CARDS GIVEWAY - WINNERS !

Thanks to everyone for all your wonderful comments about my cards - it is so very much appreciated.

Using random.org, the two lucky winners of the cards are:

Random Sequence Generator
Here is your sequence:

17 ROBIN !!!!
11 NETTIE !!

Congratulations ladies - one of the cards will be mailed to you early next week.

I WILL BE HAVING MORE GIVEAWAYS SOON SO PLEASE STOP BY AGAIN SOON

MORE OF MY CARDS

As promised - smiles - some more sharing of some cards I have made in the last couple of days. After not using my cuttlebug for a little while I really enjoyed playing with it again today - making backgrounds with the embossing folders and also backgrounds with a piece of mesh my friend Robin mailed to me - thanks !!

Thanks for looking and enjoy your weekend - I will be working both days round at the shop but hope to have a day off on Tuesday.

PROXIMITY BLOG AWARD

My good friend Robin http://rockinrobin1973.blogspot.com/ gave me this award and I am so happy to receive it. Huge thanks!

"These blogs invest and believe in PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships! These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers, who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

Here are the bloggers that inpsire me every day and that I am presenting this award to:

Robin (right back at ya !!) http://rockinrobin1973.blogspot.com/

Carol J http://carolsstampingblog.blogspot.com/

Libby http://libbysscrapz.blogspot.com/

Mainly Flowers http://joanne-mainlyflowers.blogspot.com/

Indigo Inklings http://indigoinklings.blogspot.com/

Amazing Paper Grace http://www.amazingpapergrace.com/

Mel Stampz http://melstampz.blogspot.com/

Valitas Designs & Fresh Folds http://valitasfreshfolds.blogspot.com/

GIVE AWAY

edited: 9 Dec 7pm - thanks to everyone who has left comments so far.
To answer a couple of questions
1) The bird stamp I have used on the cards is one from a clear stamp set from Inkadinkado called "birds galore."
2) I did the background by using a torn piece of paper as a mask and applied different colours of dye inkpads using a sponge.

I had so much fun making these cards yesterday, especially the backgrounds - I decided I would have a giveaway on my blog. Anyone who leaves a comment until the 15th December, will go into 2 draws to have one of the above cards mailed to them.

The New Year will be here before we realise .... and I already have some "resolutions" for my blog
1. to post more regularly
2. to upload more of what I make
3. to have more giveaways

I hope everyone is having a stressfree lead up to Christmas - remember the reason for the season - take care and remember to smile, laugh and enjoy every moment of every day

Welcome to my world

I thought I would share some photos of Puhoi village, where I now have my shop. Summer is on it's way and the weather is finally getting warmer. And with the warmer weather comes more tourists to the area, which is great.

At the moment I am opening the shop 6 days a week, 10am to 4pm, closing on Tuesdays.

A Weekend of Fun, Friendship and Laughter

The weekend away with the other "pink angels" was amazing. It was a lovely weekend filled with lots of chatter, fun, laughter, eating and friendship. We all have a unique bond of going through our radiation treatments for our breast cancers together, earlier in the year.

The guy in the photo is an Egyptian tourist who, with his girlfriend approached us and asked if he could take our photo, and then wanted to be in the photo as well (smiles).

We wore our pink halos and pink bandanas EVERYWHERE we went from Friday till Monday morning.

The tourist town of Taupo didn't know what had hit it (smiles) but our fun, carefree antics had everyone smiling and asking what we were celebrating - to which we replied - WE ARE CELEBRATING LIFE !!

Back /Away Again Briefly /Store News

We got back from Melbourne late Sunday night - had a lovely relaxing and also tiring time away. Will update you more on what we got up to next week !! As I need to get organised for going away briefly again this coming weekend (from Friday to Monday) I am heading to Taupo for a weekend get together of some of the ladies I spent my time with at the Cancer Lodge during my radiation treatments, earlier in the year - so should be a fun weekend.
And some exciting news - hot off the press so to speak lol - yesterday I agreed to a 6 month lease of the shop next to the General Store at Puhoi - so hope to have The Craft Barn store up and running again within 2 weeks.

HAVING A GREAT VACATION

Sadly our vacation is almost over - we fly back to New Zealand on Sunday - its Friday morning here right now - but its been a fantastic vacation - very relaxing and at the same time busy, busy as well.

The day after we arrived I spent a very enjoyable day at a Craft Day teaching everyone how to make an accordian book with tags. Lots of laughter and chatting and a little crafting too - HAHA.

Heres a photo of the ladies showing off their books.

The next day was spent shopping till we dropped at the Paperific Craft Expo - lots of craft supplies brought - can't wait to get home to play !!

We have spent wonderful times with friends - old and new - eaten too much lovely food; done some sightseeing - beautiful scenery and historical spots; and yep more shopping.

Beautiful scenery at Halls Gap.

this is a Rock Art painting done by the local Aboriginal people, thousands of years ago.

Hope to be able to close the suitcases Sunday morning and not have overweight baggage costs at the airport!!

TTFN

tata for now !! Yep I know I havent blogged for a while - busy busy here. And now its 4am Wednesday morning and in a very short while we will be heading for the AIRPORT!! Our flight to Melbourne, Australia leaves at 7.30am - 4 hour flight gets us in to Melbourne at 9.30 am - then we will be picking up the rental car and heading out to Ballarat. Lots planned and I will try and pop in with updates during our 11 days away.

THE CRAFT BARN

opps keep meaning to upload a picture of where The Craft Barn now is. Luckily I got to "take over" the games room in the house before my husband decided on buying a pool table to fill up most of the space; which is now well filled up with all my "stuff".

MEET THE COWS

Meet the young "ladies" - Black Eye and Fifi (please don't ask about the names - grins). They are settling in okay except for one"break out" last weekend - a few scarey and hairy moments along the main state highway but alls well that ends well.

Spring is on its way - and along with it warmer weather which I love.

Also looking forward to our vacation to Melbourne, Australia in less than a months time.

Blog Giveaway

check out this great giveaway on The Stamping Queen blog
http://thestampingqueen.blogspot.com/2008/08/august-blog-giveaway.html

Early Morning Start

Early morning for me today - woke up round 3am - still lying there awake at 4am so decided to get up. No sense in tossing and turning and annoying Doug. So having a coffee and catching up on some emails.
hmmm don't hear any rain at the moment - heres hoping for a fine day for a change - would love to be able to go for a bit of a walk around the farm today - I so need to start getting more regular exercise !!
No cows have arrived yet - the stock agent said it would depend on what he could find at the auctions so maybe next week ?
So far this week, amongst other things, I have done a couple of entries in my Art Journal and made some ATCs. Here's a couple of them below.

Counting down to our vacation to Melbourne, Australia in October. Seems hard to believe its been a year, almost to the day since our 2 month vacation to the States. Oh the memories !! We are hoping to get back to the States again next year to celebrate Dougs 50th birthday !

What A Difference A Week Makes

After the disappointment of the bad weather and flooded Barn, what a difference a week can make in your mind-set.

Almost all set up in the rumpus room up here in the house and its looking pretty good if I do say so myself. Will take some photos and upload them later.

I even took some time out from all the moving and organising to make some cards using my 'bug. Waiting impatiently for some of the newer folders at the moment too so once they arrive I can't wait to play with those ones as well.

Welcome to my world at the moment

The second major storm hit in the space of a couple of days earlier this week.
Photo above is once the water and mud had receded a bit in the Barn.
To say I am upset is an understatement but life goes on and it could have been much worse.
I am now in the process of packing it all up and moving it up to the house. The floor down there has got water and mud all over it - everything that was in boxes out in my office part that i had partioned off is wet and everything else feels very damp so can't be left down there.
I have decided I will set up what i can fit in the games room here in the house and leave the rest packed up, up here and not use the Barn - I just can't take the risk right now.

Another minor setback but in the words of the song by Kanye West - "now that that don't kill me, can only make me stronger"

Once I am set up here in the house, I can't wait to get creating again !

Latest cards

Have had fun last week playing with some new techniques.
Hope you enjoy taking a look....

The Craft Barn

The Craft Barn - opening 16 July

DRUM ROLL PLEASE !!!

The Craft Barn will be open for business from 16 July 2008.

Open Wednesday - Saturday 10am to 4pm.

Sunday - Tuesday - open by appointment.

Cards and ATCs

feeling a little brighter this afternoon so scanning some cards & ATCs i have made recently.

Caught the 'Bug

Caught the 'Bug and its not the cuttlebug either .
Been laid low with the 'flu for a few days now - frustrating but have been having some much needed rest and lying on the couch time.
Still lots of unpacking and organising to do here but it can wait.
Hope to be back to 100% very soon.





We are all loving living here - how can you feel stressed or in a "mood" for any length of time when you have all this wonderful scenery to look at, including wild rabbits.
There are so many things everyday to give thanks for.



WATCH THIS SPACE - will have some exciting news to announce very soon !

Green Acres is the place to be .....

Can someone please remind me why i wanted to do this moving lark so soon after finishing my radiation treatments
I am doing ok though - tired ok make that exhausted each day and a little sore from moving boxes etc but it is lovely being here at the farm.
Still LOTS to unpack and get organised but we will get there !!
So do I look like a farmers wife yet ? HAHA

To see more photos of our new home please visit my webshots albums

http://community.webshots.com/user/wendyp1

then click on folder called Our New Home June 2008.

Can't wait to get my craft room organised and be able to create again.

Some Exciting News To Share

Firstly I have now finished all my radiation treatments !!
Hopefully the side effects should start to go away in about 2-3 weeks time.
And I have some wonderful news to share which is giving me something to focus on and become excited about - WE ARE MOVING !!!!! We will be moving on 28 May !!!
My husband grew up on a farm and has always loved the rural life - something i never wanted to try until now - since my health hiccup I have been looking at lots of things in a totally different way !!! So we are moving - to a farm that we will be renting - it is 11 acres of land to do with whatever we want (have animals, grow veges etc etc). Also includes a three bedroom house, seperate sheds (2) and a big barn !!! - the barn or one of the sheds or the inside games room are all potential areas where I can have my craft business again. The property is around 2 hours north from where we are living right now. So lots to do between now and the 28th May and hopefully some time to do some craft work as well !!

Light At The End of The Tunnel

Little update on me - next week will be my last FULL WEEK of radiation treatment for my breast cancer - then Monday the following week and then I AM DONE !!!!!
Right now I am sooooooo exhausted, and have developed some other "normal" symptons of having radiation like an annoying cough, rash and soreness. Also because of my low immune system right now I am getting a cold ; (
Still a long road ahead to get back to "normal" but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and its burning bright, urging me forward to finish this journey I started way back in November last year when I was diagnosed.
And overall I am remaining as positive as I can !!!

Balloons Over Waikato

Check out my photo album (Balloons over Waikato) with more photos i took last week of the amazing hot air balloons that were at Hamilton. Some of the ladies and i from the Cancer Lodge went down by Hamilton lake at around 6am one morning to watch all the balloons taking off - what a fantastic sight it was !!!

http://community.webshots.com/user/wendyp1

Checking in

Sunday morning here - just checking in to say hi.
Rainy day here so will be resting inside most of the day.
Week 2 of my radiation treatments are done. 3 or possibly 3 1/2 weeks of treatments to go.
Am feeling sore and tired and developing a bit of a dry cough (all "normal" side effects) but just trying to take one day at a time; resting when i can - although i hate not been able to do all that i would like to do
Spent most of yesterday over at the Craft Show at the Hamilton Gardens - was tiring but great to catch up with lots of people I know and seeing all the things for sale and all the wonderful samples of things has inspired me for future creativity.
The weekends go way too fast - almost before they seem to start, its time to pack up again and head back over to the Lodge for another week.
But all this will pass eventually.
Everyones thoughts, prayers and support mean the world to me and comfort me greatly !!!

Playing with Fairies

Have had a lot of fun today making up 4 fairy themed cards using my craft robo and cuttlebug. The fairy images are from a dingbat font.

I am trying to keep busy and I do have a lot to get organised before my first treatment at the hospital next Tuesday (1st April). Will then be away from home and offline during the week for all of April while I stay at the Cancer Lodge over in Hamilton.

Inspired by You Tube Video Clip

Firstly Happy Easter to you all!

Its a lovely sunny and unseasonably hot autumn (fall) day here. Got my laundry out on the line and when looking through my emails this morning, someone had posted a link to a You Tube video clip for a background technique.

Usually I think to myself - yes that looks interesting I will try that "sometime" but more often than not I never get around to it - so NOTE TO SELF - from now on if you see something you want to try doing - if you can try it then and there - GOT FOR IT !! I had so much fun experimenting with colours and papers and well take a look at one of the cards I ended up making.

This is the link (thanks Libby)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=KPqNnDJ9n7c
An Irresistible Technique - dabber paints with distress inks

I am hoping my muse has decided to return to play !!!