Inktober sketches

Inspired by Inktober - I've been sketching a lot lately... here are some of the images (they were all posted on my Instagram account). I'm hoping to colour a few up soon!! :D 

Thanks for stopping by :)
Sammi

a Happy Birthday card

Last night I did a bit of blog hopping and commenting on some old favs ... gee I've missed that! Hoping to do it more regularly again... Oh if anyone knows how to get more time in a day that would be a great thing hehe!


THIS card uses paper from Echo Park - Birthday Wishes Girl paper pad - that I have in the store here and some planner flowers from Prima - here

Copics used:
Skin: E000, E53
Hair: RV63, RV66
Hat: C8, 110
Shirt: V22, BV00, BV000
Jeans: B91, B93, B95
Belt & Shoes: N4, N7, V17
Eyes: BG02
Ground: E31, E41

Ribbon: BV11



I'm going to enter her into a couple of challenges :D

Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes - This challenge was one of the first challenges I ever entered so it's great to be playing again!!

and a new challenge for me... Artistic Inspirations which is also Anything Goes this fortnight :)

Thanks for stopping by,
Sammi
xoxo

My dreams TERRIFY me

Good afternoon.

Hope you have had a great week!  Today I'm sharing with you a card I made with my Lily Rose Fairy digi. I did a  lesson on colouring this image (focusing on shadows) at Copic Club last night  .. and this was the demo ...

I added the butterfly stamp/ sentiment today. It's a Prima stamp and Aussie friends, you can get it from my online shop HERE. I love this sentiment and it rings true at the moment.. this dream of having my own shop and teaching classes is currently terrifying my socks off - so I guess it's big enough then :D  

We have started (thanks for the idea and help GranMargaret) a progressive freebie challenge at the Mad for Markers Digi Creations facebook group HERE if you pop over you can read all about it but for the first month you are able to get this image - Lily Rose for free :D

The dream become reality does mean that I will be BLOGGING a lot more regularly so that I can use the products and show people the results :D And so I'm back to listing colours .... 

The Copics I used are:

Grass: YG91, YG95, YG25, YG17, YG41

Sky: 0, B00, B12

Mushroom: C-3, C-5, C-7, YR20, YR12, E34, R24, R46, R59

Skin: E00, YR20, E31

Hair: YR65, YR68, R24

Dress: V20, V25, 0

Wings: RV00. RV52, 0

Thanks for stopping by :)

Sammi

xoxo

World Cardmaking Day

Good morning,

Today is world Cardmaking Day and as that's what started off the posting on this blog (cardmaking) all those years ago, so it's an apt day to blog again :)

I'm celebrating at Mad for Markers ... you can check out the fun HERE :)

Here's the cutie I created for the occasion... Kelly Koala in Spring crown!

Thanks for stopping by :)
Sammi

a time to blog ...

Today the words of Ecclesiastes 3:2-11 do ring true...

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. (ESV)

Facebook memories can be fun but can also be painful as they make you re-live tough times. My "masked" posts about our IVF journey 6 years ago come back to taunt me. Today is the anniversary of the conception of our twins (using ICSI). Sadly they both died in the womb and we never got to meet them, to hold them, to see them grow. All we have is this blurry photo of two little embryos and a world of "what ifs". I can't really imagine being mum to five year olds :0

I knew what today was already as I have ALL the dates written down and just happened to read them yesterday so it was not a surprise when Facebook memories showed one of my posts, but it is something else to re-read your own words of hope and others comments.

I still grieve the loss of these little ones and still strongly desire to be a mum. As the years go on this possibility grows dimmer. I do not know what God's plan is for me apart from knowing and loving him and sharing my life with others. I will continue to trust him through all the seasons :)

Birthdays

I'm breaking my hiatus... from blogging and cardmaking etc although I am not sure for how long.. I guess we will see. My track record has not been so great in the past has it :o Well Birthday week is totally over but it was fun! We went to Orange for the weekend.. Two of my sisters made and decorated a most delicious cake .. Here's a picture of it in my sisters lovely cafe/ bookstore - The Dragonfly Lounge - If you are ever in Orange you should definitely check it out :D

My friend from work's birthday is the day after mine and I made her a card ...  I drew a little portrait of her and coloured it in with copics, here it is ...

Well seeing as though it's Spring now... It's time to do some Spring cleaning... hoping that once I get my craft stuff tidied up then I can get more creative again! So much has been going on in life that there really hasn't been time or headspace for much but here end the excuses... Hopefully I'll be back here soon... however in the meantime I'll still be on Instagram :D 

Gratitude

Hello world.. It's been a while again but never to late to start blogging again is it? I wanted to share a couple of things about Gratitude ... my good friend Bec has designed a lovely diary for 2016 and it's aim is to help people "practise gratitude" each day has the line "Today I am grateful for:.... " It includes some very lovely drawings by the talented Jess :D which I must say are just delightful to colour in... 

Yes this video is me chatting about colouring in, practising gratitude and the Gratitude Diary! Bec has a fundraising campaign going for this great project which you can back (and order your own diary) HERE
Check out the facebook page HERE





After having a lovely time on Saturday arvo chatting and colouring with Bec we went to see my MIL in the nursing home... it's tough visiting (she has recently moved into the specialised Dementia ward) and trying to think about things to talk to her about... usually lately we just end up singing songs.. anyway we took her to the cafe they have there and had a coffee.  I was telling her about the Gratitude Diary and whilst I thought it was silly and I didn't think that she would follow the conversation I still asked what she was grateful for today. She said that she wasn't sure / doesn't come here often but then said that she was grateful to be with family.  It was actually quite a lovely little conversation. I am grateful for these fleeting moments of lucidity and the glimpses we see of the old Pam! Sadly these are not too common but a treasure when they do occur.

What are you grateful for today??

A couple more dolls

I've "made under" a couple more dolls ... Here's what they look like :) 

It's quite fun giving the old dolls new looks and new life :) 

Sarah had a "makeunder"

Good morning, 

Well by now I guess you realise that I LOVE dolls! Here is a different type of doll to what you would normally see here on Stuff by Sammi. Today, I would like to introduce you to Sarah :)

I am popping on today to share the results of my attempt at "making under" a doll. I really love the Tree Change Dolls :) When I first saw them I was in awe and I just love looking at the transformations ... of course I wanted to give it a go myself... so I did!

It took me a while to remove the face makeup ... and NEXT TIME I WILL WEAR GLOVES!
I originally painted Sarah's face with Acrylic paints... but I was not too happy with the result. I did take a picture...

so I took her face off again and this time I used ... can you guess?? yup, Copics!! :D
Here is a before and after shot of the doll with her make-under :)

What do you think?? In this case I think she looks a bit less scary! :D 

I'm not sure I will do anymore but who knows if I find some old worn out dolls somewhere I might give them more life :) meanwhile I might try making some better outfits for Sarah! 

Hope you have a wonderful day! 

Sammi

xox

a little Art canvas

Hello,

Well it's been A WHILE!! Hoping to get back into blogging...but that's a bit like a broken record isn't it... well we'll see!

Thought I'd pop on and share a canvas that I've been working on for a while... I THINK that I might actually be finished it now :) Started prepping a couple more today too.. so at least I might have something more to share soon.

I love this quote from Galatians which then goes on the say that because we are sons we are heirs!! It's so Amazing that Christ brings us into the family of God :D


another note about the blog.... I noticed that Izzy had started another blog post on here about the rest of our trip in France and the UK.. but I think she forgot to finish it (well in her defense - she does have a head full of stuffing)!

Off now to have dinner and go out to a card making Spread the Cheer night :D

ttfn,

Aix - en - Provence

Oh yes... I promised some photos from Aix didn't I... well here goes... The TGV from Paris to Aix was not tooo bad - pretty quick... we saw snow, we didn't lose our bags, the train didn't split taking us somewhere else and we managed to get off at the right place :)

 

we stayed with some lovely French cousins ... in a great house in Aix-en-Provence. Gerard was "as always" a wonderful host. I just loved this chair which is very much like the one that Van Gogh painted - don't you think?

On the Monday that we were there Gerard took us to Marseille to the Musem

It was AMAZING.. the design on that building really is superb! 

This is us on the way in.... with a massive church in the background...

Sammi and Guy at the Fort....

We saw an interesting exhibition on "Food" and a quite wonderful photographic one... Raymond Derpardon a famous french photographer!

Here's another happy snap on the way out.. Sammi, Gerard and Moi (Izzi)....

 Here is Guy outside the house :D 

and I had a bit of fun inside....

There are some beautiful shops in Aix... Guy and Sammi loved this one...

and the displays of lavender are so sweet...

That's a nice lot of photos I think... now it's time to get ready to go to JL and MF's place:D

Next up the road trip.... Lyon and Gouarec :D

 Izzi xxx

une visite à Laduree

This place is ahhhhmaaaazing!!  Such a pretty place ... the outside is decorated so ornately and inside too ...  We went in for lunch....

Guy and Sammi had quite delicious meals...

and then it was time for what we really came here for... DESSERT---- the Macarons....

Mmmmm.....

Here is a close up of the cafe and the delicious Macarons...

These are the displays in the windows.... aren't they awesome! 

Au revoir... next time I will show you some pics from Aix :D

Izzi xoxox

Izzi's interlude #2

Bonjour Mes Amis :) We are back in Paris again and sooo much has happened.. I can't believe that Sammi has not really posted any photos or stories here... so I will go back through the computer and find some snaps to share with you....

HERE are some good ones... this day - we took the Metro to go to L'Orangerie ... and walked through the park.. Sammi and I were tired so we took a little rest on the park bench...

I think Sammi was tired as look at what she ate for breakfast the day before... she was BAD and ate that Croissant (with the gluten cutter so that she would not be so sick). TO NOTE from the above picture.... LOOK at my booties.. Marie-France makes the cutest booties that she sends to Refugees children/babies and there were some bits in her boxes that fit me perfectly... they are now keeping my feet nice and WARM :D

We do love L'Orangerie.... especially those big Waterlily paintings that Monet painted... so clever... they are just beautiful!! I had my picture taken outside the Musee :D

Another fun place we went to was at the ends of the earth... well out near the docks somewhere around the edge of Paris I think... it was called Musee Art Ludique... we went there as we had seen the posters in the metro tunnels advertising the Studio Ghibli exhibition...  we couldn't take any pictures inside but we got one outside with me and these little Totoro-y characters... It was interesting seeing the artworks and reading/ hearing a bit about how the films were made :)

At the end of the Exhibition you could get on the train for a picture.. so Sammi and I popped along for the ride....

That's it for the moment... but I know there are lots more good pics to find and show you.. such as our  adventures in Laduree and then Aix-en-Provence and Lyon and Gouarec and England too.... so I will see what I can do. 

Take care!

Bisous Izzi

Izzi en France

Bonsoir, I have hijacked Sammi's blog as it looks like she is not really using it much at the moment and I wanted to share some pictures and stories about my time in France...

I stowed away and survived the 22hours locked up in a purple case.... Nasu tried to stow too but I thought she should stay in Sydney with the fishies :)

Once we arrived in France I was left alone in the pokey little hotel room whilst Sammi and Guy went off exploring Paris, shopping and feasting with MF and JL.

And then finally I was allowed out... 

We walked up to the Metro Station - Etoile and I was able to get my first real glimpse of the Eiffel tower... from just behind the Arc de Triomphe... wow! What a sight!
Oh and Do you like my french beret? I had to dress appropriately for Paris in the Winter :)

Down into the Metro - Guy shows us how to work out where to go/ which line to take / where to change etc using the maps at the entrance... how handy :)

we wait....

we ride....

Oh, I have to tell you one thing I LOVE about Paris ... the buskers!! 

I don't like the gypsys and the beggars who come up wanting money all the time but I quite like hearing music playing in the metro, on the trains and around about the city... We saw this full on band playing in one of the metro tunnels so we had to stop and give them some coins :)

you might remember that my creator Sammi and her friend Bec run a little market in Maroubra. The Spire Market... well I found them a new venue....  ooh la la - How does The Spire Market Paris - located at St Chappelle sound??? 

We decided to pop in and scout it out... we waited patiently in the line ... in the cold....

And then we went inside.... it was AMAZING... intricate stain glass windows... beautifully coloured!

it seems like everyone these days has a selfie stick... so we didn't feel toooo silly using one! 

I decided to have a little rest whilst Guy and Sammi took a few snaps... 

and then it was back downstairs... but who wants to walk down.. 

I'd prefer to slide down the railing thanks!!

 

There was more to that day... I can't remember all the details just now but I am sure that I can fill you in later.. or maybe Sammi will decide to do it herself... I'll just sign off with one more photo, showing you how that afternoon ended.....

A bientot,
Izzi xoxo