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
   

SBSGETBM :: What's on your desk today?

Mmm... I am rather spoilt I think as I have a number of desks...

 First up is my craft desk...it's Guy's OLD computer table :0 NO matter what I do I always seem to have a mess on this one and rarely is it actually used for crafting... usually it's piled up with all the things I "need to find a home for", "need to clean up", "want to use soon". I do clean it off to sew on though when I do my dollies arms & legs... yes it's in desperate need of a clean up!!! I'll repost it once it is clean again :0




Secondly I have the lovely big computer desk that I share with Guy :D This is where I read and write emails, draw with my WACOM, Facebook, blog (when I'm not doing so from my Macbook or iPad) play LOTRO and often craft as it's clearer than the actual craft desk. Although I need to put away some things here too!!

Then there is my work desk... for three days a week (for the rest of this year) I now sit here and do a range of Admin tasks :D

   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   




PS... I just realised that it is Wednesday and so I can link this up to What's on your Workbench Wednesday.... I don't normally post pics of my messy desks as I wish they were not! Lol.. at least my work area is tidy

What's for dinner?

Good morning!!  well my June Prompts were created originally for me to continue going with blogging every day and I thought that there might be people  out there who would want to join in, perhaps if they needed some inspiration to blog? My good friend Bec has gone ahead and named it Stuff by Sammi Gentle Encouragement to Blog More or SBSGETBM  so whilst it's not a challenge ALL are welcome to join in! I thought I'd add in some linkys at the bottom of each post... for those who do want to join in and then others can see your post on each days prompt too! :)

Today's topic is "What's for dinner?"
I'm not sure at the moment... we have to cook for about 10-13 people tonight again for GG... love having GG here every week.. but sometimes it's tough working out what we should have for dinner.

What would you cook??

(I might come back and add an Instagram pic after we work out what it will be!!)

The wonderful and marvellous Guy made nachos for us :)

   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   

A favourite quote

This is one of my most favourite scripture passages... such beautiful words!!

If you want to join me today blogging from my June schedule here's a link up for you below, so that I and others can come see your post.


   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   

This month I'm looking forward to...

* Continuing to attempt blogging every day (we'll see how I go, we might all get sick if it .. lol).

* Having Growth Group at our house each Tuesday.

* A Scrapbook event with my friend Gin.

* Staff Conference around the middle of the month.

* Our next Spire Market ... on the 28 June :0

* Finishing off some more dolls to send to The Dragonfly Lounge

What are you looking forward to this month???

   

    An InLinkz Link-up