Anniversary, sketch challenge and gardening

It was our 25th wedding anniversary on 15th Feb. We celebrated in style at the Skycity Grand Hotel the following Sat night. Had a grand time too. Look at the view from our room.

I finally found a place that had the ribbon for my old typewriter. Was very excited to find it and have it sent out straight away. Fantastic!

Here is a sketch challenge for you. The deadline is 6th March. This is the sketch ...

... and this is my LO. I went a bit crazy on the stitching. First LO I've done for months. Now I want to do more.

Todays pickings from my garden. Can't wait to try the butternuts.

TFL lianne

Great news

I was invited to join the Scottie Crafts Design Team. See the details here. Such a cool little shop with lots of new product. Looking forward to a very creative year. I'll also be teaching classes at Scotties so that should be lots of fun.

I'm also excited about my first homegrown rock melon. Was very happy when it just fell off the vine this morning in my hands. And it smells so nice. Means it's ready. Doesn't it look beautiful. So proud.

And some gorgeous looking peppers from my garden. Just loving all the yummy homegrown goodness coming out of my garden. So worth the thrill of it all.

Back soon,

lianne

Teresa Collins Stampmaker

FiNALLY got to try out my Teresa Collins Stampmaker today. I wanted to use my own images. It took me all day to make the images, I couldn't open the Imagepac software on my Mac. Then after I'd finished I found some instructions for a Mac in the box. Always the way. Next time. I still worked my way through it and these are the stamps I made. A couple are a bit dodgy but I know what I did wrong and next time they'll be even better. I'm definitely rapt with it. I thought the music background one hadn't turned out but when I inked it, it came up good, a bit grungy but that's even better.

Here's the ones I made today.

Things to remember for next time.

Don't scrub image too hard when cleaning or you'll break or lose parts of image e.g the side of the birdcage and lost parts of letters on the 'create something beautiful' stamps.

Make sure the image is completely blacked out around edge to the A7 or A8 size e.g 'the longer I live ' and scroll stamps. The edge will hard as well if it is not black around the edge.

It was definitely addictive and I know next time will be even better. Can't wait.

Back soon

lianne

Record Bowls and Sprouts

Something I've started making again that I used to do years ago was make my own sprouts. They are so yummy in salads, stir fries or just on toast with peanut butter esp brown lentil sprouts. If you haven't tried them you must. So easy to do. And they look so healthy and fresh.

And yesterday James made some homemade pesto since we have a heap of basil growing. So yesterdays lunch was toast above with pesto, peanut butter and brown lentil sprouts on it, delicious and tasty.

How cool are these record bowls. I saw the easiest instructions on TV the other night on Kirsties Handmade Home on the Living Channel. Cool programme. You just set your oven to 150 C, no hotter or the fumes come off the record, then put in your record over a cup as below for only a minute till it droops over the sides of the cup.

Then you just carefully, it's quite hot, help mould it into the shape you want. So cool. I've seen them at craft fairs but didn't realise how easy they are to do. FUN!! So there you go.

And here they are, we thought we'd put plants in them.

See you soon.

lianne

My birthday girl

Happy Birthday Emma

1st birthday

2 years old

Time sure flies doesn't it.

Here's a better photo of my curtains and what's behind. The wall behind isn't finished either, lol, one day soon hopefully.

I also did this yesterday. Don't you just love mod podge. Made this job so easy and quick. I cut up some patterned papers and covered the drawer fronts with them. One day I will paint the rest of the desk. My computer sits on it.

See you soon

Have a good Waitangi Day tomorrow.

lianne

Little Yellow Gingham curtains

Well I couldn't get a very good photo, it was a dull dull day. They don't look terribly exciting but you get the idea. I must get a better photo. They are on an old recycled cabinet from a bar. The fabric cost me $2 a metre from Spotlight (score), I used 3 metres, cheap curtains $6. Yes!

My darling girls birthday tomorrow. She will be 19. Wow!

Back soon

lianne

Rearing to go!

I told myself I would start blogging again on 1st Feb. Only 2 days late. But here I am and rearing to go.

I have been addicted to this cool site called Pinterest. You know how you find cool images/sites on the web and you bookmark/fav them and then you spend ages searching for them. You know you saved it somewhere. Well now you can just Pin it on Pinterest, like a virtual storage of all the cool things you love. All in one place and easy to access straight away. You need to request an invite but it is definitely worth it. Check out the cool stuff on my Pinboard.

And the other cool one, which is similar, is Tumblr. I have been on Tumblr a bit longer but then I heard about Pinterest. I like them both. Here is my Tumblr link.

I have been sewing little curtains, will post a pic tomorrow. Planning things for round the home. I really want to create a Handmade Home. I have been so inspired by all the wonderful ideas on the net. I have started a crotcheted blanket, just simple coloured squares for my first one and a simple fat quarter quilt.

I'm also looking forward to doing some scrapbooking and art now I'm working shorter hours.

Also becoming extremely excited about my Autumn Escape Class. I can't believe how fast it is coming up.

So I'll leave you with some recent photos and I'll be back tomorrow.

I made this canvas for Xmas. It has little LED poked through holes in the canvas that light up the tree.

One of my precious possessions. I can't remember when I bought this, but it has been tucked away in the cupboard and now I'm bringing it out in the open. Love it to bits.

Back tomorrow

lianne