Embellish It

2011-05-12T13:31:00.000+12:00

I have a new blog on my "work in progress" website.

Check it out here

Finally I've done some actual scrapping!

2011-04-19T09:05:00.000+12:00

Its been a busy couple of weeks around here. Mum has finally gotten out of Christchurch and has moved to Waimate! unfortunately 2hrs after she arrived her GP rang and told her she has Breast Cancer again, so that took the shine off things a bit. However this time she is in the same town as us so we can help and support her a lot more than last time. She was happy with the house I found her, which I was relieved about, and seems pretty OK about things so far. She also thinks my husband is great! he has earnt lots and lots of brownie points with 6 trips to CHC to help her and all the stuff hes done around her new place. Wish he would fix my leaky kitchen tap!
On the scrapping front, website going a bit slower than expected so I can't link you to the new stock yet. Trademe has the new spellbinders and a couple of new Martha Stewart punches have arrived today so will put them on when I get back from Dunedin tomorrow.... maybe!
I've actually been doing some scrapbooking, incase you all thought I just liked looking! Quite proud of this effort as it is totally different to how I normally scrap (clean lines/bright colours)

The BoBunny Gabrielle range was just so easy to use, resulting in a much softer, worn look than I normally use and in colours I would never usually try. It was my first time using eyelets - good fun! and I think my handmade lollipop flowers look perfect.
Kids wont leave me alone so time to sign off..... hope to see you all at the next Crop in Timaru Sat 30 April.

First Camp..... done and dusted!

2011-04-05T09:51:00.000+12:00

Thank you to all who came and joined in at the first Raincliff retreat that I have organised.
I hope you felt inspired, well fed and relaxed over the weekend, and were able to churn out a few masterpieces.
Scrapbooking seems to attract such a wide variety of personalities but its great that we can all come together and have such a good time regardless of our differences.
I also thank those of you that took the time to tell me what you liked lots and not so much about the weekend, this is the way I will improve my service to you all, and keep things changing and evolving.
Pam and Kirsten (the cooks) were surprised that even the promise of food was not enough to draw people away from their projects. I have not yet asked these two dear friends if they want to come back and do it all again in about 5 months! maybe I will leave it a while.
Heres a couple of piccys taken over the weekend, the rest will be in a gallery on my new website when I have learnt how to do this (give me a week or so please)

Should have had a prize for the best dressed - note to self - NEXT TIME!
Hubby was amazed that this next photo was taken about midnight "dont scrappers ever sleep!"

The Zumba class seemed to be enjoyed (by some more than others!) we raised $120 for the Canterbury earthquake fund (less a wee bit for Doms petrol) so that was great.
Irene won the page of the weekend random draw and was pleased with her tote bag prize, but somehow got away without having her photo taken. Those who did the handmade lollipop flowers workshop seemed to really enjoy it and Nic B was thrilled with winning the Dusty Attic/Kaiser kit challenge and has already started using all that lovely Dusty Attic product.

Thats it for now, time to head out to the shop and unpack (I avoided this yesterday and finally did some housework inside). It will be interesting to see what has sold.
I will be in touch soon with upcoming crop details.

Thanks again.......Tania

ps. anyone know who these shoes belong to?

Life as we know it ... ...

2011-03-02T11:51:00.000+13:00

Like everyone I suppose, the past week has been very strange and upsetting. We have gone from having a house full of Christchurch refugees, to life pretty much as normal, all in the space of a week. But its not normal is it. Will it ever be normal again? I dont think so.
It is so hard to know what to do. How to support friends and family who dont know where they should live, and whether they will have jobs. Sounds like no-one I know actually lost their house but now they dont even want to be there. And that creates feelings of guilt that they should be thankful for what they have. Such a confusing time and I fear for Christchurch and indeed New Zealand as a whole.
I have donated a few items for the Louise Williams face book Christchurch earthquake auction which I am sure you blog hoppers know all about, and our farm/family has donated thru Fonterra. Is money enough?

Scrapbooking seems a bit trivial at the moment but I suppose life must go on and the country must try to get back to some sense of normalcy if we are to survive as a nation.
We had the first crop of the year on Saturday in Timaru. A few less than normal but lots of great conversation and beautiful work created. I had Becks laughing her head off when I described my first car crash! and no there havent been that many and they all are equally ridiculous.
Speaking of car crash why do you think Kathryn is holding this piece of wood?

Never mind.......

Thats enough for today I think.
Oops forgot the new stock arrivals. Just a wee bit this week. The long awaited BoBunny midnight frost range of papers and 3 new Martha Stewart Punches. Vintage lace punch around the page is great. Very similar to Doily lace but it comes with corners!!!! and checkerboard and scallop with 2 dots are for those of you who have requested a more genderneutral punch. There are a few more on there way but still a bit tricky to get a hold of. See new stock here http://www.embellishit.co.nz/index.php?pageLoad=24&cact=pl&cid=28
Thats it. Off to see the realestate agent about rentals in Waimate for my Mum who has very little intention of going back to CHC.... maybe she will change her mind when she sees the rentals on offer. That was humour if you didnt get it.

Its all go around here... ....

2011-02-15T12:08:00.001+13:00

Anyone with young children knows that life is always busy with them around, and even though Charlie is off to school 5 days a week, the pace is still flat out, but now out squeezed into afterschool and weekend hours. Heaven forbid when the teachers start getting tired and ask for some parent help. Although hes actually still not five (anyday now!) we had the much awaited party on friday night. Pub for tea (thats what you do here in Waimate) sleepover and Chipmunks in the morning. Since hubby was home when I started making the cake I thought it would be nice if it was a joint effort. WRONG. He of course insisted that you cant have a 2D rocket it simply must be vertical for his "boy".So we taped the handy towel holder to a plate and "erected" the chocolate logs onto it. Heres the final result....

Ooops nearly forgot to mention the waitress lit sparklers all around the base when she brought it out so it was pretty exciting for the kids.

On the scrapbooking front most new release orders have been placed and I am just waiting not very patiently for my turn to have preorders made available. 4 new Kaiser ranges arrived since I last blogged, the latest being English Rose
Had a wee play this morning with the Bracket frame and the diecut speciality paper from the Magic Happens range and the new paper blooms (also from Kaiser)

Pretty easy really when the diecut is already the right shape (and now I have a template for cutting out the middle). The paper blooms are easy to position with the wires on the back and the variety of sizes and styles in the one packet. The English Rose range has the same shaped die cut for those of you who like soft pink and olive. I am sure whichever little girl ends up with it will be very happy (Pam and Lisa don't show your daughters this blog)
Waimate is having a womens expo this weekend, so I have a stall. I am allowed ONE WHOLE trestle table!!! What on earth will I take..... ..... ......

Kids are off to school, Mama is home alone....

2011-02-02T11:18:00.001+13:00

That moment has come in my life when all my little birds have flown away and I am left with an empty nest. Greg and I still cant decide if we should have tried harder for number three (no pun intended) but after trying for two years and the magical "40" approaching fast we may have missed that boat.
However it is very exciting seeing your youngest starting school and absolutely loving it. Every morning he says to me "do I get to go to school again today Mama?" so cute. He's not actually 5 yet but with six kids due to start this month in his class it just makes sense for them to all start on the first day. Charlie is one of those kids who loves rules so school is perfect for him, rules and routines everywhere. Only problem is, now he and Rosie argue constantly about how things are supposed to be done - they both think they are the school experts.

On the scrapping front I have been spending about 4hrs a day on the computer trying to decide which of the new ranges to get in etc. You would not believe how hard I find this! Dont get me wrong, shopping is good fun and my husband knows I am very experienced at it, but, the difference is that I am no longer shopping for myself. We all have such different tastes and reasons for scrapbooking. I dont want my albums to be works of art, I want them to be chock full of photos of our daily life. In saying that, I love getting super creative when the mood hits and am completely in awe of all the beautiful work that I see you all doing. Therefore I love when you guys tell me what you see/want (Jo, Becks, Kathryn.....) I wont always agree (eh Jo?) and have in the past mucked up how to order upcoming ranges (still waiting for BoBunny Midnight Frost... maybe one day just to surprise you) but I will always welcome your suggestions.
This is the latest page that I have done using Kaisers Seaside Range, Martha PATP String Lace, Dusty Attic clouds and a spritz of Glimmermist.

So as you can see I'll leave the pages that take hours to complete to you experts and try to promise to actually order what I say I will.

My daughter, Rosie, has been joining me in the "shop" since being overjoyed with the scrapbook and 20 papers I gave her for christmas. I thought she was going to cry with happiness when she opened it. You never know what is going to capture their hearts do you? Any way here is her first page... and all that Mama did was cuttlebug the title.

So onto the Dusty Attic order, timed much better this time, a week after the new releases came out instead of the week before. DOH!

Yes it's been a while for me too ... ... ... ...

2010-12-05T18:38:00.000+13:00

Had a great day yesterday at the "Timaru Christmas Crop" where a few of us were discussing how bad we were at updating our blogs - the worst probably being ME! So when Google reader told me Diane Today for tomorrow had bet me to it, it was time for action. Debbie have you done yours?
I think why I havent gotten into the swing of blogging is I dont know who is reading it? Cyber space is a bit weird dont you think, you could quite easily become a hermit and never see anyone. NOT LIKELY for me, I get lonely after a morning by myself.
Speaking of being sociable, everybody seemed to love the new seating arrangements at yesterdays crop. Of course I didnt take a camera so if you weren't there you will just have to come another day to see what we did. Probably helps that I had never seen the usual layout and was really just making it up as I went along, however scrappers do love to chat and it allowed for plenty of that. Rebecca and I chatted all the way home about how we could pull it off for Raincliff Autumn Retreat.

Wednesday night sessions are going well here at the "shop" as my kids like to call it. Heres my take on the Kaiser Advent Calender. I used a combination of papers from Little Yellow Bicycle Christmas Delight range and Fancy Pants Traditions range. I like it's originality, and the kids of course love it.

By the way did you all know (whoever is out there reading this) that my friend Kirsten and I went to the U2 concert in Auckland last week! It was truly wonderful, and being labled and the most spectacular stage show NZ has ever seen. The best part was I wasn't even the oldest there! even if I did only know one JZ song and my ears hurt when he was "singing".

Back to the scrap booking heres one of the last pages I did using Senic Route Metropolis range, which I sourced for all you parents of boys like me! It is a Kraft coloured card with cool geometric shapes including spots, stars and arrows. Very cool and easy to scrap simple and effective.

Thats it for me, husband is home and wondering why he has no dinner waiting.
I promise to update more, maybe even a New Years Resolution might be involved.
Happy silly season everyone and I hope you enjoyed reading... ... ...

It's been a good week... ... ...

2010-10-22T16:36:00.001+13:00

You know that movie "Stella got her Grove back"? Well that's been my week, bit rocky on Monday/Tuesday but all good from there. I think the catalyst was actually sitting down on Wednesday morning (yes it should have been a work day) and doing some actual scrapbooking - well blatant scraplifting actually. Then last night some of the local ladies and I christened the scrap shed (yes there was some bubbles involved) and I finished the first scrapping I've even attempted since Raincliffe. And I am very please with how it turned out.

Obviously not everyones taste, but very liberating for me. Reminded me why I am doing all this. I love the riot of colours and textures and the little details like the butterfly on the edge of the fountain, and the water I invented looks soooooo cool! Well I think it does anyway... ... ...
On the business front things are getting organised sloooooowly. Ordered from four different companies this week and had two deliveries already TO RACHELS HOUSE!!!!! Does life need to be this hard I say?
One of my orders is having a wee holiday in customs and I have come to the realisation that I should have ordered twice as much! First of many lessons to learn..
Better fly Rosies at a birthday party this afternoon and needs to be transferred to another for the rest of the night, Oh to have a social life like a seven year old.

Finally, touchwood, the computer is fixed!

2010-10-18T05:45:00.001+13:00

Well a nice local man spent half his weekend fiddling around with it, and I am happy to say that all is well in computer land. Not quite true actually - the problem ended up being the modem and router???? so while the home computer is whizzy fast, the laptop now won't actually connect to the internet because it thinks it already has??? I SAID ENOUGH! Go home nice man, and see your family, we will attend to that another day.

Now as far as my new business goes, I am starting to finally make some headway. Baby steps but at least they are going forward. You know how when babies learn to crawl they often go backwards first - well that was me definately. I have ordered new stuff from 2 companies and am going to do some more today. Still haven't done any actual scrapbooking (seems criminal when I have a whole roomful of stuff to play with) but Rebecca (local police woman) is coming over today to play. Speaking of roomfull, this is how it looks... ... ...

Looks like a lot to fit into a trailer but we managed.
First Crop event in Timaru went well - other than my nerves. About 25 came along and I learnt lots of new names and some I have met before but seemed to forget - eh Deirdre? may have been that little bottle of wine consumed on Sat night at Raincliffe...
But back to the crop. All went according to plan other than the unscheduled fuel stop at the Pareora Truck stop in the pitch black. Gwenda (Oamaru) was the page of the day winner and recieved in the mail the following week, her scissors (left behind on Rebeccas table) and the lovely Glimmermist - Home for the Holidays Kit.
Next crop coming up 30 Oct in Oamaru - I'm even putting on lunch to make up for my lack of knowledge in other areas! Speaking of food - Raincliffe is all booked and I thought we might have a bit of a BBQ on the Saturday night... ... ... sound good? Think about it, I certainly will be!
Thats all for now, back to my Bazzill and Kaiser orders before my kids wake up... ... yes this is my new life tapping away on the computer in the wee small hours... ... ... ...

Final Post :-)

2010-09-26T20:35:00.001+13:00

Well the time has come for me to hand over this blog to Tania who on Friday purchased Embellish It and has fantastic energy and can see a fantastic path forward for the business!

This was us after we had packed the trailer - for me for the last time and for the first time for Tania, I was pushing it out and Tania was keen to pull!

It was blowing something wicked on Friday which made for interesting pack up - lucky there wasn't papers flying all the way to Invercargill!
So Saturday morning saw us trying to pack the scrap room down with all my *stuff* in it - lol Saturday afternoon saw Beck over and she helped me sort - thanks so much Beck - seriously she got me in the "throw it out" mode!
Nigel thinks that Tania forgot most of the stock and is threatening me that he is going to have a garage sale - got news for him!!!!!!!!!!
The lounge still looks like a bomb hit it, but this morning we re-painted the scrap room and I have my bed in it, Jamie got shifted into our bedroom, and Abby into his - all this for about a month or so while we get new windows put in their bedrooms and our old bedroom gets turned into a new bathroom and toilet! YAY!
Anyway enough about that! I will head back to my old blog which i hope to be able to blog on every now and then :-)
I want to thank everyone for their lovely comments that have come through my e-mail, and if anyone would like to keep in touch my personal e-mail will keep you in touch with me!
Have a fantastic week everyone, and I will see you all at the crop on the 2nd of October at Highfield School - I will be the one scrappin :-)

Until then - take care :-)

*hugs*
Rachel

Raffle Results

2010-09-16T21:27:00.003+12:00

A HUGE thank you to all of you that supported Abby in her ambition to raise $600 for the Leukemia & Blood Foundation - she made that goal and tomorrow will head of to give her bag of coins to the Cancer foundation to go to the Leukemia & Blood division.

A BIG thanks to all our friends - family and scrappin - who willingly took raffle books and sold them for Abby - without your help it would not have been possible.
And to our sponsors: Pope Print, Bennys Again Restaurant, Barkers Fruit Processors, Soul Surf & Skate, Noel Leemings, Watties, The Fontrunner, Embellish It Scrapbooking, Toyworld, Green thistle House Jewellery.

And here are the winners as drawn by the Timaru Police Station

Here was the list of Prizes

1st $50 Benny's again voucher and Barkers Gift Basket    - ME!!!!!!!!!! not rigged I promise!
2nd $150 scrapbooking Products                                      - Jimmy Wallace
3rd Woman's hoodie and Man's T Shirt                             - Jo Flannery
4th Electric Salt & Pepper Mills, watties gift box                - Tracey Agnew
5th 2 Soccer balls, Domino games, Schotty Star Trek action Figure      - Robbi Bell
6th Soccer ball & Necklace                                               - Alister Hunt
7th 2 Soccer balls                                                              - Jacob Caithness

Abby told the Police woman that mum won first prize - she laughed and said people will think it was rigged but HONEST I brought 2 books of tickets and I NEVER win anything!

Anyway thanks again to you all :-)

Have a great week!

Cheers

Rachel

What A Week!

2010-09-14T10:49:00.000+12:00

Well wasn't the last week a hectic crazy one? My heart goes out to all those effected in the Canterbury Earthquake - it was scary enough here I sure wouldn't want to be 160kms closer!
I have two brothers (many friends and clients also in Canterbury). One of my brothers house is fine but Andrew (my big big bro) looks like his may not be and might have to be pulled down - that on top of all the aftershocks just makes me feel sick for him his wife and three children, and the many many more that are in the same situation.
On top of all of that we have had mum back in ICU for 4 days and 2 on the ward - she is home now and until Christchurch cardiac unit opens up and starts to take people from outside the region we are just waiting.
On top of that we are trying to decide on plans for the house - so it has been all go!

Anyway a couple of more photos from Raincliff.

Beck's make this lovely card for me and everyone signed it. It is made from calico and prima paper, prima flowers all my favourite things - how did she know lol!
She is so clever take a look:

the flowers were also from the girls.

I am so humbled at all the kind words on the card and will cherish it forever.

Thank you to you all for a wonderful ride - and hopefully next week I will have some exciting news to share with you all!

Until then - HUG your family very tight and have a fantastic week!

*hugs*

Rachel

Where has this week gone?

2010-09-03T19:44:00.001+12:00

Wow i can't believe it that this time last week we were just starting camp!
Anyway I have some more pictures to share with you here are some of the tables being very busy:

This one is of the very clever "bed Buddie" that Ngaio made for Evelyn. Evelyn is a bad snorer and her "bunk mate" had to leave on Saturday night due to illness and she hates to sleep alone so when she went to her bunk room this was what was waiting for her in her bed so she didn't feel alone:

Ngaio did a wonderful job - although i am told that when she went to bed her nighty had knots in the sleeves now I wonder how could have done that?

We also did a make n take of sorts - we gave everyone a package with a chocolate bar, Dusty Attic tree, flowers, brads, a piece of bazzill of their choice and a Prima paintables. We set out the distress inks and the water colour pencils and left the ladies to it to see what they could come up with. MAN they were ALL fantastic here are some pictures:

I know you have to turn your head to see these two - but it is round the right way on my computer for some reason it won't upload here the right way!
There are SO many amazing layouts - the winner drawn from names that played along won $80.00 of Dusty Attic - a hugh thanks to Dusy Attic for sponsoring us that prize!

Anyway I think that is enough photos for one post :-)

Have a great weekend everyone!

*hugs*

Rachel

What a blast!

2010-08-31T08:46:00.001+12:00

Well Raincliff camp is over and it was the last camp with me at the helm, some of you are not aware but Embellish It is for sale, I have finally after about 18 months of procrastinating decided to "hang my apron up" but lets hope that it is not the last as we all had a blast!

Friday saw us arrive at camp and be all set up within an hour - amazing.
A big thank you goes out to all the ladies that turned up to lend a hand (and a huge thanks to Bronwyn who came Friday and Sunday just to help as Bo was not able to make camp itself and was missed HEAPS) - that meant that those ladies all started scrapp'n about 4.30pm on Friday so there was a power of work - and laughter done just on Friday.

Here are a couple of photos taken on Saturday - which we could have forgotten it was "winter camp" as the sun was out and boy was it hot!

One has me in it and the other has Dad, I will get it photoshopped so we are all in it but I couldn't get the timer to work on the camera lol.
Saturday saw a few shenanigans happening and I am sure we could have guessed that this lady would be involved:

Gwenda saved the life of one of our scrap ladies by preforming CPR and keeping her alive until the ambulance and then helicopter could take our dear Lynn (missed you at camp Lynn) to Hospital only a fortnight ago so we thought it fitting that she become the camp ANGEL and made her wear her wings for the day - she was a good sport!
Then Gwenda had her apple all "blinged" up by the girls at this table- they look like trouble don't they lol:

The sad face on the apple is because someone "stole" the apple and left clues as to it's where abouts and so the game of "cludo" began. Gwenda even got a note take a look at this

I guess you had to be there but it was seriously funny and this lot made the "you don't have to spend a lot on toys to amuse the kids" SO RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!
Lucky we had a policewoman (off duty lol) that helped Gwenda get her beloved "Blinged apple" back - unharmed I might add!
Yet again we had some YUMMY food available to us and a huge thanks goes out to my Mum, Dad and Aunty Cicley also to Michael who came in on Saturday to help us out - mum was meant to be doing NOTHING but that was a laugh - talk about naughty! But the food was delicious take a look - so hard to decide!

These girls have updated there blogs and there are more photos and stories so go and check out Beck, Trace, Diane and Kathrine's blogs.

I will be back with some more photos of the fun!

Just before i go, a BIG thank you to you all - without you we wouldn't have a camp and it is such a great way to get things done, form new friendships and have a blast while we are at it - fingers crossed it won't be the last one and maybe at the next camp it will be ME going to bed at 4am :-)

Catch you all soon

*hugs*

Rachel

This time next week?

2010-08-21T09:41:00.000+12:00

This time next week we will be on scrap camp!
Wow that came around real quick, we have a full house for camp and a few tricks up our sleeves to make the last camp (well hopefully with me at the helm and not the last - last camp) a bit of fun!

Tomorrow is my mum's (or camp mum's) birthday so last night I set to in the scrap room and made this card for her, the image is one of Elisabeth Bell's digital images called "i love you this much" and really this is so fitting for mum as when my kids were little my kids used to say "Nana i love you this much, plus this much, plus this much" and they used there arms to indicate how much - so when I saw this image I knew we just had to have it lol.

I coloured the image in with Tim Holtz Distress inks, used the spellbinders tags and label images, the leaves punch is Martha Stewart, the flowers used are in stock 10 in a packet for $2.70. Paper is Prima and Kaiser and the card stock is Bazzill.
Hope you are all having a relaxing weekend :-)

Cheers

Rachel

Fundraising for Leukemia Foundation

2010-08-17T10:27:00.000+12:00

This is a can you help us post? Would you like to win some great prizes? For $2 a ticket you could win any of these:

$150.00 of scrapbook or stamping products by - you guessed it Embellish It :-)
$50.00 Benny's Again voucher and a Barkers gift Basket
Woman's Hoddie and a mans T-shirt
Electric salt and pepper mills, Watties gift box
2 soccer Balls, Domino Game, scotty Star Trek action figure
1 Soccer Ball and one Necklace
2 Soccer Balls

Abby is doing a project for school and she chose Event Management, so she decided to organise a raffle.
Now for a 12 oops now just 13 year old she has done really well.
Abby wrote a letter requesting people to donate a prize and then followed up with a phone call two weeks later, so she has sourced the prizes by her self (apart from one that I asked Katherynn for) she then liaised with Brenda from Pope Print and got the tickets printed by them via sponsorship.

She was sponsored by Pope Print, Benny's again restaurant, Barkers Fruit Processors, Soul Surf and Skate, Noel Leemings, Watties, The frontrunner, Embellish It, Toyworld, and Green Thistle House.

Now for the hard bit - to sell them. She has 300 tickets at $2.00 each with an aim to fundraise $600 for the Leukemia Foundation, so if anyone out there wants to purchase a ticket for a chance to win a great prize please e-mail me - or if any of the local ladies can help out by selling some books of tickets for her it would be much appreciated.
I fully understand that most of us with children have to fund raise for our schools and I usually just buy the book and be done with it because I HATE asking other people to help, but since Abby has put so much time and effort into this to raise funds for a great cause I am happy to help out and get word out there.

Now if it is one of our "girls" that wins the Scrapbook goodies - they can come and choose the product that they would like :-)

Thanks everyone for taking the time to read this post - I hope you all have a fantastic week.

Hugs

Rachel

Is it bed time yet?

2010-08-15T19:21:00.000+12:00

I hope everyone has had a great weekend, mine has been VERY, VERY busy!
Friday saw me finishing off this new project from Kaiser that we have in stock - a large desk organiser:

I used the new papers in stock from Bo Bunny and i am really happy with how this turned out! Love these papers can suit all ages and genders.
I was also making this - talk about multi tasking although I did finish icing it on Saturday morning:

I think you can see she is pretty happy with it - even if I did go wonky with the stings of the guitar do you know how hard it is to try and ice it straight my hand was shaking like you wouldn't believe!
Then at 4pm on Saturday we had 6 - 12 or 13 year old girls invade our home for a "slumber party".
Seriously I feel sorry for the neighbours at three o'clock this morning I finally got up and told them to whisper!
Man were they LOUD!! Then about 4am they fell asleep, here are a few photos:

This last photo was taken as they were trying to eat chocolate out of flour! Apparently a cool game to play and I will admit to it being quite funny.
All and all the girls were really well behaved and made up games and amused themselves really - but I am still happy it only happens once a year!
At least I could just skip into my scrap room to escape poor ole Nigel was going to get a motel and escape but he was a good dad and refilled the carrots, lollies etc and make sure they were all happy :-)
So with that being said IS IT TIME FOR BED YET!!!
Well yes actually - I know its only 7.30pm but I got NO sleep last night so an early night is called for.

Hope you all had a great weekend.

Cheers

Rachel

Been Playing!

2010-08-07T15:58:00.000+12:00

Wow where on earth did that week go?
Bet Jo and Sean are saying the same thing but at least those lucky people have spent their week in Fiji - well Jo you will be well rested and ready to help us all out at Camp! Only a few more weeks and 50 lucky ladies will be scrapping to their hearts content - well scrapping, eating, gossiping and a little scrapping lol for two nights and two and a half days!

I have been doing a Kaiser place mat set for a while now and FINALLY today I got to finish it off. It is actually harder than you think because I want to modge podge them and use them for the purpose that they were intended - it meant that they had to be kept flat so when you placed your cuppa on them it didn't tip your hot coffee all over the mat, so here is what I have done:

Have to say they were lots of fun - not as quick as I had thought (but then what is?) Now I just have to modge podge them to seal them off and they are ready to use - now to buy a coffee table to sit them on lol.
Also I brought one of the kenny K images - these are digital stamps easy to use :-)
This Tuesday will be Abby's 13th birthday - wow all officially teenagers where are my babies going?
Abby is having a sleep over next weekend and we are going to make her a guitar cake (she is learning the guitar) and she used this image to send her invites out so it's only fitting that I make her birthday card with the image too (shh don't show her - but here it is)

Now while surfing one of our suppliers I found this little beauty and have a couple in stock:

These are used to pluck off the bling and place on your project - now my scrap ma bob (see previous post) is still top, but man do I LOVE these little beauties - where have you been all my scrappin life!
Because I am very bad (and bite my nails - badly) I struggle with getting my bling off my sheet (usually using my craft knife) and onto my project without it pinging off or falling off onto the wrong side - BUT with these little beauties they pluck off and back on where you want them - piece of CAKE!!!!

Well I think that is a long enough post from me, so I hope you are all having a great weekend.

Thanks for stopping by

Rachel

MIA!!!!

2010-07-31T21:27:00.000+12:00

Happy weekend everyone!

I have been missing in action - I wish the action part of it was true but I have actually been off sick and then trying to catch up.
I had glands that were up and went to the doctors and was given antibiotic's they were not sure what had caused this but the next day I discovered that my wisdom tooth was rotton (gross i know) so by 10.30am I was at the dentist getting it pulled out - not the nicest I can tell you! It took nearly 40 min and came out and in bits, all I can say is that I have STRONG teeth it did not want to come out.
So anyway after all of that the infection got a bit worse and I spent most of last weekend in bed and took the start of the week very quietly. All good now though :-)

Rachel H one of the ladies that I have gotten to yack with a bit via e-mail while she was purchasing our
Whiff of Joy stamps was kind enough to send me some cards that she has made with the stamps - it is always really nice to see what others do with them - so thanks so much Rachel for sharing your wonderful work with us:

and this is the one that Rachel sent me with a note in it - it is lovely to so I will share this one also:

Stunning Rachel! Thanks so much for sharing :-)

I would love to share something that I have done with you but I don't actually have anything finished lol.
Nearly but not quite! I have been loading up the latest Dusty Attic order on our web site - unfortunatly a few were missed from our order but we do hope to have them in stock soon - the new ones are up for pre order though if you don't want to miss out!
Also we have pre ordered all the new Fairy Flora paper from Prima these are stunning take a look:

Plus LOADS of others so if you would like any just send me an e-mail letting me know what you would like and we can do our best to order enough in!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Kindest regards

Rachel

End of the Holidays!

2010-07-18T20:18:00.000+12:00

Well it is an end of my holiday (a week is never long enough) and the end of the kids school holidays! Tomorrow brings us back to routine, routine I like but holidays I like better :-)
On Friday my cousie came and helped chop our tree down here he is in action:

Lucky it was him up there and NOT me! He had all the safety gear on and it only took him one and a half hours to get this down. Then it took us another two days to get all chopped up and the usless bits all taken and gotten rid of. Now the hard bit - to get rid of the stump!
So after all of that i felt it only right that I could play in the scrap room and after burning my arm on my heat gun (who would be so dumb - seriously I have had it for 15 years and only now do I be dumb!) this is what I came up with and Beck's will be happy it is a "Rachel original" (can't ya tell!)

I had lots of fun playing with embossing powders, I used Gold, Copper and Red to try to get the Autumn colours replicated - not quite what I was expecting but happy with it all the same.

And I have ordered LOADS of the new Dusty Attic chipboard and it will be here in time for Raincliff so you lucky ladies will be one of the first to get your hands on it!

Righto thats it for me - might head off to bed for an early night - can't sleep in tomorrow DARN it - doesn't work just get in the way of playing?

Have a great week everyone!

Cheers
Rachel

Magnolia Stamps

2010-07-16T19:48:00.002+12:00

Finally - it seems that everything is getting held up these days - I must learn to be more patient (note to self!)

But the shipment of Magnolia Rubber Stamps has finally landed at my door. These are from a Sweeden manufacture and they are already mounted on Ezi Mount so they are ready to go! - this is what was in it:

Devil Tilda $ 22.90 (this is a favourite of mine)

Dragonfly Tilda $ 24.00

Mini Tilda (and she is MINI) $23.00

Princess Tilda $24.75

Simsalabim Tilda $ 24.75

Sitting Wedding Tilda $ 22.90

Tilda as Butterfly $ 24.00

Tilda Ballet Princess $22.90

Tilda With Wedding Gifts $ 24.70

Wilma with Rose $ 23.00

Now I am off to my scraproom to have a play!
Hope those that have been or are going to SENZ are having a great time!

Happy Weekend

Cheers
Rachel

Challenge Complete!

2010-07-08T20:54:00.002+12:00

Hi all!

Well I was set a challenge for this week to complete a card - I have been meaning to make a couple (well 3 were on my to do list) when i was talking to Tracy and she challenged me to finish one before the week was through!
So with a couple of days spare here is not ONE but TWO cards - did ya hear that TWO - I know can't beleive it myself! Now to be fair they are "card lifts" and I know one is from a tutorial off the spellbinders blog and I am sorry I can't remember where I saw the other one but anyway here they are:

Now this one was made with the tutorial from the spellbinders blog and i was a little heavy handed on the distress ink actually it looks yuck here but it is not that bad in real life and I reckon in black and white or red and black it would look stunning!

This one was done with the Tim Holtz Alterations Sizzix dies - LOVE these so versatile great for cards and scrapbook pages. I have used Prima flowers and McGill leaves punch and Tim Holtz Stickles.

And I know this has NOTHING to do with card making or scrapbooking, but I went into our bedroom and Abby was being silly with Basil putting her hair all over him, but I couldn't resist taking this photo:

LOL he was as impressed as he looks!
Yay one more day at work then a week on holiday with the kids and hubby - can't wait!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Rachel

Punches & Special offer's!

2010-07-04T21:14:00.003+12:00

Happy Sunday to you all!

This weekend saw us in Oamaru for the crop and I was having such a good time I forgot to take photos!
Thanks to all the girls that came and made it a great day, it was SO nice to catch up with you all again :-)

Just to let you know that as well as the HUGE range of Martha Stewart Punch's that we have in stock we also have a great range of EK sucess punch's like these for only $30.00 each!

Also we have a special on for this month - Scor Pal boards for $80.00!!!!!!!! Yes that's right $80.00!*

* Please only bank deposit's/Cash for this one - sorry no visa payments.

And for those local ladies (of course for those that are not - feel free to e-mail me to see what we have in stock) - ONE WEEK only 20% off ALL PRIMA FLOWERS IN STOCK*

Well think that is about it for me. I hope you all had an enjoyable weekend.

Take care and have a great week.

:-)

Rachel

I am in LOVE with Bob!

2010-06-26T16:03:00.001+12:00

Yes I know poor ole Nigel - but i LOVE bob - take a look:

This is called "scrap ma Bob" and I am in love! This fantastic gadget goes on almost any surface and you simply screw onto the table so you can put your drink in the holder right beside you and have your rubbish bin right beside you - no more sending your drink spilling over your work or having to reach for a rubbish bin - its right there beside you!
We saw these in Taupo at the Autumn Retreat a lady had brought one when she was over sea's and I thought it was a fantastic idea so - here we go!
I have some in the shop here at home they are metal not plastic and the bag is (i am going to say canvas) but you know the bags you buy at the supermartket to pack your groceries in now days instead of the plastic variety well made of that stuff lol!
They cost $32.00 - I think this is going to be my next best buy!

Also we have had our next shipment of Dusty Attic arrive - loads of new images avaialbe, like this one:

These are so delicious and only just a few of what we have in stock!

Righto - I am off to play - have a great weekend everyone!

:-) Rachel

Laouts by Kathryn Fraser

2010-06-20T20:30:00.001+12:00

Kathryn has been kind enough to send me through the pictures of the last couple of layouts that she has done when creating a album for her sister.
I think you will agree with me that she has done a stunning job! So here are the pictures so you can see for yourself!

Here is what kathryn told us she did:

There are around 50 of the larger McGill leaves and 23 of the McGill Pine branch punch. I used clear stickles on the Pine branch and edged the others with a brown tombow. I enhanced the faint scroll on the paper (tim holtz paper pad) with dimensional magic then layered the printed workds on acetate over the top with some bling. I mde my own fling flourish tracing off a wooden flourish!

The Dusty Attic gates are inked in black then embossed with "verdigris embossing powder" by Ranger, them mum had some Napier tartan left over from when she made my kilt (ah way back in 1979!) so I've used a piece of that. The leaf punches to make a blue tree with Dimensional Magic round the edges of the leaves. Some of the paper squares are raised using magic mount.

These are STUNNING Kathryn - thank you very much for sharing your inspiration and tips with us!

Embellish It has the punches, stickles, paper and Dusty Attic products that Kathryn used to make her stunning layouts so if you need any just send us an e-mail and we will be happy to help you out.

Thanks again Kathryn!

Finally a layout!

2010-06-16T19:03:00.000+12:00

Ok so finally I managed to take the photos of the layout! Now don't hold your breath it is just a "scraplift" from the Dusty Attic web site's gallery the layout by michelle Grant - seriously this girl has talent!
The colours are much better in real life and I decided that i didn't need a title as really her stance etc says it all.
We had these photos taken 3 years ago this August while at Surfers paradise - we all had photos done and I have to say they are still a talking point for the kids!

The Dress and Hat stand are of course Dusty Attic, the flowers are Prima and flowers that Embellish It sell (heaps have just arrived and are in stock now).
This was loads of fun and I am chomping at the bit to get into my scrap room and make another layout!
Thanks for stopping by!

Rachel :-)

Well Done Nic!

2010-06-14T21:08:00.001+12:00

Just wanted to share a sign that Nic Burford (Richards he he) made I am sure you will all agree with me that she has done a stunning job!

Nic has used the kaiser craft sign, Martha Stewart Lace heart punch, Prima flowers & Bling, Dusty attic swirl, kaiser bling and our new papers in by imaginsise, some other product in there too I will contact Nic if anyone wants to know anything more specific.
Nic did this as a gift for a friend and I think you have done a stunning job Nic - so Nic kindly agreed to let me show you her work.

Got that layout all finished and all the lovely new flowers arrived today - take a look at these stunning curly roses - lots of these in variouse colours and loads - LOADS more in stock now!

Now i just need some more time to PLAY with them :-)

Have a great week - back in the next couple of days with my layout!

Thanks

Rachel

Congratulations!

2010-06-12T12:48:00.002+12:00

Huge congrats to all those who made the Prima Design team - but an even bigger congrats to the two New Zealander's Trina McClune and Nic Howard - yay way to go girls!
I can't wait to see all the Prima Lovelyness that you guys will create - for just us to "scraplift" he he.
While I have been busy ordering HEAPS more product for you guys we have LOADS of lovey new flowers on the way - and hopefully our Dusty Attic order should ship anyday now (fingers crossed!) as we are running really low on those - but on the up side we have more designs to choose from with some new ones on the way!
Also we have more of the new Whiff of Joy stamps hopefully on the way in a week or so - just waiting for this little cutie to come back into stock

This is a picture from Katharina Frie the founder of Whiff of Joy - she made this lovely first aid box go to her blog and check out all the inspiration!

I have also been busy in the scraproom - made a card and am halfway through a layout (hope to show you that real soon promise!)
But a good work friend left our work on Friday and Margo will be missed by me a great deal so I made her this card to congratulate her on her new job for which she is going to Dunedin (did anyone tell that girl it is FREEZING) down there at this time of the year - DON"T GO MARGO!

This is one of the Whiff of Joy images and I didn't have enough flowers (will that flower order hurry up - please lol) so I made the rose at the top and the one in the middle of the spray down the side also - gotta love the spellbinders flowers dies.

Speaking of the Spellbinders dies - DID you know that we have the four packs of dies normally $199.00 retail for a SPECIAL PRICE of $129.90 - yes you read it right SAVE OVER $69.00!
Just send me an e-mail if you would like any of these!

Tonight i am off out to tea with 25 others to celebrate my Dad's 70th Birthday, Dad is very special to myself and my family he is our rock and we love him SO much - SO happy birthday DAD *hugs & Kisses*

Have a great weekend everyone!

:-)
Rachel

Dusty Attic

2010-06-07T20:18:00.003+12:00

Hi All

Hope you have all had a fantastic Queens Birthday weekend - great one for staying in doors and playing!

I have done NOTHING this weekend 3 days of R&R didn't even get out of my PJ's on Sunday until lunch time how bad was that!
I did get to have a little play and have one project finished and two more half done just waiting on a couple of bit's and pieces to finish them off with.
But here is a journal that I have completed using the Dusty Attic frame - gosh I LOVE their products so versatile and easy to use. (and many more on the way)
I have inked the edges of the frame and then went over it with Rock Candy disress paint by Tim Holtz - hard to see in these photos but I think it looked great!

The paper is Prima the flowers some are home made and the others are just the rose buds that we stock in store (PS LOADS more on the way - new roses and flowers and heaps more leaves - very exciting).
The little monarch butterfly is a Martha Stewart Punch - we have a few of these in stock but you will need to e-mail me for these as they are not loaded in the store and as we only have a few it will be first in best dressed senario.

Also on Wednesday we had a visit from Tracy - another great example of how through blogs and web sites you can make new friends, Tracy's blog is on my google reader and while her work brought her down our way (she is from the North Island) we got to go out for tea and then come back home here for Tracy to have a little shop (shhh hopefully her hubby doens't read her blogs) and also Tracy brought her copic pens for us to have a play with at colouring in.
Now while I am not a convert with the copic's I think Jo might be keen too!
Thanks so much Tracy for making the time to come and visit us and let us have a play with your copic's!

Hopefully with having an extra long weekend (I have Tuesday's off work) I will get to have a bit more of a play tomorrow and get my scrapbook page finished!
You know - sometimes work just gets in the way!

Hope you are all staying warm :-)

Rachel

Dusty Attic & Crop for a Cause!

2010-05-25T19:46:00.001+12:00

Yes FINALLY our Dusty Attic order has arrived! What is Dusty Attic I hear some of you say well take a look at these:

These are laser cut embellishments these are just a selection of what is in stock and they are STUNNING!!!!!!!!!!!
We have got them loaded in our web site store - but some have sold out already but fear not as i will order more in - in the next couple of days just need some time to catch up from the weekend - Crop for a cause.

Crop for a Cause was held on Saturday and what an AWESOME event! Seriously Beck missed her calling she should be doing event management!
The ladies arrived on Saturday to a PINK filled room complete with helium filled ballons and pink "goodie" bags filled with all sorts of goodies including chocolate "boobs" . The day was filled with YUMMY food and great people all with two things in mind - Crafting and supporting the fantastic day which raised a whopping

$1,669.46 for Breast Cancer way to go girls!!!!!
that's a huge effort and the good thing is everyone had FUN doing it.
I didn't get many photos from the day but here are a few:

Beck held a best decorated bra contest and Steph won with this amazing little number which she had made using her cuttlebug for the leaves and butterflies - she is so talented:

The best I could do was put the helium ballons in my hair with pigtails - looked silly but was a bit of fun:

Here are a few of the other bra's that were decorated, Shirelle your bra was amazing with the scrappin words on there to inspire - go you!

Well that's about it for now - hope you are all dry and safe!

*hugs*

Rachel

Life has been crazy!

2010-05-19T19:21:00.002+12:00

Where does the time go? Life has been going so fast I just don't seem to be able to keep up with myself at the moment.

This Monday saw me at home as I had both kids at home sick and Tuesday is my day off work (my real job lol) and to be honest i was running both days. Nigel made me write a list of all the things I needed to get done, and I am happy to say that I only have 3 things left on the list - not to bad really!

I did however get to have a little play (this was on my list - a girls gotta have some time out) and this is what I made:

I saw a tutorial for this Rolo holder on this blog and decided that I really needed to try to make it, just don't tell anyone that I brought 3 packets of Rolo's and only one made it to a card! Man I haven't had those in years!

I also saw on a blog somewhere that you use the distress ink to go around the edge of your oval or card and then use holographic embossing powder around the edge I think you can see the effect in these photos, I was really pleased how they worked out.

I used the new Tim Holtz Paper Pad - I really don't like cutting into it I love it so much! (we currently have all three of Tim Holtz double sided paper pads 12x12 inches in stock - just e-mail me if you are interested)

Righto Thats all I am going to leave you with for today - Only 3 more sleeps until Crop for a Cause 2010, and only 3 tickets left!

Well that's about it for me - off to Basketball practice although i would rather snuggle up inside!

Take care - stay warm

*hugs*

Rachel

Happy Mothers Day!

2010-05-09T19:04:00.003+12:00

Happy Mothers day to all those mum's out there, I hope you have had a relaxing and spoilt day!

I got to go out to my mum's for lunch (it was SO yummy) and the kids brought me some paving stones to pave a way to the clothes line so I don't have to get my slippers wet in winter hanging out the washing lol.
I went away for a run (man that was the hardest 8km's I have done in a while) and while I was away Abby made me this:

She had done a wonderful job making the cake and cutting it into the heart and looking up the internet for the icing recipie and then piping it all by herself! Thanks Abby - love you heaps!
Jamie is in the kitchen as we speak making waffles - hot waffles YUM, maple syrup and ice cream (going to have to go back and run the block again!). So I have been very spoilt this Mothers Day!

I have also been playing in my Scrap Room this weekend - take a look at the mess I got myself into:

But I did make a few cards for my display board that I want to make up to take to Beck's crop for a cause and I was happy with how they turned out using Whiff of Joy Stamps take a look:

The decorative edge around the ovals are done with the Martha Stewart Punch's - I had a ball it was heaps of fun - thanks to the tutorial here! I have also used some of the Tim Holtz New Distress pads great value at $29.00 for 36 Double sided acid free pads - we have the girls ones and the boys ones on the water as we speak as the first lot FLEW out the door!
Also a while back I downloaded an image from Mo's Digital Pencil and I decided that I would love to make up a card with it for Mothers day - so here is my card:

Again this is using the new Tim Holtz Distress Pads, I made my own flower (the big one) from the retro punch's gota love how easy that is, and the Martha Stewart Gothic Punch around the Page Punch set. She is painted in with Tim Holtz Distress ink and I used the Tim Holtz Distress Stickles on the Angel's wings.

Well waffle's are ready so I am off to eat them before the ice cream melts!

Happy Mothers day to all the mum's out there and to the rest I hope you all had a fantstic weekend.

*hugs*

Rachel

Busy Weekend?

2010-05-02T19:58:00.001+12:00

Hi all

Hope you all had a relaxing weekend? I have had an extra long weekend as I also took Friday off work, didn't do much on Friday except house work and caught up with programs on My Sky (gotta love that my sky!).
But during the weekend I managed to finish all the layouts from Autumn Escape and made a card for my neice who had a baby while we were in Taupo heres a look at them and the wonderful group photo from Autumn Escape:

I also made this cake during the week, it was two chocolate cake recipies and the centre (love hearts - did ya notice?) is chocolate mousse and the cake is then covered in chocolate gnache and then I grated white chocolate over it. We had Mum and Dad over for tea so decided that it was the right time to try out my new Wilton Cake Tin! It was YUMMY I can tell ya - rich but YUM!

Well I think that's it from me - now I am hungry for Chocolate Mousse cake!!! Wonder what's in the cupboard?

Have a great week!

Cheers

Rachel

Whiff of Joy & Martha Stewart

2010-04-26T21:48:00.002+12:00

Well I have to say the last two weekends caught up with me today, I did not want to get out of bed!

We have had some NEW Whiff of Joy Stamps and some NEW Martha Stewart Punches come into stock last week so I will share with you some pictures:

This #1 Store stamp kit is only available through retailers great vale at $55.00 for all these stamps and they come mounted!

And the Martha Stewart Punch's - These are punch around the page punches and come with two punches so you can do the corners and the edges, there are heaps of uses for these apart from making them punch around the page!

and some of the single ones:

Hopefully I will have these loaded on our website tomorrow but if you are interested in any of them please just send me an e-mail. We can courier NON rural these punches for $2.50 (will fit two singles or one punch around the page) or for $5.50 Non Rural we can send HEAPS lol!

Hope you are all having a great start to your week - catch you all soon!

Oh and PS We have some VERY exciting news to share with you all SOON but just to keep you in suspence for a little bit longer I will keep you guessing! A new company on board and a new partnership in the pipeline!

:-)
Rachel

Home from Taupo all to quick!

2010-04-22T19:15:00.000+12:00

Wow I knew the time would go fast - but man, honestly blink and it is gone! Warning LONG POST!

Diane, Bronwyn, Jo and I left for Christchurch on Thursday night after poor Diane lost her wallet just one hour before we left (luckly some nice man dropped it to the police station and we picked it up and headed off to Christchurch). We had a late night talking to my brother and sister in law who kindly put us all up for the night and headed for bed about 12pm.
We set our alarms one for 5am and one for 5.15 am as a back up and as the first alarm went we were ready to jump out of bed when we realised it was not set for daylight savings and it was only 4.15 am lol early start.
But off we went on our flight to Auckland and then on to the next flight to Taupo and had nice smooth flights (I am not that fond on flying).
On arriving at the resort in Taupo we were greeted with a fantastic table setting with goodie boxes filled with yummy goodies and a lovely felt bag with our class tickets and bits in, but also we had a empty bowl which we could go to this table and fill up - once it was empty we could just keep going back by the end of the weekend us ladies (all 120 of them not just us) had eaten our way through 50 KG of lollies - good effort!
Beck arrived just after us and Trina picked her up from the Airport which was really nice of her.

I had two class's on Friday Rachel Tuckers Sew me mini album (Will post photos of this later) and Rachel & Nic's Apron class. Both of these class's were SEW much fun and for me who doesn't sew I thought I did pretty well.
Saturday saw me doing another 3 class's, Nic Howards layout class and Rachel Tuckers layout Class (photos of completed layouts to come) Both fantastic class's loads of fun full of techniques and of course how wrong can you go with Rachel & Nic! I also did one of Kelly Goree's class's but they were not really my cup of tea.

We poped out to get some photos in between class's and this was the result - well just a few of them

This one is taken by a thermal outlet - we didn't realise that Taupo STINKS!!! I hear it is not as bad as Rotorua but it definatly isn't lovely either. Speaking of Rotorua we re named the ladies toilet "the Rotorua" cause it STUNK of sulpha worse than outside most of the time!
Then of course there was LOTS of silly antics while we were fredom scrappin too!

On the way up Jo took an handful of lollies on the flight so I decided to challenge her to see who could get the most on the way home!
Here is Jo (who by the way was overweight on the luggage on the way up!)

Trying to fit it all in - we had to get that home - really who takes a 6KG cuttle bug in their luggage - lol JO!
So sadly we had to say goodbye to Nic, Lucy (who is o for Owesome!) and all the team that made the weekend possiable, and we took a shuttle to the Huka Falls.

Now back to our story about the lollie competition, when we got to Taupo the man at the airport was so friendly and helpful and a bit of a laugh (and nice on the eye! BONUS). He filled up the lollie container as on the little plane you get your lollies before you get on the plane - I snuck some lollies in my pocket and went back again to "help" my telly - Jo only saw the second attempt and got up to get some - she picked all the white ones out and had a joke with the guy about it SO after giving Jo HEAPS about being overweight with her luggage etc he came and threw her THESE!!!!!!!

A WHOLE BAG!!! So unfair competition lost right there!
So since she was on good terms with the nice man she asked him if he would mind taking our photo outside the plane - he asked her if she wanted the pilot MAN this girl gets it all LOL

So loads of FUN all weekend lots of scrappin too, oh and Jo and I played the game of squash and as predicted I loose just as well in Taupo as I do in Timaru!

Thanks to Nic, Lucy and Team - you all ROCK!

4 More Sleeps!

2010-04-12T20:49:00.004+12:00

4 more sleeps - that is if I can sleep i am very excited to be going to Taupo on Friday morning for weekend retreat called Autumn Escape.
I can't wait - did I say that already lol, there is 6 of us from Timaru heading up and doing class's with Nic Howard, Kelly Goree, and Rachel Tucker. Kelly Goree is coming all the way from America! And the venue looks amazing - I am planning on using ALL the amenities like the swimming pool, spa, sauna and even the squash court! I play in a Thursday pennant at Old Boys for squash - useless but I try lol and I am meant to be playing Jo this week but Jo is also going to Taupo so the game will still go on - just in Taupo cause I can get my butt beaten up there just as good as I do here lol.
Anyway here are some photos of some work that I did for submission for the the up to Scraps magazine unfortunatly it was not sucessfull this time so i can share it with you all:

This is a pack a picnic template that I have used before these are fun to make and you can fill these will all sorts of yummy stuff. I used the punch around the page Martha Stewart Punch for the outside of the card
and the martha Stewart Monarch Butterfly (this is the big one) on the card and on the top of the Pack a picnic basket.

This is a candle that I have stamped the image onto tissue and then Melted it into the candle so the
Whiff of Joy image is on the actual candle and then I have made the tube following a tutorial from the Whiff of joy Inspirational blog and again I have used the Martha Stewart lace heart punch for those lovely scallop hearts on the top and the bottom. Then using the nestabilities flowers (which we have in stock the four pack for $129.90) I made the flower on top of the tube - and using Dimond Dust (which we also have in stock for $7.50 a jar) I put glue on the edges of the flowers and put the Dimond Dust on (which is basically crushed glass) and it gives it a fantastic look! The georgous ticket hanging off is Tim Holtz Adage tickets - I LOVE these (again we have some books in stock $12.50) they go great on Cards and scrapbook pages.
The Leaves are a McGill Punch (these are also in stock) and the flowers are a mix of Kaiser and the packets of Roses that we have in stock (10 in a packet for $2.70 loads of different colours)
Paper is kaiser and Ribbon is from my stash. The doily is from avery good friend - thanks Anne!

This is the card I made to match the candle holder!

This is another card and box that I made - all for Mothers day in mind (Man I am going to be SO prepaired this year!
The punch on the bottom of the card is another Martha Stewart punch - garden trellis and I have used the nestabilites for the image and the sentiment (which was just printed on my computer) The flowers on the card and the box were made from my Nestabilites- flowers - the green rose was made by me and the purple roses are more of the $2.70 packets that we have in stock, the paper is Prima and also the leaves.

Well I think that is enough from me for now. Hopefully I will be back next week with photos from our weekend - did I say I am excited and CAN'T wait????????

LOL - Have a great weekend everyone.

Rachel

Martha Stewart Punches and Icing?

2010-04-02T19:59:00.000+13:00

I wish this was me that was playing with craft punches and edible icing sheets.
But take a look at Sandra Boston's blog "Kiwi Cakes" this is what you will see that she has done with our Martha Stewart Punches.

Sandra has yet to post to her blog about the Doily lace punch that she has also used to decorate her cakes and I can't wait to see that one - but for all of us out there that would LOVE to have a play and be able to decorate out own cakes - yay we can CHEAT by using our craft punch's and ediable icing sheets that are available from Sandra and her Kiwi Cakes shop.

I am off to order some of my own - imagine the possiabilites WOW i can see my next lot of cupcakes now!

Hope you are all having a fantastic easter and hope that the easter bunny has been kind to you!

Happy Easter

Rachel

The Last of the Pictures

2010-03-30T14:42:00.001+13:00

Well it isn't really the last - but for putting up here it is.

Here we go

Oh and one last one - Who says that I don't stay up huh??? Huh??? look at this:

Well ok I will admit this is first thing in the morning - but see you can still get a good run at it if you GO TO BED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol lots!

Hope you are all having a great day!

Rachel

And the winners were....................

2010-03-26T19:27:00.000+13:00

Actually everyone was a winner as there was a POWER of work done!

We had two areas of prizes this camp, instead of having a make N take everyone was given a bag of product with a RRP of between $35-40 and Trina kindly let us use one of sketches so this is the one we decided to go with

There were lots of entries take a look:

But Raincliff you voted and the winner was:

Steph Fraser - well done steph it was an awesome layout! here is a close up sorry you are going to have to lean to view I just can't get it to go where it is meant to?

The other winner of a prize was the page of the weekend, again there was so many that I am surprised that you could make a decision but congratulations Rebecca here is Rebecca with her layout

and a close up

Well done ladies! Here are some more of the fantastic layouts that were done at camp!

I think you will all agree that there are some fantastic layouts and a group of talented ladies!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Rachel

Michael Jackson Visits Us!

2010-03-22T19:12:00.001+13:00

LOL well this is the sort of mischeif that happens at camp. Steph, Kathryn, Becks & Nic had this lip sync planned - not sure that Bronwyn got much of a say about being "Michael" but she did a pretty good job!
Kathryn was so funny man that woman has lost her calling she needs to be on the stage!
Anyway here are the photos:

I wish I had videoed it so you could watch the "moves" in person but they all did a really good job and thanks girls for the entertainment - maybe next camp there might be a few challanges going on?

Hope you all survived your Monday - I know i didn't want to get out bed how did the rest of you go?

Catch you all soon with more photos from the weekend.

Rachel

Raincliff 2010

2010-03-21T20:03:00.000+13:00

Wow can you beleive it another Raincliff over for another 6 months!

I have to admit to being a little tiered but not to bad just a huge effort to get cleaned up and unpacked again once we get home. But it is all back in the room again ready to go. And i HUGE thank you to all the ladies who helped make the pack up one of the fastest we have had with nearly everyone helping - I am exteremly gratefull for your help - thanks so much.
I will be back with updates and photos over the next week or so but for now here is the wonderful bunch of girls from camp!

Raincliff March 2010

Bye for now!

Rachel

Prima Goodness

2010-03-10T07:31:00.000+13:00

This is really just a quick link post but take a look at this from the Prima site:
The Prima Innoscense line is perfectly paired with ANY art medium you can throw at it. Each flower is created with thick mulberry paper that holds it shape!

Coloring our flowers is simply FUN! You can PERFECTLY match the flowers to your layout by just choosing an art medium that coordinates. It's a great project to do with your kids too. Designer Joei Lau colored her Innoscense flowers with lots of pretty pink Glimmer Mist and a slight touch of Ranger Stickles (see the cute dots?) Designer Tracie Hudson created a beautiful set of coordinating pieces (CD holder, card and gift bag) from Prima's pretty patterned papers and Innoscense flowers which she colored with an embossing stamp pad and colored embossing powder. This set is especially created for her mother to celebrate Mother's Day in the UK on Sunday, March 14th! So "Happy Mother's Day" to all of our UK readers from everyone at Prima!

All of the innocense line is in stock - give it a go look at the stunning results!

Cheers

Rachel

Layouts & Cards

2010-03-09T13:22:00.002+13:00

Gosh time just flies away doesn't it?
We had a busy weekend with heading of to Christchurch to watch the rugby - GO the Crusaders by the way - told Nic Howard to move down this way because we have winning teams - sorry to all the Aucklanders out there the Blues played well - just not good enough - all in good fun the jibing though!

Bronwyn and I finally got our canvas's done and here are the photos

I wanted red so that when eventually we start our renovations my bedroom will be red and gold so I figure that I have enough stored now for the "when we get the renovations done" this one can go up now and suit the bare gib walls!
This is Bronwyns:

Instead of using the carboard we used some of Green Tara netting lacey stuff and used the distress ink to colour it the colour of the canvas - thought it looked great.
Also here is the layout that was done - kindly Sharon Milford sent her's in for us to see - absolutly STUNNING!!!! Sharon you did an awesome job and it just goes to show that using different photos can make the layouts look completly different even though we all used the same layout/papers etc.
Thanks so much Sharon for sending your layout in.

And Jo Flannery sent me some pictures of a wedding card that she had made with the Whiff of Joy Images that we sell - take a look this is the front:

The inside

This is a box she made to send it in

Stunning the photos don't do this justice really it is so soft with the pinks and greys!

Right I will leave you with that for now and try to be back soon - hopefully to show you the YUMMY box of new Tim Holtz Disress inks that I should have at my door anyday!

Have a great week!

;-) Rachel

Nic Howard - Moving to Timaru?

2010-02-28T13:27:00.000+13:00

Well actually no she isn't but sure if we had warmer winters she would? Well maybe lol!
Yesterday was a great day, Timaru turned on the weather for the Howard family they spent a nice day travelling down from Christchurch and checking out the local beaches on Friday and playing on Caroline Bay yesterday.

Nic has now been and but what a rush, I think everyone would agree that she is a very inspirational and a laid back teacher nothing was a bother and no one was rushed. our canvas class went about an hour over time but everyone was great at sharing and everyone was having fun creating.
We had a sold out canvas class with 36 kits sold, and only 3 layout class's left (which we have for sale if anyone wants one contact me)

Here are some photos of the day, this is Nic's Canvas & Layout:

Diane Hanson's Canvas

Christy Flannery's Canvas with blue and a hint of purple in her base colour

Jo Flannery's

It is amazing how they all started with the same "ingrediants" and all the canvas's looked completly different!

It was so much fun getting messy and playing with so many different techniques and products!

Here are some class in action shots!

This is Nic's son Jacob - man we couldn't have done it without him - thanks Jacob for all your help!

Jacob is the next Tim Holtz - watch for him in the future!

Dallas you can hide but you can't run! lol

I was dissapointed that I didn't get any photos of finished layouts or more of the canvas's, Jo has sent me her layout one thanks Jo.

But man again it is amazing how everyone started with the same layout and they all looked different, there were some with Wedding Photos (man they were stunning) Bev's granddaughters birthday and many others that were just stunning also if you can ladies, please send me some photos of your finished layouts so I can blog them!

A big thanks has to go to Nic and her family - thanks Jacob for helping on the day and to Abby & Braden for helping us bring the stock in from the cars, Paul for helping set up and pack up!
Thanks for bringing the family Nic - they are all just as wonderful in real life as we thought from your blog and layouts!
We hope you enjoyed Timaru enough to come back again next year - people are wanting to book in already!

Also a big thanks to Jo Flannery who helped me unpack and price stock for the last couple of weeks we had some late nights - & Sean for making up some last minute paper stands and tools board!
Bronwyn, Aaron & Family who time after time help unload and load stock back into the cars and back into our house!
To Beck & Jacob who also help time after time setting up and packing up!

To you all who helped make the day a great sucess, to all you ladies who travelled from Chirstchurch, Dunedin, and beyond - hope your trip home was a safe one and that you are recovering today!
And to our local ladies who's continued support is much appreciated.

Righto I am off to have a little play with my half finished canvas!

Hope you all had a fantastic weekend too!

Cheers

Rachel

One Week to Go!

2010-02-18T18:38:00.003+13:00

Yes it is now just over one week and Timaru will have Nic Howard here taking two classes - personally I CANT WAIT!!! lol

Can you tell I am excited? The class's are full of new CHA prima, messy gesso and lots of fun! Here are the sneak peaks and the write ups:

Nic Howard Comes to Timaru

When: Saturday 27^th February 2010

Where: Scared Heart Basilica Hall - Napier Street

Cost: $58.00 each class

Here are the descriptions:

Layout Class:

The Summer Double

with Nic Howard 1pm - 3pm

Summer is here and with it will come all those fabulous fun summer photos. But where to put them?! Join Nic Howard as she constructs a layout with room for multiple photos as well as the all important summer story. This class will include all those things Nic is well known for, patterns and layers, dimension and detail, but most importantly it'll help you pull together some of those super summer pics you've been waiting to scrapbook.

Level: Intermediate.

Length: 2 hours.

Canvas Class:

Creative Wilderness 10am - 11.30am then 3.30pm - 4.30pm

It's messy and it's fun, it's a super layered canvas class! Nic is well known for her layout classes, but she's ready to walk you through something decidedly different! Starting with a blank canvas, Nic will use a variety of products including Tim Holtz and Ranger, and she'll add the messy stuff; gesso, stamping, glimmer mist, inks and paints. The end result will be stunning and you'll learn several valuable techniques along the way!

Level: Intermediate

Length: 2.5 hours (split over morning and afternoon)

So if that sounds like you - we have just a couple of spaces left so give me a call and don't be dissapointed!

I have also had some time to have a little play myself and came up with this:

The photo of the layout doesn't look that great but after playing with My Martha Stewart Punch around the page

and Tim Holtz Grunge board I was really happy with the end result, boy pages seem so much harder to do than girls!

I also hope to get some time to play with all the New CHA Prima flowers I have in our shop here at home, man I can hear them calling at me to come and play, now I just need to find some time!

Well that's about it from me for the moment - time to run out the door to squash, catch you all soon!

Rachel

Prima, Prima & More CHA Prima

2010-02-14T20:46:00.000+13:00

Yay on Saturday I had the new Prima CHA (craft & Hobby Association) release product arrive at my door!
So today Jo helped me sort out what was left after Anne and Elvina (miss you guys already) had had a huge shop!
So here are a few samples of what we have in stock with LOADS more here, lucky ladies that are coming to Nic Howard in under 2 weeks time as you will get to play with the new products in your class!

Pastiche Collection "Quirky"

Pastiche Collection "Butterfly Winds"

Shabby Chic Collection "My Lovely"

Watercolor Rainbow Collection "Whimsy"

Flights of Fancy Collection "tiptoe"

Flights of Fancy Collection "faith"

All papers only $2.00

Now a selection of the flowers

Belle Artes Poetry $8.90
Dimensional patterned mulberry roses with touches of high quality glitter shards. Approximately 1.5" with 6 pieces/bag.

Calcutta Minis Porcelane $8.90 Burlap fabric layered flowers with pearl centers. Approximately 1"-2" 6 pieces/bag.

Belle Artes Scribe $8.90

Dimensional patterned mulberry roses with touches of high quality glitter shards. Approximately 1.5" with 6 pieces/bag.

Innoscence Collction "snow carnations" $7.30 Mulberry flowers approximately 1.75"-2" with 6 pieces/bag

Cameo Roses Azalea $ 8.90 Dimensional miniature mulberry roses with white tips. Approximately .5" with 12 pieces/bag. These also have a plastic sheet behind them with words on that you can cut up and use on your card/layout or canvas

Symphony Blend - Pink $ 10.50 Fabric mixture of flowers approximately 1.25"-2.25" with 6 pieces/bag.These also have a plastic sheet behind them with words on that you can cut up and use on your card/layout or canva

Love Story Kissing Red $ 8.90 Petite mulberry flowers approximately 1.25"-1.75". 12 pieces/bag.These also have the plastic Sheet behind them that can be used for cutting and putting onto layouts etc

Watercolour Rainbow $10.50

Approximately 65 flowers per tube. Variety mix of patterned and solid mulberry flowers. Matches the above paper!

Righto Check these OUT!!

Say it in Pearls $ 8.10

Pearl swirls with miniature clay roses, approximately 6.5"x3" with one piece per bag. Self adhesive.
Light and dark brown pearls with olive roses.

Say it in Crystals - Grey Pearl swirls with miniature clay roses, approximately 3"x2.5" with one piece per bag. Self adhesive.
Pewter and light brown pearls with pewter roses.

Butterfly Peebles $5.65 Pebble sizes .5-.75 with 8 pieces per bag. Coordinates with new paper collection

Clear Stamps - Nouveau $12.50

Right I think that is enough - but trust me I have HEAPS more in stock!

Hope you all had a great weekend! I have had a lovely weekend catching up with friends Anne & Elvina from CHCH who came down to give us heaps!

Also sending BIG hugs and get well wishes to Christine Gray who went into hospital for surgery on Friday, hope's to be home tomorrow so send your good wishes her way!

Take care

Rachel

We Have a Winner!

2010-02-11T21:19:00.001+13:00

Hi guys sorry its been over a week but I also can't get the Random Org picture to come on here but the winner was NUMBER 5

SO Jen from Ash please contact me so I can get your prize sent out to you!!

Congratulations!!!

Blog Give Away!

2010-02-01T14:48:00.014+13:00

Finally I made it back - gosh I just seem to be loosing time where the heck does it go?

I love the school holidays but tomorrow when the kids go back (and hubby) I will also look forward to getting into a routine again and hopefully more structured days.

Right here is a little package that I have put together as a give away:

There are 4 double sided papers, a sticker book from Pink Paislee, 2 packets of bling and some flowers all matching and of course some chocolates!
Just leave me a comment so I know you have called - and mention it on your blog if you have one for an extra chance (2 entries) and I will draw this in about a week!
Gotta be in to win!

Martha Stewart Punches
$35-$60 Price Range
We have had these in stock now for some time - but they as like most of our stock are not loaded to our site but here are a few that we are constantly getting in (constantly because I can't seem to get enough of them in they come and walk right back out again. But if you would like some please send me an e-mail and order yours now!

Oh and also I have the Making Memories Slice machine in!

Now I have one and have had a bit of a play - these are great for taking to crops or friends places etc as they are so small and you can run them on a battery! So I have two of these too! One brand new in the package and i will give away a Slice embossing tips kit with the new one for $300.00 or I have the one I have used (played with for half an hour) that I will sell for $260.00 (no embossing kit as these are sold separately) Just send me an e-mail if you are interested.

I have had some time playing in my room, but can't show you any yet as I was hoping to submit for publication but hopefully I will have a couple of pages to show you soon.
Have a great week and take care

Rachel

Blog Give Away!

2010-02-01T14:48:00.001+13:00

Been MIA

2010-01-20T22:13:00.003+13:00

Hi Guys

Sorry for the lack of post's promise I will make it up to you all!

Bronwyn and I spent a lovely day in Christchurch on Sunday visiting the rat bags that we met at SENZ last year - we were just saying how they were our Best find at SENZ.
We went out for lunch and it was YUMMY - thanks Elvina so much you naughty sneaky wee thing you!
The day just went too fast and we so want to make a weekend of it so it won't go so fast!

So after a lovely day I got home and went looking for my Baby (the cat of course) and found him well lets just say not looking flash at all with cuts etc he couldn't take any weight on his back legs and I though he had been hit by a car - anyway a visit to the vet at 10pm ($238.00 later and yes he is SO worth it)and a night in vet hospital and a general anisetic, x rays and pain killers and we were allowed our baby home again late on Monday night.
He is still bleeding from the kidneys, the vet said he defiantly took on a vehicle and he has to stay inside untill the bleeding stops and he starts to get back to his normal self.
This morning I would have said this is going to be a long haul as those that know Basil will know he is a rat bag jumping up and getting on the computer, well he tried to jump on the desk this morning and crashed on the floor instead - but this is him tonight

It is SO nice to see him eating my scrap flowers (he can have as many as he wants) and getting into the bling packets! Just a little play as I don't want him to over do it, but maybe tomorrow he can have a supervised trip outside? lets see!

I will be back with some images of some new products that we have in stock! And maybe a give away just cause we need to celebrate!!!!!!!

Nighty Night!

14 Years Ago

2010-01-05T08:20:00.016+13:00

Wow talk about last year flying by - where did the last 14 go?

This time 14 years ago we were in hospital scared that we would lose our first born son, he was fighting for his life in neo natal with a blood poisoning, and it was 9 days before we could take him home. Nothing compared to others but very devastating for us at the time. Then when we took him home it was in a pavlic Harness for hip displaysia full time for 4 months hard work for a first time mum recovering from a c-section.
It seems just like yesterday but here is my little boy today (those that know him are going to wonder what the heck? lol his friend straightened his hair for a laugh)And yes he makes me feel Short!

and one with his cheat of a cake (i know I brought it - but i did make cinnamon oysters so thats makes it ok doesn't it? lol)

He had a couple of friends over and we took them to the bay where everyone except the photographer (thank god - I HATE the sea) ended up getting thrown in, but they had so much fun.

I also created another layout here it is (and it is another original Beck notch that one up!)

The boarder around the page is done with Martha Stewart Punch around the pages punch - this is my newest MOST FAV TOOL! This was SO easy (well once I figured out that I could pull the wings out on the corner punch to make it exactly centered pays to read the instructions!) You can punch corners with it but also on your page (without the wings out). This is what they look like:

cost $60.00 for both punches which is fantastic value really as the boarder punches are $41.00 and the other punch is $35.00 so a saving purchasing them as a pack - great for card making too!
Anyway that's about enough from me for the moment i have taken some photos of my messy scrap room - man do i get in a mess when I scrap are there any clean scrappers out there?

Have a great week everyone catch you all soon
Take care
Rachel

Bring it on!!!

2009-12-28T20:03:00.017+13:00

Yay I love this time of the year for more than one reason!
Not only is Christmas the time to spend time with your family and friends for me it is the longest holiday of the year with my work taking a compulsory shut down of 3 weeks plus stat days so take a guess at what I have been up to today????
SCRAPBOOKING!!!! Seriously it is SOOO good to be getting back into it even though the layout was a very simple one - it still took me about 2 hours (that includes the the time to dry the letters).
But talk about stuck, I didn't know what to do to finish it off so i decided to stick the journalling on and just leave it, its not the best work I have done but since I have made Beck happy because for once I didn't scraplift and BOY does that show lol.
Anyway here is it:

Jamie was to hot so he decided to go outside but he didn't think that if he put shorts on and took off the THICK socks that he might just have been cool enough inside? He loves the cat, his computer, chocolate milk so he was having a blast!
I just did lots of paper curling and layering, if nothing else it is another one done!

Christmas day was really nice having lunch at my Mum & Dad's place with my big brother,his 3 kids, wife and my Aunty Lyn who joined us from Australia (I hope she has booked for next year already?)
I took photos but not enough and mostly on Dad's camera at his place but here is one of Abby at 6.00am!!

(see the raindeer on the tree - that was from Trina as part of my secret santa)
She couldn't wait to wake her brother up so we could open presents - should have let her ring her grandparents at that hour! My mum used to get up and slam doors to wake us kids up - who is the kid I wonder (and she has not got any better!).
Abby got a guitar and she just can't wait to start lessons, Kenny her drum tutor is going to start her off on the guitar and when she is going they will do alternate lessons each week - I apologize to the neighbors in advance but hey at least the guitar is not as loud as the drums!
Jamie was so hard to buy for this year and in the end he got what he asked for - money!
And since it is only 6 more sleeps until his 14th birthday and he only wants MORE money - that should make it easy too!

I also was busy trying to get some more things in to the Up 2 Scraps magazine for publication and was stoaked to have 2 off the page items accepted and published in the current magazine and have got one accepted for the up and coming issue.
Here is the ones that I did that didn't make it:

Well I think that's about it from me for the minute.

I hope you are all still enjoying the break and if I am not back before the new year -
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2009-12-24T15:17:00.011+13:00

Wow one more sleep where on earth did that time go?

I made a few Christmas Cards - not many just enough to say that I did it, here is a peek

Abby had to bring a $5 gift to school - they played a very cool game everyone got a number, 1 to how ever many are playing and number one goes first. He or she gets to pick a present and open it, then number 2 decides if they want to steel #1's gift or take one from the middle of the pile - and the games goes on.
This is what we made for her $5 gift

I went to the final assembly and then back to the class to watch the game - talk about laugh!!! Her house got picked 3rd and got stolen 8 times (including once by herself?) One of the boys ended up with it at the very last steel - bet his mother was pleased with us!
While Abby was making chocolates she also crushed up candy canes and put in white chocolate (this was on Tarosita web site) and made these:

There should be a warning about these - YUMMY!!!! And yes i felt sick I ate that many of them!

While she was doing that I made this for our Christmas table:

I also had to do two different secret santa's one for work and I can't show you any pictures of the chocolates I made for that one as they are VERY naughty!! I brought the chocolate moulds in from the United States and brought some extra's in so if anyone is keen to purchase some - drop me a line!

And Trina also held one - you wouldn't believe it but I got Beck - now don't take this the wrong way - yay for Beck BUT BECK??? lol Her and my taste's are on POLAR opposites and she know's everything I have here.
So I thought I was being really secret I had just got an order in from the states so I thought how wrong can you go with Prima Flowers? Just as I was thinking that beck txt to say she was coming around so I threw the flowers (all of them) into my bedroom and shut the door, Becks had a squiz at the new stuff minus the flowers lol.
The next morning I got Abby to address a courier bag and we dropped it in the letter box. That afternoon I get a "thanks for the secret santa" phone call from Becks???
Man that woman should be renamed - Sherlock homes!!! I thought I had done a great job lol.
Any my seceret Santa was Trina - but I will blog about that once I have taken photos of all the lovely cards Trina made for me - they are so nice all bundled up in ribbon I don't want to undo them he he. Also some chocolates (not scared to un do them - they went in 5 mins!) and a tin full of bits and bobs to add to my stash - thanks so much Trina - I LOVE THEM!

Also friends of ours - David & Gi Young, had a baby boy this morning so welcome to the world - Joshua I can't wait to met you in person! They live in Wellington now so I hope they will be settled in soon so we can skype and get a glimpse of the new wee man and his "big brother". Hugs to you all!

Well think that is about enough (post was long enough should have warned you to get a coffee - nah it's Christmas a wine!)

From all of us here at Embellish It - I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year!!!!

*hugs*

Rachel

Want Nic Howard for Christmas?

2009-12-13T17:31:00.004+13:00

Well not literally just perhaps for Christmas you might like to book yourself in for Nic Howards Class's!
We have finalised the details of what we (or more to the point Nic) will be teaching and are delighted and excited to announce that Nic Howard will be teaching both a layout class and a Canvas Class!

So if you can’t think of what you might like for Christmas choose these!
When: Saturday 27th February 2010

Where: To be advised but in Timaru
Cost: $58.00 each Class

Here are the descriptions:

Layout Class:

The Summer Double with Nic Howard

Summer is here and with it will come all those fabulous fun summer photos. But where to put them?! Join Nic Howard as she constructs a layout with room for multiple photos as well as the all important summer story. This class will include all those things Nic is well known for, patterns and layers, dimension and detail, but most importantly it'll help you pull together some of those super summer pics you've been waiting to scrapbook.

Level: Intermediate.
Length: 2 hours.
What to bring: Details to follow in the New Year.

Canvas Class:

Creative Wilderness

It's messy and it's fun, it's a super layered canvas class! Nic is well known for her layout classes, but she's ready to walk you through something decidedly different! Starting with a blank canvas, Nic will use a variety of products including Tim Holtz and Ranger, and she'll add the messy stuff; gesso, stamping, glimmer mist, inks and paints. The end result will be stunning and you'll learn several valuable techniques along the way!
Level: Intermediate
Length: 2.5 hours (split over morning and afternoon)
What to bring: Details to follow in the New Year.

Now the tricky bit! The Canvas class is going to take time as the base needs to be completed and then let to dry so we can build on it; we will then have a break of probably an hour then have the layout class.
After the layout class there will be a break again for lunch for about one hour and then we will complete the rest of the Canvas class.

So start time will be 10.00 am but the times after this will need some consideration so please BOOK NOW and then when I have more of an idea on how many just want to do the layout class we will be able to make a guess on times – please be a little flexible with this just because of the nature of the class, Nic suggested that if you choose the canvas class that you do both that way times won’t matter so much.

I am more than happy if you would like to pay for your class’s in installments but these will be considered as deposits and will be NON refundable, so we are not turning away others as spaces will be limited.

Confirmation of your place is by way of payment for you class.
So don't miss out on this magic opportunity to do a Nic Howard class LIVE!!!

If you have any further queries please don’t hesitate to contact me, and if you would like to be put on our e-mail list also just let me know.
Hope you all had a great weekend!

Take care

Rachel

Timaru Christmas Crop

2009-12-10T07:49:00.008+13:00

Once again I have to say a big thank you to the lovely ladies who support us crop after crop especially those who travel to join us - you girls ROCK!
We had 26 ladies join us for the day - Not including the wedding party! Fantastic turn out for the time of the year so once again thank you so much!

We had a fantastic day last Saturday - it was our annual Christmas crop & with some help I had made Popping Christmas Crackers for all the tables complete with lollies, poppers and a joke (all hand picked after hours of trawling the internet). All the ladies got a Christmas present, the template for the Christmas cracker so they can go home and make their own and many joined us in dressing up.

The prize for best dressed goes to Christine - most won't be able to tell it is her with the blond hair, Chrissy went all out and I think she looks so angelic but she really is a little devil inside lol! Here is a peek at her:

Here are a few more pics from the day:

Jaynie, Andrea and Kathryn

Steph & Jayne

Bronwyn and Her Friend (on the wall behind her) who we might add had lots to say during the day lol. He sang and barked christmas music and was really fun!

Now we also had a special bunch of visitors for the day - check this out not one to miss out on a crop Nic got married on Saturday and she called in with her wedding party to visit us - Nic you looked GORGEOUS!! And these are just snaps as our resident photographer Beck's was away she was the photographer for the wedding so maybe with Nic's permission we might be able to share some "professional" photos when they are all sorted!

and the group - these girls just looked stunning:

On that lovely note - I will leave you to your day and will be back soon with all the details on the up and comming visit from Nic Howard for some class's to be held in Timaru in February!

Catch you all soon.
Take care

Rachel

Christmas Poem

2009-12-06T18:13:00.002+13:00

Bronwyn Sent this to me in an e-mail - now I know I have had it before but it is a goodie!

Will be back tomorrow with some photos from the crop yesterday, but for now I will leave you with this!

Twas the night before Christmas, I'm glued to the tree.
I'm wondering what Santa brought just for me.
Could it be cardstock or inkpads or lace?
Or some stamps I said, with a smile on my face.
And that`s when I heard him...."Hi Santa", I said.
He replied,"You know... good girls should be in their beds".
"I know I should Santa, and now I've been caught.
But i was just so excited to see what you brought".
"Well let's take a look in this room where you work"
He shook his head quickly and left with a jerk.
I heard him exclaim as he put it in gear
"You've got enough crap I'll see you next year!".

39 Sleeps till Christmas!!!

2009-11-15T20:18:00.005+13:00

That's right scary aye!!!

And on that happy note did you see that Wellington had their Christmas Parade this weekend - wow it's not THAT close is it?

So much for writing lists and getting things done, Monday & Tuesday I pretty much spent the days in bed sick and the rest of the week was not much better.
Typical when I had something planned for Friday and Saturday Night, but it was not meant to be and instead I was in bed early every night!

But I have some exciting news - our own Diane Hanson has made the Elite Design Team for the Up 2 Scraps magazine!! Congrats to Diane I am SO excited for you, you have much more talant that you give yourself credit for!! Here is the list

# Annelie Maddock (Whangaparaoa)
# Sonya Pickles (Duntroon)
# Pauline McArdle (Napier)
# Dianne Hanson (Timaru )

Congrats to you all ladies - it is exciting with Sonya Pickles and Dianne from our neck of the woods and both ladies have amazing talent, and Annelie who Bronwyn and I had the great pleasure of meeting last year at the Sketch book retreat - Annelie was kind enough to give us both a ride back to the airport we know that three out of the 4 have amazing talent and I am sure that Pauline will to so looks like I will need to Subscribe to the magazine so I don't miss out on all that Inspiration!

Diaine made me a gift which was totally unnecessary but very much appreciated and nearly eaten (lol lots) here are some photos of what she did with an Prima tin!

Thank you Diane - it was so very kind of you and boy do you know me so well, pretty scrapped packaging, chocolate and strawberry lollies from the lollie Jar - YUMMY!!!

So I hope you all had a much better week and weekend than I did and I will start that list again for this week!

Have a good one

*hugs*

Rachel

Busy Weekend?

2009-11-08T16:43:00.008+13:00

What did I planned for my weekend?? NOTHING!!! Well that was the plan, I am big into making lists at the moment to get things done - seems it is the only way that I can get anything crossed off! Although I wanted to get a scrapbook page done this weekend as I took some cool photos of my son which just show what he is all about - but it will be on my "to do on Tuesday" list - gotta love Tuesdays my day off work!

So Yesterday I spent the day playing in my room, what did I make - take a look:

and a close up

And what is so amazing about this card I can hear you ask? Well if you remember quite a few post's ago I was asking if ANYONE could help me figure out how i could "digital stamp" and colour with distress inks, and this wonderful lady answered my call and gave me all the information I needed to be able to do it!
Please check out Mina's blog for a HEAP of inspiration! And thank you, thank you Mina I can't tell you how excited I am to now be able to use the images that I brought and also confess to popping over to Mo's Digital Pencil and purchasing a few more! (Mina is also a design team member for Mo).

Now this is what I had while trying to look for an image to "copy"

He was a BIG help!

I also used the new Kaiser Christmas papers to start making my own christmas crackers, I was really pleased with how this turned out and to be honest it doesn't show all that well in the picture but looks much better in real life!

I used the spellbinders Poinsettia nestabilitie, Kaiser Christmas paper, Kaiser Pears, Matha Stewart Butterfly punch, and cut the word "nana" from my Klic N Kut and covered it with glitter.
Inside the cracker is a custom joke just for nana, and HEAPS of lollies and a explosive thingy that spouts paper everywhere!
These are heaps of fun to make and lots of fun on christmas day - no dud jokes and silly hats for the Forrester Christmas this year!

And I want to wish Alvina (our little christmas elf) from Christchurch & Sean Flannery a happy birthday for yesterday!
Then after all that today, I got up and did house work, cleaned windows bathroom, toilets etc, and then started baking, we now have full tins with Chocolate cake, yo yo's, tan square (Marg's no nut slice to our close friends)Lolly cake, & chocolate fudge!!! Better be no complaining there is nothing in the tins for the next week at least!
I also made a chocolate cake for a friend who is in our thoughts.

Righto off to get some cake and perhaps make a start on that scrapbook page!

Take care will be back before the end of the week with that scrap page!

Take care

Rachel

Catch you all again soon!

Send some Love!

2009-11-03T07:58:00.003+13:00

I have just come from Katharina Frie's blog, this is the lady that is responsiable for Whiff of joy stamps.
There has been a tragic story and I would love to be able to help spread some love to little Jamie - just think if this was your own child.

Here is some information about what happened:

"On October 4th, 4 teenagers armed with knives broke into a home in a small town in New Hampshire. Alone and sleeping inside were a mother and her 11 year old daughter. These 4 boys broke into this home with the intent to rob and kill anyone inside. They stabbed the mom, Kimberly Cates, to death and left her daughter, Jaimie, for dead in their driveway. It was a completely random act, their home was chosen only due to its secluded surroundings."

Our hope is that everyone hopping around today will stop for a moment and think about Jaimie and her father and what life must be like for them now. One moment in time has changed their lives forever. We are asking that everyone reading this message please take a moment to make a card and send it off to Jaimie. You can make something very simple or much more involved, but please share some words of hope and love and let her know that people do care and want the best for her. Please send your card to the address below:

Jaimie Cates
c/o Mont Vernon Fire Station
Main Street
Mont Vernon, NH 03057
United States

We have over 60 hoppers joining us and some amazing sponsors who have donated fabulous prizes for our Spread the Love Card Drive Challenge!

The Blog hop will end on Monday, November 9th at 10am ET (3 pm GMT). At that point we will draw random winners to receive the prizes offered by our generous sponsors.

Pop on over to Katherina's blog for links to the hop.

Thanks for your help in helping make this little girls future perhaps a better one - just in the knowledge that others care!

Take care

*hugs*

Rachel

Oamaru Crop

2009-10-25T20:30:00.013+13:00

Back with a few photos to share with you!

We had an amazing day in Oamaru with the ladies, making flowers and sharing ideas and information.

Here are a few of the pictures

Here are a couple of the lovely ladies making the flowers that was the make n take, they are fun and addictive!

Dallas traveled from Palmerston to join us - Dallas you are a dag and loads of fun!
But also these are two pages that Dallas has done using Glimmer mist and they were stunning, just had to share:

Here is the page of the day winner's pages - congratulations to Nadine (again she is talent on legs this girl!)

Well I think that is about it for now, hope you are all enjoying the long weekend and have had lots of R&R and craft of course.

Catch you soon!

*hugs*

Rachel

Just call us the next Tim Holtz??

2009-10-21T20:19:00.006+13:00

I love Tim Holtz distress inks to colour in stamping images, using to distress pages and all sorts!
I also love Tim Holtz handles for using with the inks it just makes using on your pages SO much easier, so because I have nearly all 24 inks and I was blog hopping (as you do) I saw a scrap room that had handles for all the major colours in the distress inks and away on a tangent i went - surely I could have that - as with the add for Mitre 10 - Come on mate it's easy!!
So after talking Jo and Jo's hubby - Sean (and also my work mate) into showing us girls how to turn the handles we spent all weekend making them.
Saturday saw me turning handles from Rimu - wow that was so much fun - time consuming fun i might add.
Then on Sunday Jo rang to skite that she had made 10 handles in 3 hours, so off I went to Sean's garage to make some to but there was no way I could make it work on Sunday it was like a jigsaw puzzle that I could not put together so that left Jo doing all the wood turning and I was head glue them together and oil up the wood.
Here are a few photos:

A very patient Sean on the side!

They are all different and very unique!

Here is Bo and I putting on the velcro and the pad, note that Bo got the dowel handles cause we gave up at that stage lol.

And mostly done!
Where are the photos of Jo? Well she was always behind the camera so I might have to add one later with her holding the finished product and using them perhaps?

Anyway it was a fast way to kill a whole weekend and Bo, Jo and I got 15 handles each - not quite the 24 we were aiming for but hey it was a good start!

Some of the handles that we used in the make and take on Saturday at the crop!

Back later with some photos of the Oamaru crop at the weekend - man that was fun what an awesome friendly bunch of ladies and it was so much fun so thanks so much for that and I will post in the next couple of days with some photos!

Catch you soon

Rachel

The Page!

2009-10-13T15:14:00.003+13:00

As promised here is the layout! This one only took about hour and a half from the start to the finish it was very quick - I did get lots of interruptions but it was still very quick.

I used the new vines from Prima, Prima flourishes,Prima Lettering, and the papers are from my minds eye.

Righto off to sort out some more layouts - can you believe I now have a drawer with a label called "unfinished layouts" where did they all come from?

Catch you soon!

Rachel

A Card and a Promise!

2009-10-12T07:55:00.005+13:00

Hi all

Well I created a card at the weekend for my very good friend Christine's Grandma's 90th birthday. I was really happy about it as I started copying but in the end it didn't look anything like the one I started out with and I had fun distressing the music note in the background and making the flowers! Yes these little flowers are SO very addictive and SO quick and much fun to make!

Here is the card

and the inside with a swarovski crystal (is that spelt right?) for the inside of the little flower - at 90 you deserve nothing but the best lol

Now a promise he he - I will be back before Wednesday with a LAYOUT!!

Yes about time I got back and did some seriouse scrapbooking - will still be making cards cause they are addictive and you have to use up your scrapping scraps now don't you!

But seriously watch this space the papers are all picked and the layout sorted just got to get "a handle" on it (serious pun intended there will post about that later to - Jo and I - oh ok and Sean have been making handles all weekend feel like that Mitre 10 add "oh Mate it's easy come on Sean give us a hand - Mate your jokin!!!!!!)

LOL with that I will leave you to it and see you in a couple of days with a layout!

*hugs*

Rachel

World Card Making Day

2009-10-04T12:02:00.010+13:00

Hi all!

Hope you are having a great weekend, so much for our weather to be horriable I think it went right around us - lucky I guess except I was geared up for a yuck day and had a day in the scrap room planned.

Bronwyn came over and we played making flowers - this is SO addictive we found about 4 good tutorials and decided to have a play making them, this is the result

So this is the card I made with the other flowers:

A side view:

and not very exciting but the inside view (see I used my new Martha Stewart punch so now it was totally worth buying!)

I was talking to Nic Howard about glimmer misting the flowers , I have a few colours of glimmer mist now, but darn not one with just glimmer and not really any colours which is what i NEED, the flowers have all been made with white paper/card and using the distress inks that we use to colour the images we have sponged the flowers so now we will always have flowers to match the card or layout that we are creating but "we need something else" and I think that is a bit of glimmer so I will get the right colour in stock soon so we can all have a play with it. I did the red and pink one with glimmer mist and they look awesome - now I have a new love Glimmer mist!

I will try to find the links to the tutorials on the flowers and post that later as they are wonderful and very easy! Any flower punch will work with the technique really.
Michele Roo's is the talented lady that makes these flowers so if you don't want to have a go or don't have the right bits then follow this link to her blog where she will sell them to you, and yes I brought some and she shipped very fast to New Zealand, they are super cute colours and I hope to use the one's that I brought very soon.
I did make a six petal flower up on the klic n kut for the roses (and boy was I chuffed when I figured out how to do it, the Klic N Kut is something that really needs lots more of my attention as what can be done with it is AMAZING!)

Well I have rambled enough now, back off to my room to make more flowers, did I tell you that it is addictive apparently Bronwyn has 100 flowers and NO card make yet - aye Bo!
Oh and looking forward to seeing Beck's 5 cards that she was going to make for National card day.

Take care see you soon!

*hugs*

Rachel

This is Funny!

2009-09-22T11:20:00.003+12:00

Ok so while I was blog hopping I happened across this video on U tube - man is it funny a bit long but funny no less go and have a look, here on u tube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KswnjMa-MQ

Saturday's crop held at the Highfield school hall with 20 ladies was lots of fun and man the hall is fantastic!!
Loads of lighting, it is all brand new, I think they must have daylight lighting in the ceiling because it was lighter at night than it was during the day I reckon. The kitchen is HUGE and all new and we LOVED the dishwasher - man that saved some time.
Heat pumps for when it gets cold and automatic window openers for when it gets to hot! The hall has it all!

We also have decided we need a few new rules lol, help your self to the cuppa, load the dishwasher with your own plate and cup and we are going to start to shut the sales at 8pm from now on - you can carry on scrappin until 9 but it just gives us more time to pack up the stock and then we get to bed earlier lol as we have to come home and pack it all back where it came from!

This is going to be our new venue as long as we can get it. So next Timaru crop (date coming soon) I will e-mail out instructions of how to get to the car park which is right beside the hall but the entrance is down a few houses.

I took the camera so I could load up a photo but unfortunatly I forgot to take photos so maybe next time!

Until then have a great week!

Cheers

Rachel

Happy Fathers Day!

2009-09-07T07:56:00.008+12:00

How do you sum up the words to express to your dad how much he means to you?
My dad does SO much for our whole family he is our rock, he is so loved and respected and I don't know what I would do without him.
Verses are the easiest way for me and I found a good one about a month ago so I cut it out of the paper and kept it for yesterday (amazing what you can find in the dispatched part of the paper) - so for the card I was good to go - I thought!

I have been investigating Digi stamping and decided to dive on in there and brought some images from Mo's digital Pencil. But the simple didn't turn out that way!
I had even brought a fixative to spray on to apparently stop the image from running but this is what it looked like!

Now i know if you stand WAY WAY back it looks ok lol, but seriously does anyone know how I can make this image solid so i can colour in with the distress inks - anyone?

So this is how the card ended up - and I am still happy with it just would have liked a bit of colour.

and the inside

ok so the gold fish are well very gold but I didn't have silver and they looked silly painted!

But Dad was happy and it took ages - well not really but I even got the sewing machine out and painted the stuff white on the inside the fish net looking stuff!

Ok so on a scrapbooking note, I have the new Kaiser book with the next round of Q2 release papers - WOW they are very nice!!! Just in time for Christmas projects.
Last year we made our own Christmas crackers it was lots of fun finding jokes that were relative to each person and filling them with lollies - Nigel still has his he liked it so much - but he is unaware that the kids (well ok and me) have discovered you can get the lollies out without destroying the cracker lol!

Well best I get off here and out of my PJ's and off to work, if you are out and about pick yourself up the latest Up 2 Scraps Magazine there is a cutie on the front cover - see if you can guess who that is? Oh and she has a couple of layouts in there too!

Catch you all soon, take care

Rachel

Raincliff 2010 Registration OPEN

2009-09-02T20:10:00.012+12:00

Wow I can not believe that I am going to tell you this but registration is open for Raincliff March 19th - 21st 2010!!!
E-mail me if you would like a registration form (we have out done ourselves this time).
And yes Mum, Dad and Aunty are all booked in for the kitchen, and I will return out the front where I feel more comfortable.

You might wonder why we are doing camp in March next year and not in February as we normally do - well shh don't say anything but we MIGHT have a talented NZ tutor coming to Timaru to run some class's!

Now some more photos of Raincliff 2009 to share

Here are the famous cow girls! Last year they were the scrap angels and we look forward to seeing what they will come up with at the next camp!

Next is the winners of the raffle, Jo very kindly organsied a raffle with beautiful hand made Rimu trays and inside them was about $150-180 of scrapbooking products and these were the lucky winners (with Nic standing in for her lucky sister - we hope she shares Nic!)

Here is the page of the weekend winners - with a HUGE thank you to Kaiser for donating the prizes for this one the two talented winners Caroline and Naidine:

And here are a couple of shots of the tables around the halls!

Well off to pick Abby up from the Disco she has been so excited for a week and a half about the Dress as "B" disco being held at the school - she went as a Bad Fairy!

Catch you all again soon.

Take care

Rachel

Raincliff - Over for another 6 months!

2009-08-23T16:04:00.007+12:00

Wow it's been a week since we were all at Raincliff, I feel like I have not recovered fully yet!

What a fantastic weekend even if I did view it from the kitchen he he.
Bronwyn and Jo did a awesome job of running out the front - I might never return lol except the kitchen is NOT where I can see myself. Mum, Dad and Aunty can have that job back!
I must also send a HUGE "THANKS" to my friend Felicity (and to Gordon for letting her come out to us) for running the kitchen and getting all the food organised for us so we could run solo on Sunday although we missed you on the Sunday we managed to get through.

I have lots of photos and lots of stories from camp and will try to post them one at a time though out the week. Camp is always full of shenanigans and this one was no exception.
I headed to bed early on Saturday night knowing what a huge day it would be on Sunday cooking and packing up - only to find some rat bags had tied my PJ's in knots, and they waited outside of my bunk room to hear my reaction (giggle).
I had got back into bed and was talking to my wonderful Aunty and she said "there is some one outside" I opened the door and found this!

What a giggle apparently they had knocked the metal posts on each side of the bunk room door but i never heard a thing - Did I BECKS, JO, NIC, KATHRYN and who else?

But I did get my own as when Jo woke up late on Sunday this was the view from inside her bunk room!

Here is a group photo although we are missing Jude and karen, sorry ladies we needed to get a photo so we can "insert you" into the group. What a bunch of wonderful ladies!

Must mention we had a lady from Pukakoe (did I spell that right) Auckland anyway - how cool was that!

There was a POWER of work done and lots of talking and lots of laughs so thanks to you all for a wonderful weekend!

Enjoy your week I will be back with some more updates soon.

Rachel

Thank You

2009-08-18T21:00:00.004+12:00

Just a quick update to thank those very much that took the time to make or buy mum or "camp mum" a get well card.

She has received so many cards and flowers that she is truly humbled by it all, and wanted me to do this blog post to thank you all.

We missed her at camp and even though Felicity and Aunty Cicley made it all so much easier than it could have been we all missed "camp mum and dad", but trust me when I say she will be at the next one boots and all!

Well thats it just a quick one but I will be back very soon with an update on camp and the shenanigans that went on!

Catch you all soon

Rachel

Birthday Girl

2009-08-08T16:33:00.005+12:00

Wow this time twelve years ago I was one day of starting labour - and OH so ready!

So today my daughter is having a sleep over with two of her friends and hopefully the telethon tonight will keep them amused as they camp in the lounge!

So what have I been up to today? Well a little selling scrapbook stuff and kids sport and making the birthday cake of course. While they take HOURS to make i do enjoy it really and it won't be long before they won't want a "character" cake and candles so i will take it while I can get it.

Here is the cake - it didn't photograph as well as it actually looks in real life but Abby plays the drums and wanted a drum cake - I was happy with the result but it does look better in real life.

So now for me while the girls are happy and outside playing, I will get back into doing the Raincliff preparation - ops nope off to the scrap room to make the 12 year old a birthday card!

Happy birthday Abby - love the last 12 years and I look forward to watching you grow more into the fantastic woman that I know you will be.

Lots of Love Mum
xxxxx

Raincliff Retreat 1 week and 5 days!

2009-08-02T19:41:00.003+12:00

Wow that sounds so close when you say it like that!

We are well organised for the retreat with most of our stock in (just a little more to come)Although with it overflowing into my bedroom I am not sure where we will find the room!

We also will have a whole new line to show you at Raincliff - actually nothing to do with scrabbooking but we are REALLY excited to bring you this new product release so start thinking Christmas presents - because actually that is not that far away either!

After Raincliff I will load some pictures here for you all to see the new display board that I MADE (ok so with a little/lot of help from Sean - thanks work mate!)
I think I might change occupations because I loved playing Joiner!
I will then also load then onto the web site to enable everyone to be able to order/purchase.

Jo, Bo and I went to the trade show in Christchurch last weekend and sourced some new suppliers and of course also the "new Product" to be revealed at camp!

But we also had a fun weekend staying the night at my Big Brothers house in Christchurch then having McDonalds for breakfast (my first time I might add)not my last - the bagel was YUMMY! Then off to the trade show we saw LOTS and LOTS of yummy stuff and not all of it scrapbooking!
Then we called in to see our very good friends Anne and Elvina and saw Anne's new home complete with a "girl cave" aka Scrap room - one word for the whole house really - DELICIOUS!

Apart from that nothing much has been happening just preparation for the camp!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Catch you all soon

Rachel

We Have a Winner

2009-07-19T19:48:00.005+12:00

Wow that 2 weeks went really fast!

Now with out further ado (is that how you spell that?) the winner was comment Number 9!!!! Mandy B congratulations e-mail me your address and I will get your kit away to you. I hope you have lots of fun with this they are excellent value!
I am not sure how to put the random org generator on the web site so if anyone knows how to do that please let me know, I have it saved buy can't upload it here for some reason?

We have just had 4 wonderful days in Wanaka having a 'walker girls' reunion - that's my mums side of the family so there will be new photos to scrap.

We have had some stock arrive last week with more due in the next couple of days, not sure where to put it in the room as it is full now.

Bronwyn, Jo and I are heading off to Christchurch this coming weekend for the Trade Show so that will be new and interesting - lets see what we can find there for us scrappers!

Well that's it for me for now - congrats Mandy B for wining and thanks everyone for entering that was lots of fun!

Catch you again soon

Rachel

Busy Wet Weekend - And a Give Away!

2009-07-05T17:32:00.020+12:00

What is one to do when you have a wet weekend? Well no problem for me - I scrapped! YAY on a roll now! It is nice to find the time to get to scrap for myself, I just finished off the layouts that I started in Christchurch a couple of weeks ago here is a couple of them:

Two of these three are double page layouts and are finished so that is great. These are Nic Howards kits from Tarisota so it was an easy scrap with instructions but it was nice still to get them done.
I did have plans to get more done but that's always the way, we did have a really nice evening out with Jayne and CJ (who secretly reads this blog - HEY CJ!!) and an hour and a half game of squash with Jo and Angela today so scrappin, socialising and exercise not bad and in between that we had lots of customers calling in for supplies.

Saturday brought sport for the kids, Jamie's rugby game was more like a mud match - I was so annoyed that I did not take my camera this was taken after he got home - it was so funny most people were trying to figure out how to get the kids home - here is the reason:

Bronwyn and I are starting the ordering for Raincliff as it is not that far away now - I will admit to being a little nervous about the share numbers but I am sure it will be fine - the chef's are all sorted and have started buying the food - so at least we won't starve!

What a great weekend we had 21 ladies scrappin last Saturday with some from Balclutha joining us - it was a great day with the sun helping us make sure the hall was nice and warm.
It was so nice to catch up with you ladies again and it was a fun, friendly day - so thanks!
Here are a couple of photos:

Now for a give away - all you have to do is leave a comment to be in to win - and if you have a blog link it to this one and I will put you in for two chances! this will be open for two weeks so you have heaps of opportunity to pass the word around!

What is the prize I hear you say? Well it is a Kaiser kit valued at $39.95 there is about $80 worth of product in this pack, see:

We have a couple of these in stock but the majority of the ones we had in have sold - there was a couple (well actually 11) missed off our order but we have them and more hopefully on the way so if you like what you see let me know and i can hold some for you or let you know when they arrive so you don't miss out!

Here is what the kit contains:

P132 Commander Paper 3
P133 Admiral Paper 3
P134 Sergeant Paper 3
P135 Major Paper 3
SB195 Long Arrow Album 1
KC017 Kaisercolour - Navy Blue 1
RB801 Rubons - Experience 1
SB516 Rubons - Adventure 1
SB789 Pearls - Chino 1
SB792 Pearls - Chocolate 1
SB776 Rhinestones Originals - Bronze 1
SB1144 Brads - Epoxy - Old World 1
SB916 Fozz Felt - Stars - Brown 1
M019 Metal Rings Colored - Dk Brown 1
G011 Glue 40ml - Glue 1
B030 Foam Brush - 1” Brush 1
B031 Foam Brush - 2” Brush

Here is the link to the kits

There are 4 kits now unavailable but let me know if you would like any as we have most of them (apart from the 4 unavailable) coming in and I can put your name on one.

Well that's about it from me for now - good luck on the give away!

Have a happy week

:-)
Rachel

Scrappin at last!

2009-06-30T12:10:00.006+12:00

Yippee finally I get to sit down and have a play! I have been chomping at the bit to get the Heidi Swapp Invisible's out and have a play, and once I got started it didn't take long at all to come together - actually it would have to be one of the fastest layouts I have done!

The photo was taken earlier this month when Nigel & I went to a lip sync fundraiser we borrowed the clothes from Tracy Hutchison (bless her and her dress up box) and Abby just would not take the clothes off!
So Jamie and her got dressed up and being the scrap book mother that I am couldn't resist taking a photo (although I did promise Jamie that no one would see it - our secret shhhh).

This morning I decided about time I just had a day for ME and the house work (and breakfast mess lol) can just wait! Here it is - I am really happy with how it turned out!I used Tim Holtz distress inks, with the Tim Holtz blender tool - LOVE'N that! Heidi Swapp invisiables paper and alphabet stickers, rub on's, my handy Dymo (just couldnt bring myself to write in it - Bronwyn will be pleased) a warehouse butterfly and a crochet one that my mum made for me and only brought over this morning (mum can I please have another 20 - love ya mum!) The heart at the top was cut out of the left over Heidi Swapp Invisiables stickers at the bottom of the alphabet sheet.

Righto that's it for me - guess I better get into the kitchen and clean up the mess and make some lunch - then back to being creative for me!

Have a great week, I hope to be back soon to share some photos from the wonderful Oamaru Crop that we had this weekend - you girls ROCKED!

Catch you soon

*hugs*

Rachel

Oh PS will also be back with a give away too! :-)

Missing in Action!

2009-06-24T15:47:00.003+12:00

Wow where had that time gone?

I have been so busy but don't really have any thing to show you!

Bronwyn & I went away for a weekend - girls retreat at our friend Elvina's house and met up with her partner in crime Anne for a fab weekend of Eating, scrapping, Eating, giggling and did I mention EATING?
Bronwyn & I left Timaru at about 5.45am as Bronwyn had agility with Benji (go team RUMBLE) and so we stopped at McDonalds in Ashburton and had breakfast - I was good (the only time) and had cereal. Then when Anne, Elvina and their daughters picked me up we went and had breakfast again - YUMMY they introduced me to Belgin Hot Chocolate's just like drinking liquid chocolate! Oh and a tomato cream cheese and bacon bagel!
Then off we went on a couple of jobs one to pick the stain glass for Anne's new fab house complete with a "girl cave" just for scrap booking (Yes I invited myself back he he) The poor lady when she saw five of us turn up to help pick colours but really she knew what she was doing and what she wanted to do, can't wait to see the door finished!
Scrapbooking - I spent the rest of the day scrappin just for me! Well that and eating all the goodies we had on the table - oh and the short break to go to the new chocolate shop in Riccarton Mall for another Belgin chocolate and THREE cakes - I just couldn't choose! You have to try them they were ALL so delicious! I did share!
Anyway we had a blast - thank you so much Elvina and Anne for making us feel like we have lived with you guys for ever and we were so comfortable and welcome - what date was the next one he he.

Now after that - I still have been busy in my scrap room trying to get more out of the klic N Kut.
I will post a picture of what I have done when i get them finished. But I also saw a card i really liked and the front was made from the shillioutte machine but I though how hard can that be? Answer - VERY lol when you don't know how but this wonderful lady Sandy made me video tutoral and posted it on her blogg - wow talk about easy when you know how!
Thanks so much Sandy you are a STAR!

Well don't want to dribble on so will leave it there and hopefully I will be back with some scrapbooking to show you as we have in the Heidi Swapp Invisables and I want to have a play - if I can drag myself away from the Klic N kut - cause Bev if you are reading - we are now Friends that machine and I!

Oh and the new Whiff of Joy stamps have shipped and are winging their way to me as we speak!

Have a great week

Rachel

Gift From Me!

2009-06-03T20:03:00.008+12:00

Good Evening

A few posts ago I asked if any one wanted a gift from me, so i thought I would show you what I made.

This bookmark and treat bag was made for Sandra I had fun making the treat box and filling it with chocolates - probably not as much fun as Sandra had eating them lol (but to be honest I did eat a few too!). And the book mark was fun to make to, can't tell you how many times I had to pick the slippery little beads up off the floor!

And then these I made for Beck, this was a lot of fun the "Magic Box" was so much fun to make and I followed the tutorial from the magic box lady- wow check out the link this lady is super talented!

This is the box once it Explodes, hard to see but it looked good when it was open - I found it depended on how you "packed" the box up as to if it opens how it is meant to.

The flower on the top of the box is Prima we still have one or two tins of those left and the butterfly's are on acetate they are a sticker because I didn't have the right size stamp.

The image is Magnolia stamped on the box, I just love these and with enough support we could start bringing them into the country. Let me know if you are interested. Also the flowers on the chocolate box are Green Tara and we have just had a huge parcel of these arrive.

Also here is a card made with the new whiff of joy stamps and some of the new Green Tara flowers, we have some of these new stamps on the way to us - so again if you are interested let me know or watch our web site for them to come into stock.
Also we have a HUGE range of charms available so check out our web site for these also or give me a call and come on in and have a look!
Well that's all from me for now - hope you are having a great week!

Catch you again soon.

Cheers

Rachel

Just a Quick Card

2009-05-24T20:34:00.002+12:00

Hi Guys

This is just a quick card that I made up today - very easy and very fast as the image was already coloured in:

Well that's about it from me - been a busy weekend and now I think I am in for the flu so it's off to bed!

Nighty Night!

Cheers

Rachel

Green Tara Cat?

2009-05-24T19:42:00.015+12:00

You have met my cat Basil before - this cat is such a character he LOVES Green Tara flowers, when I am scrappin or card making at my desk he is there, usually asleep beside me in his basket or on top of the printer but guarantee EVERY time he attacks my flowers!

Seriously remember those adds for one of the Toyota places in Christchurch that had a cat on their TV add, well I can loan Green Tara my cat for there add should they need him he would just LOVE to show everyone how NOT to use their flowers - take a look!

Think she will notice?

no she won't - just a closer look!

It Fell out seriously it did!

But it taste's great!

Well when I can get a card or layout finished this is what Green Tara flower's should look like!

and the inside

Hopefully tomorrow or the next day - we will have a whole heap more of Green Tara's flowers in stock so feel free to call in and have a look!

Hope you all had a great weekend.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Rachel

MORE Blog Candy

2009-05-16T11:12:00.002+12:00

Wow go and check this out! Debbie has more amazing blog candy to win - number of comments are high but you got to be in to win right?

Nestabilities - Special

2009-05-13T20:32:00.005+12:00

Hi all

Back again just for a quick post - for those of you that have cuttle bugs and would like to get into the nestabilities well there will never be a time better than now!

For the Month of May (or until stocks last) in conjunction with SANZI imports we are running a special as seen in the NZ Woman's weekly. The sets of Four nestabilities are on special for $129.99 with a FREE mat worth $12.50!
This is a FANTASTIC offer as the normal retial of these sets are going to be $199.00 after May.

I brought the classic ovals for myself (just couldn't resist) as seen being used in the below post on the Mothers day Cards, and I am eyeing up the Long rectangles as these are great for cards and also for journaling blocks in your scrapbooks!

So don't delay send me an e-mail and order yours today before stocks run out!

Catch you soon!

*HUGS*

Rachel

Missing In Action

2009-05-13T20:03:00.009+12:00

Gosh were on earth does the time go? Happy belated Mothers day to those Mum's out there hope you all had a nice relaxing day. I did - well sort of lol by the time the kids got up and made breakfast it was 11am so it was kind of a early lunch really but hot waffles with ice cream, maple syrup, chocolate desert topping, marshmallows and chocolate sprinkles was DEFIANTLY worth waiting for and I am sorry I did think about taking a photo but it was to good to stop eating!

I did how ever take some photos of a couple of cards that I made for the mums
And the inside
Both images are the same from the Whiff of Joy Stamps so I can't be playing favorites!

I also made a card for a friends 40th birthday - problem is I don't like giving them away he he
and the inside (I tell you this is addictive)

Got a box of Whiff of Joy Stamps due to land here any moment been waiting it seems for AGES - so all those that have back ordered stamps watch your in box!

Well that's about it for me be back soon!

*hugs*

Rachel

Check out this blog Candy

2009-04-28T07:56:00.002+12:00

Wow Look at this:

Debbie has some amazing blog candy to give away go and check it out - you don't have to have a blog to enter!
Thanks Debbie for the chance.
GO GIRLS!

Want a gift from Me?

2009-04-18T08:40:00.003+12:00

Mel is being crafty and is going to share her talents and she is inviting her readers to do the same.

The deal is that I am meant to follow these rules:

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations

1. I make no guarentees that you will like what I make

2. What I create will be just for you

3. It will be done by next month

4. You will have no clue what it will be (actually neither do I yet lol)

5. The catch? Oh the catch is that you must re-post this on your blog and offer it to the first 3 people that do the same thing on your blog. The first 3 people to do so and leave a comment telling me that they did win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift from me!

So who's in?

Blog Candy, Awards and a Card!

2009-04-18T06:52:00.008+12:00

Happy Saturday to you all

Check out this lady Bev's blog she has this amazing blog candy for give away - wow I SO want to win this one! Please I asked ever so nicely! Go check it out and leave a comment you never know it could be you! (ps then you can share with me lol)

I also received this award from Beck, thanks so much, my very first award how exciting is that!

Wonder if I should scrap that lol! I am meant to forward this on so if I stalk - opps mean watch your blog I will be picking someone soon!

I also made this card that I "lifted" the idea from the above "Bev's" blogg man this lady is so talented, but thought I did a pretty good job if I have to say so myself! Problem is how do you give them away they are so cute! I used one of the new Images that Embellish It now brings in "Whiff of Joy" they are just so nice to work with!

Well I think that's about it from me, have a great weekend - stay safe and hug your loved ones!

*hugs*

Rachel

Spellbinders & Whiff of Joy

2009-04-11T13:54:00.022+12:00

Whew, got our broad band back, now I can update - it's not like we don't have enough every month but one son with a PS3 purchasing online games and you get one crabby mother with no broad band left!

On Sunday I flew to Auckland to attend a day with Stacey from Spellbinders in the USA, what an amazing woman with a very supportive husband - this business has only been going for 4 years and what an amazing journey they have had so far!

We had some fantastic freebies on our desks and the desk was so nicely done compete with a gorgeous box done up with Easter eggs in - they had my attention right from then!

So off we started, learning some new techniques with the spellbinders dies and got to play with some that I never even knew existed. We made a lyout and some cards as well as just doing some of the techniques. This is the sample board of some of the cards and invites that were up for us to look at - hard to see from the photo but some of these were truley amazing!

We also got to see the new CHA release's wow i can tell you that I am really excited about these and will have my order in as soon as possible!

The day was over way to fast and onto a shuttle back to the airport were we had tea with some wonderful ladies from Nelson and a lady that I used to know back in my "crafty kid" days. We had a good look around the airport at what was on offer for tea first before we decided and can you believe it I brought a SALAD - and this was the MOST delicious salad EVER!! Roast Pumpkin, pine nuts and feta with a yummy most probably full of fat (like I care lol) dressing - seriously this was SO YUMMY!

I have some new dies that I brought back that people can have a bit of a play with, I can't wait to find some time to have a bit of a freestyle play myself!

So at the next crop I will demo some of these for you ladies.

Whiff Of Joy Stamps - Have landed!

Yay on Thursday I had our first shipment of Whiff of Joy Stamps arrive and boy are they flying out the door - already I have sold out of many of the designs, but never fear I will be re-ordering them again early this week here are a sample of some of the cute designs - I just love the dragon and boy stamps there are as well as the cute girlie ones and again I can't wait to have a bit of a play. Check out our web site for all of the images that we got in plus a link to the Whiff of Joy web site so if there is anything you would like ordered in let me know and I will get it on it's way with the next order.

Well that's about it from me, wishing you all a Happy Easter with LOADS of chocolate, and a safe break from work!

*hugs*

Rachel