Languid Lucy the Lounging Lion

Meet languid lucy...the lounging lion! Well, I tried to make her look like she was lounging idly by the shore of a crystal clear lagoon. However, my daughter thinks her legs look a bit odd. I tend to agree with her. But I couldn't very well make a lion legless...could I? Anyway...

List of Ingredients:

Cardstock: Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Kiwi Kiss, Garden Green, Summer Sun, Real Red, Basic Black and Tangerine Tango.
Punches: Wide Oval, Word Window, Scallop Circle, 1 1/4 inch Circle, Photo Corner, 1/2 inch Circle, Flower Trio
Cuttlebug Embossing Folders: Tiny Bubbles, Devine Swirl, Birds and Swirls, Forest Branches, Distressed Stripes and Rellie Rave
Accessories: Crimper, Basic Black Marker, Googly eyes, Dimensionals, Sticky Strip and SNAIL adhesive.

So whaddaya think? Weird or wot?

It is a beautiful, beautiful day here today (except for the significant smoke haze which I think is due to some back burning they were doing around the ACT yesterday...better haze though than massive licking flames and fireballs I say!!).

Tonight is Skyfire on the lake (= big fireworks display)...and we are thinking of taking the little boat out for a spin and having a picnic dinner on the lake and watching the show. Better go start thinking about what to take for that.

Have a good one,

(Blogged to: Six Months in a Leaky Boat - Split Enz and Smalltown Boy - Bronski Beat).

Circle Circus

I haven't used this stamp set much...but it really is very nice...and versatile! I think this card looks kind of Moroccan or something along those lines (maybe if travelingmama is out there, she could confirm this?)...but anyway, here is my very simple card:

List of Ingredients:

Cardstock: Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, Tangerine Tango and Whisper White
Stamps: Circle Circus
Ink: Pacific Point Classic Ink
Accessories: Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8 inch Circle Punch, Filigree Designer Brads, Cherished Memories Rub-ons.

I don't think I've paid Pacific Point enough attention. It is such a pretty colour.

Thought I'd also post this shot that my hubby captured:

...It is one of my favourite shots from the summer holidays. So clear...and nice colours (enhanced a little with Pioneerwoman's Boost action ;-).

On the subject of holidays...I noticed that different people are interpreting the 'describe your favourite holiday' bit of my blog candy competition differently. This is not a problem at all. I don't mind hearing about your favourite travel holiday (which is how many Australians seem to interpret 'holidays'), or your favourite religious or commemorative holiday like Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving etc (which is how some of my international readers might interpret 'holidays'). I find it funny that I have never really noticed this very basic difference before! On the subject of blog candy...you still have plenty of time to enter my competition, so if you're interested...check it out here.

Time to go to sleep!
Buenas noches,

(Blogged to: St. Elmos Fire - John Parr and Oh Yeah - Yello [Go Ferris!]).

'Just Because' Beady Bracelet Blog Candy...

I've been tossing up how to run a 'just because' blog candy giveaway, where one of my lampwork bead bracelets is the candy...and if I think about it any longer I'll give up...so here goes!

The prize will be a lampwork bead bracelet using these lampwork focal beads by Candice Matthewson of Beadgoodies on Etsy...

...combined with Sterling Silver Bali beads, Swarovski Crystal beads and Swarovski Pearl beads. The final bracelet will look something along the lines of this bracelet:

...but probably not exactly the same. I won't make the bracelet up until I know who has won, what size their wrist is and how they like to wear their bracelets (i.e. loose/tight). I think that'll solve my sizing issues. Also know now that I am no professional bracelet maker. I'll do my best, but don't be comparing it to a Pandora or any other razzle dazzle products :-).

In order to be in the running for this blog candy, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post, and tell me about your favourite holiday. It doesn't need to be long if you don't want to write much....just what/where/why. I like thinking about holiday ideas.....even if they don't eventuate.

If your commenting doesn't automatically leave your name and email, either write your name and email address in the text, or email me separately after you've commented (navarino@yahoo.com) with a copy of your comment (so I can work out which one is yours).

This competition is open to anyone from anywhere. I am not sure how the winner will be decided. It'll possibly be through Random.org or via paper ballot with one of the tiddlywinks doing the picking.

Entries will close at 11:00 am AEDST (Australian Eastern Daylight-Savings Time) on WEDNESDAY 31st MARCH 2010.

Thanks for your interest in my lampwork jewellery bracelets, and thank you for reading my blog.

I hope you have a beautiful day!

(Blogged to: Venus - Bananarama and We Built This City - Starship).

Spotty Dotty Beads

Another little lampwork bead creation for your perusal. I've used lovely blue and white (and red and orange) dotty focal beads made by Sari at Gaialai on Etsy. The beads are pretty large and decorative, so I've used minimal extra stuff, just a few 8 mm Swarovski beads in Crystal and a couple of small sterling silver plain round spacers.

I think beautiful bright cheerful beads like these are going to be my friends through winter this year!

I was thinking about dinner tonight, and we are just going to have left-over spaghetti, but I thought I'd mention some groovy herbs and stuff I recently picked up at the Canberra Show.

These goodies are from a Taste of the Bush, and we've enjoyed them so much I went online yesterday to order some more...and they arrived today (that's gotta be the super-est speediest service evah)!

The recipe on the back of the Salt Bush pack is for a salt bush crusting for lamb fillet...YUMMY. It was actually what drew me to buy them in the first place...I have been looking for different things to throw on the BBQ, and I LOVE lamb fillet (even if it does cost the earth just now at $39.95/kg...is everyone having to pay that price??? Maybe I should move to NZ ;-).

Anyhoo...basically the recipe calls for:
Lamb Fillets
Salt Bush
Macadamia Oil
Tasmanian Mt. Pepper, and
Native River Mint.

It is very good, not too salty, and the kids love it too. Winner!

See you later,

(Blogged to: Blue Monday 88 - New Order and Dreams - Van Halen).

Buggy Beetle

Just a little bit more silliness from me. I really love the images in the Going Buggy set...they're so big and bold and cute:

List of Ingredients:

Cardstock: Real Red, Elegant Eggplant, Yoyo Yellow and Whisper White
Stamps: Going Buggy
Inks: Elegant Eggplant and Real Red Classic Ink
Accessories: Chit Chat Rub-ons, Crimper, Googly eyes, Dimensionals and SNAIL Adhesive.

It is a beautiful Autumn day here today....the clouds are picture perfect - well, almost...I did run Pioneer Woman's Boost action on them (several times in fact) to get some more of that lovely sky blue happening:

This last one looks cartoon-ish to me! What does the sky look like where you are?

Also....a swimming shot, because pretty soon it is going to be just too cold to swim until next Spring (boo hoo):

Have a lovely day,

(Blogged to: Born Slippy - Underworld).

Dragonfly birthday with cake...

As I went to photograph this card I was thinking...what was I thinking? Probably, at the time I made it, I wasn't thinking at all. If memory serves me...the kids were begging me for something and I remember just grabbing the first rub-on I saw...it was one of those annoying ones that end up sort of hanging off the end of the sheet and collecting all the dust...so I just grabbed and rubbed. Now I have a birthday card with a dragonfly on it and a break out the cake sentiment. Yeah Sam. They go together brilliantly! I guess I can always cover up the sentiment with some hodgepodge...

List of Ingredients:

Cardstock: Elegant Eggplant, Real Red, Yoyo Yellow and Whisper White
Stamps: Going Buggy - retired
Inks: Elegant Eggplant Classic Ink
Accessories: Chit Chat Rub-ons, Tiny Bubbles Cuttlebug Folder, 1/2 inch Circle Punch, Crystal Effects, Dimensionals, Kmart goggly eyes and SNAIL Adhesive.

It looks kinda kooky...but I guess that's permissable for a child's birthday card :-).

Also, here are a few pictures that I took yesterday...

....Icky fly! I just liked how clear he came out...plus his groovy coloured rear-end.

....Banksia. I LOVE Banksias

....Cheeky Mr 3, with Seventies action applied (thanks PioneerWoman)

....Batemans Bay

....McKenzie's Beach (yes it was flipping cold...you don't see me in there do you?).

....McKenzie's Beach

....sand

....sand

....sand

....and more sand!

I like sand!!

(Blogged to: Echo Beach - Martha and the Muffins).

Armidale Road Trip...

Just thought I'd jump on here and let you know where I was...or rather, where I've been. We've been on a whirlwind road trip...to Armidale and back, via Sydney. We went up to attend an old flatmate's wedding (George, who I recently mentioned in my post about Oscar), and it was a lovely way to spend the long weekend.

I asked around, and a few people recommended going up through Gloucester, along the Buckets Way and Thunderbolts Way to Walcha, Uralla, and thence to Armidale. Can I just say, that those road names nearly put us off (would we need a bucket for the trip?...do the locals drive like Thunderbolts?)...but we were assured this was the most scenic route and well worth the extra twists and turns (it is also about 40 km shorter than going up the New England Highway - or so I'm told). Unfortunately it turned out we DID need a bucket on Buckets Way...I'll leave it at that ;-). Over all though, it was a very beautiful drive and quite relaxing.

I took a few pics on the way back (the way up being a trifle frantic, and raining from time to time).

View from Carsons Lookout on Thunderbolts Way.

View of the Buckets from Gloucester.

On the way back we stayed in Sydney for a couple of nights...

A windy evening on Botany Bay.

We took the kids to visit Symbio Wildlife Park yesterday and I took some photos of us with an Olive Python...but I took them on the mobile phone (a Motorola) and I have no idea how to get them off. If you know how to do that, and could let me know I'd really appreciate your help.

I've also been doing some more beading...I've called this one Circus, because that's what I think of when I look at it!

The beads are by Sari from Gaialai on Etsy. Sari makes some beautiful shaped beads, and uses lots of lovely colours.

Well, that's it from me for now. Hope you've had a great week thus far!

(Blogged to: Where the Streets Have No Name - U2 and Rhythm is a Dancer - Snap!).

Some more jewels...

...this post is going to be short, I think I'm fighting another cold and kinda feel not all here IYKWIM?

I've had these groovy beads for ages. I bought them from Teresa at Silverfish Designs in June of last year. Teresa called them Desert Rounds...and they do look decidedly desert-y don't they? They also have more of that delicious turquoise blue in them that I love!

ETA: In addition to the lampwork beads I use Swarovski crystals, sterling silver focals, spacers, toggles, findings and coated wire. I get these things from a variety of places, but mostly:

Beadstreet - sterling silver focals and toggles, Swarovski crystals, and wire
Bead Barn - Swarovski crystals and sterling silver focals
Over the Rainbow - Swarovski crystals, sterling silver spacers, crimps and crimp covers.

I am finding that I have to use the flash for all of these jewellery shots, regardless of how much natural light there is. Does someone who is photographically savvy know why this is? It seems to be the only way to stop the glare coming off single facets of the beads and washing everything else out. Maybe it helps even out the light return and is because of the shape of the bead surfaces. Hmmmmmm?!

Sorry for the boring ponderings. I'll blame it on the cold ;-).

Hope you are feeling healthier than me!

(Blogged to: Copperhead Road - Steve Earle).

Beautiful Bleu Verre Lampwork...

...The lovely comments that were left on my recent beading post inspired me to make another bracelet this weekend...so thank you again for your kind words ladies...I needed a bit of a push.

I recently bought some lovely new lampwork beads from Marie at Bleu Verre in my favourite colours, purple and blue. I love Marie's beads, and I have her Etsy Shop feed in my Google Reader (along with several others ;-) under a folder called Beautiful Beads. Its kind of a temptation, but a really lovely one, and I often find the colours that these lampwork bead artists use will inspire me to try new cardstock colour combinations or patterns...so its a useful temptation too (yeah, yeah...this is what I keep telling myself ;-).

One of my biggest frustrations with beading is that I have stupidly small wrists at 6 1/4 inches (which I might add is significantly disproportionate to the rest of my body ;-). My wrists are so small I can touch my pinky and my thumb together around them, and to be honest I am surprised that I haven't managed to break either of them at some point along the way (touch wood)!

Having small wrists means that chunky beads don't look all that good, and generally take up too much room. I can't get a good selection into the small space I have to work with ggggrrrrrrrrrr. Even with smaller beads, like the ones above, I'd love to be able to squeeze some more focals into my work...but then I'd have to wear wrist padding to stop the bracelet sliding right off my arm. On the other hand...needing less beads does mean that the bracelets are cheaper to make...so its all swings and round-a-bouts I guess....plus, if this is the biggest thing I can find to complain about, life is pretty good...isn't it?!

Today is the first day of autumn here and the weather has turned out a perfectly fitting day for it. There is a chilly wind blowing and it is slightly overcast. I had to dig out jumpers for everyone.

Have a great one!

 

(Blogged to: Fade to Grey - Visage).