Paper Crafter's Library Subscription Competition...

Good Morning!

I'm just posting here, in the hope of winning a one year subscription to the Paper Crafter's Library.

You can enter too, just hop along to THIS blog post...and follow the instructions.

A special thanks to Mae....whose blog I first saw the competition mentioned on!

Good luck everyone!!

Letting the cat out of the bag, the horse out of the stall, the boat out of the harbour…

In my last post I alluded to a big adventure that my family and I will be embarking on in the very near future. Use of the term 'embarking' is a big clue ;-).

I have been sitting on this info for a long time…more than a year in fact. I have kept my life compartmentalised for numerous reasons, but mostly because…well, because this blog is about cardmaking and scrapbooking! However, this blog is also about things that make me smile - my tiddlywinks, my garden, my lampwork jewellery…and this little secret that I have been sitting on also makes me smile!

Today, Di Barnes awarded me a Stylish Blogger award (thanks so much Di) and I decided that I could use the 'eight things about me' requirement to let the cat out of the bag (and hopefully also help keep a tight rein on my tendency to natter on about not much of anything). Soooooooooo, here goes…

• My husband and I bought a 1992 Lagoon 42 TPI catamaran the Christmas before last and we have been working on sprucing her up ever since…she is called Lucey Blue.

• My family and I are about to move out of our house, and on to this catamaran…for an 8 month adventure up the coast of Australia, hopefully as far as Cairns and back. We anticipate leaving Sydney in about 55 days time.

• I am currently studying for my Marine Radio Operators Certificate of Proficiency (MROCP) …everything you ever wanted to know (and some you didn't) about operating a VHF and an MF/HF radio.

• I get seasick (JOY!), and won't be able to take my usual preventative drugs due to the fact that I'll be breastfeeding Thumper (double JOY!!)

• We have another blog which documents our preparations for this voyage, and to which we will post about our adventures along the way. If you are interested, you can check it out here...but be warned, lots of the recent posts are focused on boaty fix-it type things, including installation of a vacuum-flush toilet...scintillating stuff I assure you ;-).

• I am not sure how much cardmaking I will be able to achieve while we are away, hopefully a little…but I am also going to teach myself to crochet! One day I want to make awesome, rainbow-coloured bundles of happiness like Lucy from Attic 24.

• We have a whole heap of things still to do before we leave, not least of which is packing up the house and finalising enrolment of Miss almost 7 in Distance Education for terms 2 - 4 this year.

• I am very, very excited about this adventure...seasickness and all.

If you made it this far thanks for reading about our plans!

I actually also have a card to show you...but with the dreary, rainy day we had today I didn't get a chance to photograph it for you. I'll have to get back to you later

Bedtime...ciao, ciao!

Christmas Knick Knacks and Chocolates...

I have a few pictures to show you of things that I guess can best be classed as Christmas knick knacks, or maybe stocking stuffers. Some of them I bought for others, some I bought for myself ;-). Some were given to me at Christmas. Some are cute, some are yummy, some can be used for crafting, some can not. What ever their purpose...they made me smile!

Cute, shaped paperclips. Which I got from Pepe's Paperie, a lovely little shop that sells stationery and other papery goodies here in Canberra.

Groovy-doovey Valentine-themed masking tape...from Pepe's.

Pretty-coloured Jute Twine...also from Pepe's. I love Pepe's a lot!

Eco-friendly, easy stow-away shopping bags by Envirosax. I got these up in a little shop in Balgowlah in Sydney, but I have seen similar ones in several kitchen-type shops too. I love the pretty oriental designs on these ones.

Haigh's Chocolate Frogs. A lovely gift from my sister in-law. They even come in their own beautiful cardboard bookish-box! Drool....I have been very good, and haven't touched these yet at all.

...and last, but certainly not least...one of my all time favourites the Darrell Lea Christmas Nougat Pudding! They make these at Easter-time too....same delicious taste, just a different design.

Thanks for sitting through my little fest of pretties and yummies. I hope you got some lovely pretties and yummies under your tree this year too!

A few SU demo things to giveaway, and some things for sale

...You might remember that I ceased to be a demonstrator for Stampin' Up! back in about March of this year...and I have finally got around to clearing out some things I no longer need. I have listed them on the Sale page - HERE on my blog.

There are Stampin' Up! Plastic Logo Bags, Stampin' Technique booklets and old IBCs which are free to anyone who might need them (although if you want me to post them to you there is a charge for that...send me an email so I can let you know postage and packaging cost). If you live in the ACT you are welcome to drop by and pick them up. I should also point out here that I live in Australia...so these are Australian SU IBCs.

I also have a small selection of other things which are for sale at the bottom of the same page. I have a bunch more stamps to sell eventually...but haven't managed to list them all yet.

Susan Boyle Rocks!

Non-stamping or crafting post here...just letting you know up front...

I've been meaning to share something with you, although I suspect many will have heard of Susan Boyle already!

About 2 weeks ago I accidently clicked some link that took me to a YouTube video showing Susan Boyle singing on Britain's Got Talent. I must have been lacking for things to do that day, because usually I would back button out of there quick smart....but I didn't, I watched the clip...and if you feel like a bit of uplifting...can I suggest you do the same?

Susan Boyle: I Dreamed a Dream - April 2009

Then there is this clip showing her singing in the Semi Final:

Susan Boyle: Memory - May 2009

The Finals were held last night in the UK...she came second, and this is her performance:

Susan Boyle: I Dreamed a Dream, Finals - May 2009.

Just thought I'd share those with you. Her voice gives me goosebumps, and I hope that there are many big exciting things on her horizon. Susan Boyle, you rock!

Sam.

Where have I been?

I am sorry for my blog-absence of late. I've been hanging out in Forks, Washington...in my head, at least (that'd be a loooooooong way to go for just three days ;-).


Rainforest in Sol Duc Rain Forest, Olympic National Park, Washington


(image sourced from here).

I went down to our local mall on Sunday to start my Christmas shopping. Hubby had the kids and I was set to get underway! I kind of got sidetracked though. I suddenly thought that seeing a movie might be in order so I wandered in and saw that there was a movie called Twilight on. I had not read the books, didn't know anything about it other than that it had something to do with Vampires...so I got my popcorn and headed in!


WELL! It was kind of a mistake, because I couldn't let it go! I walked out of the cinema (on a high) and went and bought the next three books (New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn) and proceeded to devour them...finishing them up last night. WOW. I loved them. I'm going to go see the movie again as soon as I can, then go and read the first book (which I didn't read because I was too keen to know what happened after the movie left off). I'm not going to give anything away!!

Seriously though, I feel like I've been on a holiday, and for the price of a movie ticket and three books (and a couple of late, late nights)...that ain't too bad!

Hope your Christmas shopping is further advanced than mine :-).
Sam.