Summer's "Take Ten" is here!

The Summer edition of "Take Ten" is out today! One of my goals this year is to send some of my cards into their "Design Challenge." Apparently if you are chosen to be featured in their magazine you actually win...just guess...a free copy of Take Ten! Sounds rubbish but the magazine actually costs $14.99 so it's not to be sniffed at really. I like this edition's challenge...maybe I'll have a go...? I just can't imagine how giddy I'd be if I ever saw anything I'd made in a magazine. I'm giddy just thinking about it...now I've just got to design a very cool and original card...hmmm....

Gaily Bird...

Here's one of Gail's gorgeous handcrafted cards. In England, a ladybug is called a ladybird and "Gaily bird" is Gail's nickname :)

More cards...

If you are ever the lucky recipient of one of these cards, please know that they took literally hours to make, despite the fact that the book I copied them from is called "Take Ten" as in that's how many minutes it should take to make them :).

Girls Night In...

Crafting with my daughter is one of my favorite things to do in the world! Maddy and I spent last night making cards together with my new birthday supplies. We lost track of time and when we looked it was past 2am! We both decided it was because boys' cards are much harder to make. When in doubt - blame boys:). Here are some of mine...

And Maddy's...

Getting out of a muddle...

I find it tricky to get started on making cards sometimes:(. With all of the different stamps, inks, papers, scissors, etc. I seem to lose focus and end up back at the store buying more gorgeous stuff! I've decided to change my approach and start out by firstly selecting a card design to make my own version of from my favorite magazine "Take Ten." Then I am only going to take out the paper, stamps etc that I actually need for my design and put in a separate place. To get started with my new discipline I got out just some of my card-making supplies on the rug and tried to organize them a little better...where did all of this stuff come from!?

Birthday card with love in it...

Gail sent me a homemade card for my birthday. Don't you just love getting a card where some love has been put in it? In the same envelope was a store-bought card from mum and dad with some money put in it which I'm also a big fan of ;)

Maddy's bunting

The bunting for Maddy's new Big Cat bedroom came out really well although it took me 3 days to figure out how to thread my new sewing machine!

Trees and buttons

I'm obsessed with trees and buttons lately. I made several cards like this one by sewing mini buttons onto a tree design that I had stamped onto different colors of cardstock and embossed. I sewed the edges of the paper using Maddy's little sewing machine. I loved it so much I bought my first very own sewing machine:)

Crafting for the Chins!

I made a matching hammock, fleece tubes and blankets for the chins today! Any excuse to make stuff...:)

Maddy's artsy toes...

Mike's getting craftsy...

Mike has gone all craftsy lately. He started making stuff for me and Maddy for Christmas about 6 weeks ago. There were lots of mystery chemicals and smells as the new artist went to work on the lanai almost every night with only a 6-pack to keep him company...and yes, that is a bedsheet over the table...

On the big day, he had made the most beautiful big cat boxes for Madison...

And a gorgeous Buddha collage for me...

And handmade crosses for my collection :)...

Distressed cards

I made some cards using distressed ink...

Christmas Gift Tags

Halloween Crafts

One of my favorite things about the holidays is all of the crafting that goes on. Here are my pumpkins... 

Frog patterns

I see beauty everywhere I look at the moment for some reason...here are the patterns that the tree frogs leave in the morning dew on our windows at work...

Maddy's wild zone

Maddy loves making cat sanctuaries at the moment - they are really good!

Craft Room

We converted the spare room next to Maddy's bedroom into our craft room this weekend!

Union Jack picture

I made this picture from Maddy's old baby clothes. I can remember how she looked in every single outfit whenever I look at it! I started an American flag from shades of blue but it's ended up in the half-finished box for now...:)

Big Cat Club

Madison and her friends have formed a club to help a local animal sanctuary, Big Cat Rescue. They are making jewelry and selling it to raise enough money to sponsor a snow leopard called Chloe. Here are the girls on Saturday with their beads and one of their necklaces. I'm so proud of our girls :).

Tea Set

I used to go to the pottery painting studio every week with Jen and worked on this for about 6 weeks. I made it for Maddy but didn't let her actually touch it until she was old enough not to break it :)