Beach Time!!!

Good afternoon, It's been a while since I last blogged... I guess it's just LIFE happening and me being too busy to create/ blog etc! I am now working 4 days a week and the rest of my time is usually spent catching up with people and housework/ washing, resting etc! What I really need to catch up on is cleaning up my craft area/ stuff so that crafting can be easier when I do have the time, energy and headspace to do so, tee hee.

On Friday I caught up with a lovely friend L and we had coffee at Maroubra beach, well across the road from the beach ... It was such a beautiful day so I had to snap a few piccies .. here is one of them! After coffee we went and sat on the steps and read some Bible verses and prayed for each other, It was a great start to the day! A great reminder of God's faithfulness in the midst of life. God is good in providing encouragement and comfort through his people.

On the beach theme, here is my latest Digi I have drawn.. I was wanting some Christmas / Summery images and this is the only one I've finished so far!! This is Dan the bodyboarding man :) Dan loves Summer in Australia as it means he can pull out his bodyboard and catch some waves! You can purchase Dan HERE

Hopefully I will have some more Christmas/ Summery images to share soon! I'm also thinking about how to bring a bit of life back to this old blog. I often think about things to write and never end up doing it so we'll see if I can follow through a bit more! 

Spring "should" be here

Good evening... well I like to think that September is the start of Spring... although there's some crazy talk about how Spring is not really here till mid month or something and Today one might actually be inclined to believe that... however I jumped on in to do an Art journal page using my Tulip crown girl (drawn to celebrate Spring)

I am not sure if I really like this page or not... I like some elements but not others.... might need to get in there with white gesso and redo some bits :o we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Being Spring makes it time for a fresh start to my blogging... seems I overdid things with that every day posting and then couldn't keep it going... might try to ease back in a little more slowly this time!!!

What's your favourite thing about Spring???

BIJWB :: In the last three hours I have....

Been rather productive... I have missed a few days of blogging in July with Bec - But I'm here and ready to to tell you what I have done in the last 3 hours today! I  have...

• Done some tidying up in the study... long way to go... been alternating by putting things away and fixing up files on my computer...
• done the washing up ... since our dishwasher broke some time ago the washing up seems to pile up quite a bit :0
• visited Pam in the Nursing home ... had a laugh and a sing and watched Andre Rieu.
• Finished a card off.... I coloured this image up some time ago... she is created from two different TGF stamps.. the head of Wild Sprout Ruby and the body of Anya Treats.
• Finalised saving Poppy with her Snowman and printed her out to colour

This is the card I created...

This is Poppy ready to be coloured...

Three Life Tips

Bec's BLOGS in July topic today is three life tips... 

Mmm I'm not exceptionally qualified for this... but here's my

1. Work Hard - be it .. at a paid job or something like mowing the lawn, doing some exercise... sometimes we really don't feel like working...in the case of exercise... this is usually when we need to do it the most :D

 

(today was a great day for mowing the lawns and doing some washing .. Izzi wanted to help... but somehow managed to get  pegged on the line herself)

2. Play Hard - Life can't all be about work... we all need a bit of time out. What do you find fun, enjoyable.. make sure you make time for these things :) For me... it's spending time with friends, playing games and also creating, colouring in. For Izzi it's things like sliding down the bannisters (tee hee).

3. Rest well - whilst rest could be linked to play.. it's a bit different in my opinion... we all need a certain amount of sleep each day... we can't just work and play.. we need to rest as well! :) Some of us need more than others! Get to know what your limits are and listen to your body! If like me you are someone who needs a bit more rest... Don't overdo things!

BIJ2 : This month at a glance

Bec's BIJ prompt for today is "this month at a glance"

I'm trying to use the calendar on my phone more.. I am still a pen and paper diary kinda girl... but this month I'm trying to get it all in my "calendar" app and see how I go.

I will be.....

• working!
• celebrating my older younger sisters b'day .. (from a distance) :D
• cleaning up my mess (Oh yeah, last weeks rush to get ready for the market means our place looks like it's been hit by a few bombs around the place.. study, kitchen, lounge).
• sorting out my tax :o
• having dinner with Mum and Dad in Sydney :)
• helping friends!
• getting ready for SMASH where I will be selling markers next month.
• getting ready for Guy's 40th next month!

What does your month look like at a glance??

Blogging in July with Bec

Good afternoon. Great news ... a new month brings a new list of blog prompts .... Bec has done up a great list for July... so am going to try blogging through them! I'm not making any promises that there will be a post EVERY day... but I will see how I go! :D 

BIJ#1 - The year is half over! What big things happened in the first half of this year for you?

Here's a bit of a list of some of what's happened so far this year for me ....

January

a casual job :)
Perfecting my doll pattern
BHB conference watching with Bec and Karen
Coffee shopping and furniture collecting with Nic

February

Glebe Market experiment/ fail.
T & SM's  Aussie reception :D

March

12 year anniversary!!
Lakehouse trip
Jury duty :P Thankful not to be impaneled!
The Spire Market 

April

Growth Group weekend/ day away
Hanging out with Adelaide friends... including going to Taronga zoo :)
working bee at the Lakehouse

May

Going "home" to Orange for the weekend.. for Mother's Day & to see Nic's cafe/ bookshop.
Starting a new job at AFES.
Blogging every day in May - I did it!!
Gospel in Everyday life course at church :D

June

CTMH Workshop with Chris.
Senior Staff Conference.
catching up with a dear old friend.
The  Winter Spire Market.

It's been a busy start to the year... the biggest change for me has been working in an office again.. although only 3 days a week it's different to both caring for MIL and running my own business.. It's tiring driving to and fro and being in an office environment ... but it's a great opportunity/ privilege to be in the job I am in :) I get a nice long weekend too.. although I manage to fill up those extra days quite EASILY!!!

The week that was ...

Good evening... It's Sunday night and I am feeling a little weary ... We had a lovely night at church and a fairly quiet day... recovering from the BIG day yesterday,  it was our THIRD time running our little market -  the Spire Market ... and pretty much my last week was taken up with getting ready for that...well when I was not working or catching up with an old friend who lives about 1hr away.

I think overall the market was good.. we had wonderful stalls.. they all looked so good! We had some yummy tea, coffee and snacks... and some crafting workshops. It was a lot quieter than we would have hoped it to be.. and we have to work out how we can drum up some more interest/ shoppers for the next one!! :D

Here's a little look at my stall... with the sockyrag dolls in their finest outfits... I sold one... am keeping one and think that the rest will be shipped off to Orange to The Dragonfly Lounge.. Nic's bookshop/ cafe to adorn the bookshops and steal the hearts of some people there!! :

so last week I pretty much failed at my blog prompts ... good intentions but no time/ inclination I suppose to post... I was, "yes" sewing and colouring in all my spare time! I might go back and blog some of the topics next month instead... we'll see! 

Have a great week!!!

Sammi

xoxo

Off the reservation

Good afternoon, I hope you are having a great weekend! I've gone off the reservation with my blogging topics these past two days... yesterday I just needed a break... thus no posting .. and today I have been CREATING all day.... dolls mostly... for next week's The Spire Market .... and I've finalised the bookmarks design for the little workshop I will be doing at the market... I'll be doing two mini colouring workshops... #1 Colouring People and #2 Colouring flowers... these are as you can tell the People ones... I thought Alice and the Hatter would be appropriate :D

Anyway, I better go sew some more outfits for my latest sockyragdolls or they might be a little cold (and embarrassed) :D

3 Social Media tips

(This post has been scheduled as I'm away)

Here are my top 3 tips for Social media... 

What are yours??? leave a comment and let me know - or a link to your blogpost about this. :D

The superpower I'd like to have...

(This post has been scheduled as I'm away)

Is to become invisible at will....

I think this would be rather handy for times when I'd just like to hide from the world :D

What Superpower would you like to have and why?? 
Leave a comment and let me know (or a link to your blog).

A mission Statement for my blog

(This post has been scheduled as I'm away)

I like to set myself difficult prompts don't I... a Mission statement for my blog?? Wow!

Hmm.... why do I  blog? Well it started off by being a place to share my creations, and it extended to a place to share my thoughts and a bit of a diary too, sharing my life... Mostly when I think about sharing my thoughts, it's related to sharing my faith.. what I believe about God... and how that plays out in my life I guess...

So here's what I've come up with as a sort of mission statement....

Want to join in today?? Leave a comment and I'll come read your post :D

Where I am today ...

Today, and all of this week actually I will be at Stanwell Tops for Senior Staff conference ... with all the staff and associates from the various Uni campuses around Australia who are affiliated with AFES.

I'm looking forward to meeting new people, seeing old friends, hearing about what's happening on the different campuses, hearing from God's word and praying with others.
I'm a little nervous as I'm shy and new people/ things/ places are therefore a bit scary :o

Where are you today?

I haven't been able to set up inlinky (as it was not working for me last night).. so please feel free to leave a link to your blog in the comments section below and I will come read your post :)

A time I doubted God existed ....

I've been thinking a bit about this topic and wondering if there's been a time since I became a Christian that I've doubted God existed... and I'd have to say that there isn't... there's been times when I've wondered just what his plan is for my life and why certain things happen (and don't happen) to me and others but I'm always confident that he is there and that it's only because of him that I exist.

So this takes me back to before I was a Christian... 16 years ago was when I was assured of God's existence and this happened in 1st year uni... through reading his word (the bible) and hearing people preach the gospel (expounding bible passages) and studying it with other people.

I looked over my journal from Yr 12 yesterday in preparation for this blog post... we had to keep a journal for RE (I went to a Uniting Church school where RE was compulsory -  it was pretty cool... the chaplain would read and leave comments on our entries.. looking back this was a great way for him to be able to know how people were going). Here's an excerpt from that journal...

"I'm still not sure if I believe in God - I can't understand why if there is a god, why does he allow bad things to happen? Is it because he's not perfect too and can't always be there on time, he wants people to be punished for their wrongdoings? It really confuses me. I think I do believe in God to an extent".

That was then.... I now know that God is totally sovereign and in control of everything that happens. He is Omnipresent Ephesians 4:6 helps with that... "one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all". I don't have the complete answers to the topic of suffering.. it is complex.. but I do know that Jesus Christ, God's only son suffered the ultimate penalty.. death and judgement in my place so that I could have a relationship with God and so can anyone who believes. (and will one day be with him in Heaven where there will be no more pain or suffering - just as the Revelation quote on my image tells us.)  Bad things/ suffering are much easier to deal with when you know that there is a Sovereign God in control, who understands and who has a solution. 


(I'm having troubles getting inlinky to work.. so if you want to link up your blog just add a comment with your blog post in the comments section :)

Scrapbooking

Last weekend I went to a Close to my Heart Workshop with Gin...we went because Chris was teaching there! It was great to see her again and watch her teach .. and learn some new techniques and be inspired by her awesome creations!! I made a scrapbook layout following Chris's sketch... my first scrapbooking in AGES.. This is for my Europe trip album... which was 7 years AGO!!! WOW! Good time to relive it I guess... I need to finish this off soon! 

This page just needs some journaling added : D Then it will be done! 

I need a bit more time in a day I think to get everything done that I would like to do :D

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

FRIDAY the 13th

Good evening! Today is Friday the 13th ... a funny date.. and one that people often say is unlucky... or something like that? My topic for today was sort of along these lines... "Are you Superstitious?"  

I am not particularly superstitious at all. I don't believe that certain things can make you luckier or unluckier... I believe that everything that happens is completely in God's control :)

 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them,

the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. Psalm 139: 16

Today is a special day though... It's the birthday of two very special girls... I sent them off a colouring book each and I hear that they were pleased with them :) yay!

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

Art journaling

Hello, I hope you enjoyed Bec's guest post yesterday.. I sure enjoyed reading it!! I ended up writing a guest post for her blog too :D hehe.. sharing the love.

Today I am sharing an Art journal page I'm currently working on...

I'm glad I made this my prompt for today as it's making me DO SOME for the first time in AGES!!  :D I do love art journaling.. it's a lot of fun and quite relaxing. This really makes me realise that I NEED to get into that front room and organise it more so that I can create in there! 

I've used some handmade paper ... I made it by dropping Copic ink in water then putting photo paper on top to pick up the colours.... I have also used paint and gelatos on the background... the image is a new little fairy I drew up and have coloured with Copics .. The next thing to go on this page is some reinkers with pearl paint mixed in... I got this paint from Chris at her CTMH workshop on the weekend .. It was really great to see her and all her gorgeous creations... I really love how everything with CTMH colour co-ordinates :D  I'll add an updated photo once I do this!!

Ok.. I'm going to sign off and go do some cleaning / throwing out / putting things aside to give away.

If you have an Art journal page to share please link it up below .. I'd love to see it!

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

Guest post ... Bec's Creative tips

this is one of Bec's gorgeous creations... click the pic to go see more! 

Good evening everyone... Today I have Bec from The Procrastinatrix
doing a Guest post .... Bec has generously agreed to share some Creative tips today .....

I’m what is called a multi-passionate - meaning I get a creative buzz out of a lot of different things. Music, sewing, crocheting, photography, writing, papercraft, needle felting, jewellery making…so often a new passion will come about because I see something I like and just have to try it to find out how to do it!

The downside of being a multi-passionate is that you accumulate a lot of stuff (all the bits and pieces that go into whatever I’m currently obsessed with), and it can be hard to feel like you’ve truly mastered any one thing. But the further I get through life, the more I’m realising that doesn’t matter!

So here are some tips:

- soak up the things that make your creative heart sing, whether it’s listening to bands, reading, looking at pictures on Pinterest, reading craft magazines, going to art galleries…just regularly do something that will pour a bit of creative juice into your cup and maybe pique your curiosity.

- perfection doesn’t matter. Don’t get hung up on making something perfect or you might never move on to the next thing.

- be patient with yourself. Remember you’re learning and constantly improving with each new thing you do - even if you’ve been doing it for years!

- give anything a go. Be bold! Try a new technique! Explore a new craft! Just do something for the fun of it!

So what are you waiting for? Go make something beautiful!

joining in SBSGETBM today?? 

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

Goal review

If you'd like to share your post about reviewing goals please link it up below...    

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

a letter about my week

Dear Reader,

Today is the Queens Birthday public holiday and so a day off :) Happy unBirthday to her!!
Currently I am sitting here with Guy, drinking coffee and watching The West Wing... I think for the third time. CJ just did the Jackal :) too funny!
Anyway I thought I would use todays SBSGETBM prompt to write a letter here... although I do plan to do a handwritten letter this week - Need to do more of those. I didn't post yesterday as I was not feeling great and I was also disorganised and don't really have the pictures to share what a typical week entails, it usually look something like this...

Monday I go to work :)  We usually have dinner with Br-i-l, S-i-L and the nephews.
Tuesday I go to work  :) We have Growth Group at our place at night.
Wednesday I go to work :)
Thursday is my first day of the week off work.. I am still working out a routine for that day... and it usually involves household chores, catching up with people, sewing dolls and doing some M4M work.
Friday is my 2nd day off .. sort of the same as Thursday.
Saturday varies... depending on what events are on.
Sunday as per Saturday but we have church at 5pm every week.

This weekend I've been doing some drawing, I'm having a stall at a Manga show later this year and so I'm trying to get some Manga style images done to display there and demo Copics on, Here's an attempt at my Manga'ish Red Riding Hood ...

Thanks for taking time to read my letter. Hope you have a wonderful week!!



If you'd like to link up your posts below here's the linky thing....

   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   

My saddest memory ...

When I set this topic I'm not sure what I was really thinking but I've thought about it a bit about the topic and there are a number of sad memories that come to mind...

• The youngest lasting sad memory I remember is leaving Tumba, moving Orange at the age of 8. 

• Most of my saddest memories are associated with family and friends dying, particularly an old school friend at 13, both my grandfathers and my uncle.

• Realising that I could not cope with looking after my MIL and the day that we took her into Respite care (with us knowing that she was going in permanently).

• I think that my saddest memories I have are finding out that those little lives we'd seen on the screen as tiny cells had not survived. We went through a few rounds of IVF in 2009 and 2010 and it was such a rollercoaster of a ride... great joy and great sadness.  It still makes me sad remembering the loss of these little ones. Wondering what they would have been like, what life would be like if they had lived. 

(also I'm a little sad we don't have ALL the pictures)

It is a great comfort to me in times of sadness knowing that God is in control
Job 1:21b (ESV) The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away;
blessed be the name of the LORD.”

If you would like to follow todays prompt then link up your "saddest moment" below....



   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   

from that one word...

I cut out the word "friendship" from a magazine today. And I decided to use it on a card....

I used a coloured (on canvas) image that I coloured a whole ago.. Creeper Tuesday from The Greeting Farm as well as some other bits and bobs... washi tape, flowers etc!!

I am very thankful for Friendship...
for friends who encourage and inspire me (through facebook when we live far away),
for being able to hang out today with a friend and her little boy,
for going out tonight to Finders Keepers with friends!!


   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   

some Favourite book characters

Good Afternoon, It's currently day 5 of my SBSGETBM June blog posts :D Today's theme is:
Three of your favourite book characters.

Well three characters that I have always loved are Enid Blyton's faraway tree characters - Moonface, Silky and Saucepan Man. I drew them a while ago and if you've followed my blog for a while you might remember seeing them... I have previously shared this canvas I created....

I've had it out at a few market stalls and there's always someone interested but no one has bought it thus far... I think I will just keep it for myself after all! :)

I think I love these characters because they are whimsical and fun... they always had great adventures. It would be fun to escape up into the clouds with them into an exciting new land....

I do love fantasy and would love to illustrate a children's book one day :)

Thanks for stopping by ... who are some of your favourite book characters???


   

    An InLinkz Link-up