flatback pearls on the cake.

The ribbon is from my stash. Here is a close up of the image, hoping you can see how I glitterified her dress and flowers with Stickles. The bacground was chalked (Haven't used chalks in such a long time! Forgot what a lovely effect it gives.

And the closed card. Ribbon and flower are from my stash.

By the way, My VISA was approved so Chicago here I come! i think I am going mad, here is the close up. I am blaming it on old age and the fact that I am so excited about going to CHA that I can't think straight.

WOYWW 99 = I cleaned, people!

Now, don't faint people, I actually cleaned my desk - you are not seeing things (or yes, you are seeing things, I mean you are seeing empty space and recognizable stash, I mean, ...ah man, you know what I mean don't you?) After last week's humiliation, I thought I'd better put some things in their designated spaces in my craftroom and not just leave them on my desk. Very hard work I tell you.
I have been very busy crafting wise, I have made some more jewellery ( my DD was on holiday, she's coming back today, so I don't know how long I will be able to call it 'my' bracelets!) On my desk you will see some 3x3 cards I made with some mini Maggies I found while I was cleaning. There are also some coloured images lying on Dp I am planning to use and you will see a packet of stamped images ready to go to a fellow stamper in Carolins (that's Carolaina, South Africa!)

How do you like this baby? Its a cake made up of boxes. I saw it somewhere on my browsing trips, but could not find the link when I needed it (I was so sure I saved it) Then it hit me - my son is an architect! I paid thousands to put him through Varsity, surely he would be able to design something like this?! I phoned, explained on the phone - sounded like gibberish to me - and this is the result! He designed three different variations for me (apparently he enjoyed the change from work) and he even put a difficulty grading on each LOL He is now going to design a two layer cake - we will wait and see!

Cool photo don't you think? I love close up shots. Thats a EK puch and some liqued pearls. Here they are, behold, the famous elusive bracelets! Loved making them and really hope to keep them.

Today is another public holiday here in South Africa. Its Freedom Day, exactly 17 years ago today, we had our first truly free and fair democratic elections. Exciting times to live in Africa.

Have a great day everybody and remember to go see Julia the big boss over at ( http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/2011/04/whats-on-your-workdesk-wednesday-99.html?showComment=1303887414760#c7760589054821966078 )

Did I mention that I am going to America in July? Tickets are booked, hotel is booked, VISA appointment is on the 3rd of May.

WOYWW .You thought it was bad before, did you?

Good morning desk stalkers. My name is Tertia and I am a slob. I tried so hard to keep mydesk neat and tidy, but not in this lifetime I think. Today I actually have somebody else to blame, YAY! I had a friend over yesterday for a 'play date' and its her you see, she is the messy one. She came into my room, messed it all up and then left - rude, don't you think?
The first photo is her side of my craft table and you can clearly see just how messy she is. The next photo is my side of the table. Far more interesting, don't you think?

I tried taking it from another angle, to make it look better, but I think its actually worse LOl Yes, that is chocolate cake you see and not just any chocolate cake, TRIPLE chocolate cake! The colddrink is diet though, so its perfectly balanced, well, thats if you don't count the Lindt chocolate thats lurking somewhere on the desk.

Here is the fruits of all that mess. Do not faint people, I actually scrapped! I found this great sketch on Lets Scrap and my friend did come over to scrap, so what could I do. I am so far behind in scrapping, these photo's are from 2009.

Thought I would show you close ups of some of the detail. I just could not do anything without flowers now could I? You will notice that most of the LO uses Bazzil Cardstock. The blingy strip was simply painted with glitter glue and left to dry, I love the effect and will definately use it again. The dp is from my scrapbox and the flowers are from Wild Irchid Crafts. The ribbon is from Paradise Crafts.

Last week I promised I would show you some of my birthday pressies. I realised that most of them don't photograph so well. My wonderful husband bought me a ticket to go to CHA in July AND a new laptop! He's a keeper. I also got a Footspa from a dear friend and with my Birthday money from the Birthday club I hit the local beadshop. This is the result of that shopping spree. My DDers claimed the bracelets I made, so no pics, sorry.

And lastly, thats if you made it all the way here, I leave you with this thought:

The post I did about my girls on leadership camp, just brought this home to me. As a teacher, this is my motto, because I have seen so many 'hopeless' kids make great successes of their lives just because somebody, somewhere did not give up on them.

Have a great week everybody and don't forget to visit Julia at (http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/ )

WOYWW - Something is wrong.

I have been struggling for a large part of the day to get my photo's uploaded. Something is wrong, either with my computer or with my camera, but the photo's just do not want to upload to my computer. I did the next best thing, I found a photo that looks more or less like my desk. I have put away the punches and the marking is done and dusted! Its school holidays, Yay! If you are wondering what I am talking about go to Julia's blog ( http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/ ) and join the band of merry desk stalkers. I was hoping to show you my wonderful birthday presents, but because of the camera issues you will just have to be satisfied with my latest creations. I have been making some cupcake giftcard holders. Not as professional as some that I have seen around blogland, but I like them.

The first is a pink one with some matching cards. I am thinking of making these as invitations for my granddaughter's party. The papers are from Paper Explosion a local company and so are the stamps.

The next one is a set that I made for the lady that works in the school's office. She needed something for a wedding she is going to. The colour scheme is silver, green and orange. So I decided to concentrate on the silver and just use splashes of the other two, what do you think?

The card uses a stamp from LOTV and the trim is from Wild Orchid Crafts. The papers are from my scrapbox. Cardstock is Bazzil.

Here is a close up of the cupcake. I found the ribbon at Dubai Centre in Benoni and bought about 20 rolls - they are so cheap and I do need more ribbon don't I?

Hoprfully I can get the camera issues sorted and then I can show you my pressies. I got my Passport today (had to sit and wait 2 and a half hours just to collect it, but I am so grateful it only took two weeks, I am not complaining! So, Chicago here I come!

WOYWW and how did I get so lucky?

I know I am terribly late this week, but it could not be helped. Its Wednesday and time for WOYWW (Confused? Go to http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/ to see what its about)I just got home from a four day camp. Every year we take all our Grade 11's on a Leadrship tour. It serves two purposes: They cover part of their Life Orientation Curriculum and it helps us to choose leaders for the next term of office. This year I have been put in charge of the camp and the leadership programme. Quite a daunting task. So this is my 'workdesk' this week. It is at times like these that I remember why I became a teacher in the first place and why I love my job! These photo's tell a story of two girls. One that is about to give up and the other who just will not let her. A girl who overcomes her worst fear to help a friend achieve a goal and the amazing breakthrough that comes after all of it. Theses two girls were team mates. Put into teams by us specifically to prevent friends from being together and to force the grade to get to know some of their school mates that they would normally not even talk to and then they are given tasks that can not be done alone and relies totally on the help of a 'stranger'. In this photo, the girl on the right is about to give up on climbing the tower. (she is petrified of hights!) The rest of the tean on the ground is shouting encouragements and telling her that if she gives up, het partner can not reach the top of the tower. The girl on the left is desperate to achieve her goal, but she is telling her partner; ' Its OK Carolyn, if you can really not go on, I will understand and if that means I can not touch the top of the tower, its OK, I will never hold it against you'. By this time, Carolyn is weeping ( and so am I)

Here she climbes to the last rung. From there they can touch the top! Natalie is sitting next to her, by now also weeping, knowing how hard it was for Carolyn to do the impossible! They stand up together and touch the top in unison. Not a dry eye left on the ground either!

Back, safe and sound on mother earth, embracing each other and crying from relief? Adrenaline? and sheer joy at the realisation that together there is nothing they can not do. I am so proud to have witnessed this today. Proud to say these are my girls! I am so very blessed to have a job where miracles happen on almost a daily basis.

Hope you all have blessed Wednesday filled with small miracles of your own. School breaks up on Friday, so next Wednesday its back to my craftroom.