Holidays!!

Hi Guys,

Warning: this is all about what I've been up to and not card related, aimed at my blog buddies :-)

You wouldn't know it from my blog, but I have been on 4 weeks of glorious holidays. It started with spending lots of time with my brother and his fabulous family who were having a visit home from Russia. Pete & Trac have three wonderful kids (despite being teenagers!), Luke, Jake & Becky, and Luke's girlfriend, Alina, also came over. It was great getting to be 'Aunty Fi' and spend time playing games, going to the movies, eating pizza and getting a gazillion hugs (oh I miss those hugs). We did go to Sydney one day & I got to spend some time with the kids while Pete & Trace went to a meeting. I don't think I'm biased when I say how good looking they are :-)

The kids:

And the family on steps at Manly:

I sure miss them now they are back in Russia but they are doing such great work with their drop-in centre, with big plans for the future.

The other thing I did was spend a week in Hawaii. I decided I needed a good break away after such a busy time at work. I stayed right on Waikiki (in the hotel's cheapest room I think) and had fun exploring Oahu. I did several tours, a catamaran ride, a trip to Pearl Harbor (amazing, so touching), and a day trip to the Big Island. It was lovely and relaxing.

Here's a few pics:

Sea turtles on the North Shore

 Me on a catamaran on Waikiki Beach

Waikiki at Sunset

Thanks for having a peak. I've been making earrings and candles for my yearly 'Christmas Shop' at work, plus a few Christmas Cards. Best keep moving.

Catch you soon,
Fi xox

A b'day card & Inkspirations Challenge...

Hi Guys,

Can't believe it's been over a month since I last blogged. Has been a very busy month but more on that in a later blog.

I finally got to play along with an Inkspirations Challenge. It is my good friend Bec's b'day and I thought this sketch would lend itself to a cute card.

Here's the sketch:

And my card:

I starter by flipping the sketch to suit my image. Keesh has got me into MFT stamps, although my colouring still leaves a lot to be desired. I used the 'Domestic Goddess' DSP as a starting point for my colours, adding 'Pool Party' and 'Calypso Coral', with a touch of brown for hair, and of, course, chocolate cake!!! Bec is studying to be a maths teacher so I embossed the background with numbers (non-SU). I even did some paper piecing, which is an act of love, as I don't like cutting (why else would I own so many punches & dies LOL). I added some 'Pool Party' ribbon (love the little ruffles), some sparkly glitter, and a sentiment from 'Teeny Tiny Sentiments' punched out with the word window punch. That's it, easy. I did intend for there to be more of the aqua than the coral but I ran out. Have to get some more as it is such a pretty colour.

Off to type another post explaining what I've been up to,

Cheers,
Fi xox