Something a Little Less...

....Christmasy to share today. I think that I am in Christmas craft overload now and I am O-V-E-R anything to do with Christmas.

I have used one of Lauren Meader's My Time, Made Easy templates for this little number. I have had some fun with a favourite stamp set of mine and the ink. I have randomly stamped Coffee Run! and a coffee bean all over the box before assembling it. The ribbon is also a piece of plain ribbon which I have stamped the same coffee bean onto to match. I have put in 2 cappachino sachets, a little container of chocolate topping and 2 marshmallows.

This will be my last post before Christmas day. So to all of you, have a great day on Friday and enjoy the time with family and friends where ever you are.

School Holidays and Last Minute Gifts...

....Yep schools out for the Christmas and Summer Break. Six weeks of no school lunches, no homework help from Mum, but there is always a flip side. Boredom/arguing and picking at each other. The joys of holidays. We have a key to the school pool so at least we can go and cool off on a hot day.

We are a week away from Christmas and this time next week it will be Christmas Eve. I think that we are all looking forward to a few days break. Phil is extremely busy with work, hence the job cards keep coming in so I am in turn busy invoicing out. We can't complain when the work is there to be done though.

I have managed to escape to my craft room today for some solace, and as it is that time of the year when you have unexpected guests. Who may turn up with a small festive token, I thought that it would be nice to have those 'emergency gifts' in the cupboard.

I found these plastic noodle boxes at the $2 shop for a set of five. I have simply dressed them up to make them look more festive. I have used the pink colour of them as my base colour and built up non-traditional Christmas colours to match. These will be great to package some chocolates/fruit mince pies or cashews and peanuts.

I know I haven't been good at keeping up to date with my blog lately, and believe you me it is constantly in the back of my mind that I haven't. But as you can all appreciate, this time of the year is busy with lots of end of year activities, especially school ones. It will be twice as bust from now on with two at school.

Hope you have had a great week, and just in case I don't get back here before next Friday. Have a fantastic Christmas and New Year what ever you are doing.

Dont forget that you still have time to register your interest in my classes I will be starting up in February. Email me at JPRyder@xtra.co.nz, class lists will be emailed mid January.

Domesticated...But Not...

...Crafty. Yep haven't been feeling to crafty in the last 3 or 4 days. But I have been very domesticated!!

It all started with the topic of inquiry that Jaden is doing this term for school called 'Sustainability' Over the course of the term they have learnt how to grow their own vegetables and herbs, visit local farmers/bee keepers/egg farmers and make their own sandwich fillings. I volunteered to help with one of these tasks, so I led a group of kids through making their own butter!! How easy it is too. These group of kids have being busy making butter/tomato sauce/jam/salami/potato chips...yes potato chips. So since then I have planted some lettuces, parsley, chives and spring onions. As well as make peanut butter, jam and today tomato sauce. Mmm Mmm.

BUT....

I do have a couple of things to share, including my last Christmas Card Saturday. I have made a number of cards and hopefully most will have them in the post by now.

It isn't exactly a card, but a gift bag, and because it is for Christmas, I think it counts right?

And because I have made so many Christmas cards, I needed a break. Now I don't drink coffee (especially instant coffee) but I love this stamp set that I have so much that I just needed to get my coffee fix another way. I have stamped the coffee cup onto patterned paper then cut it out and adhered it to the card with foam tape. 'I don't do mornings without my tea.'

Hope you have all had a great week and that you have most of your Christmas shopping done. If not, you only have 12 more days and school finishes for the summer on Thursday. So chop chop!!

I Am...

...still here!! Just been a little pre-occupied with other things. But I have for you yesterdays Christmas Card Saturday as well as some other things to share.
I have made these two cards using the same non-traditional Christmas colours. These are one of my favourite colour combos as it is soft and elegant.

This one I have coloured in using my markers and to give the stamp some lift I have glittered on the blue fur trim on her coat ans added pearls as berries for the holly.

This little gift box was again made with a template of my own. I have just used a piece of smooth white cardstock and stamped snowflakes on it using Stampin' UP! stamps and then placed red rhinestones on some of the stamped images.

Right...moving right along!!

For those of you who have registered in my classes due to start in February, here is a sneak peek at a couple of the items you will be making during the first term. For those of you who have not registered you will need to send me an email letting me know you are interested and I will send out the class lists mid January. My email address is on the top right hand corner of my blog.

Hope you have a great week.

Merry Christmas...

...its the 1st of December!! Can you believe it, that we are almost to the end of 2009. I am convinced the years go by faster and faster.

OK...Lots to share today.

First, I promised to share my example of the last challenge for The Great Scrap Box NZ Christmas Challenge, you can check out all the details -->HERE I am particularly pleased with the non-traditional shaped Christmas Card. Very elegant.

Next...I was fortunately enough to be given some product to play with from Scrap Box NZ

So here are my creations

The first two photos show a mini album that is all ready for those festive photos. I have used the KaiserCRAFT Bauble Album and papers from Making Memories 'Mistletoe' Collection, plus rhinestones from KaiserCRAFT The ribbon and cardstock are from my own stash, and all the elements have been cut using the Silhouette.

The second example is a decorative gift box that I have made using MM glitter big red dots I have used almost one full sheet and the template is my own design. I have made this before, but it is so easy and big enough to get a good amount of goodies inside it.

Our American friends celebrated Thanksgiving over the weekend too, and even though we don't celebrate it here. I couldn't resist making a card using the rich autumn colours.I have used Inkadinkadoo Fall Seasons stamp for this creation, fit for any occasion.

AND....last but not least, guess where we are going in April...

Yes we are going back to Australia for a holiday. This time we are travelling north to the Sunshine Coast!!

Been a Little...

...slack on the blog updates. But I have had so much to do, and now that Emma is settled into school. I can catch up on the odd job or too, including update my blog!! Monday started with a hiss and a roar as I got stuck into cleaning out the toy boxes and kids bedrooms. I had all day so I figured what the hell. I am now just getting back into some crafting and waiting for some paint to dry on an OTP.

I have some photos of Emma's party on Sunday. But nothing creative so if you are not interested, now is the time to stop reading this post.

My craft room became the party room. Pink and purple were the colours of the day.


This was one of the individual table settings. All favour boxes and napkin rings were hand made...of course!!

The 'Barbie' cake. Another creation of mine. I raced home straight after the community market on Saturday and got stuck into the party preparations.

The donut eating game. This is a funny game that has the observors in fits of laughter. The idea is to eat the donut from the string hanging from the clothesline, with out touching the donut.

Emma cutting her cake, Happy Birthday sweetheart.

Off to school for the first time, on the bus with big bro'

A Card...

...or 2 or 3 or 4. A few to share today anyway.


My first card is my example of the latest Card Pattern Sketch. I have used non-traditional christmas colours for my card, and 'jazzed' up the gingerbread man with glitter, buttons and dimensional magic. Although this is probably hard to see. I have tried to give him a home baked look instead of just a piece of cardstock.

Thank you, is a handstamped background onto white cardstock using KaiserCRAFT stamps and the thank-you sentiment is from Stampin' UP! I just enjoy this colour combination, it is calming and soothing.

I missed the Christmas Card Saturday this week, so this is it now. I have been really busy with kid's parties and organising Emma's. It just seems to be one party after another.Last but not least, some girly birthday cards. The one on the left is for Emma, which I managed to make right under her nose, without her knowing. The other is for a friend who has a daughter turning 5 just a fews days after Emma.

Hope you are having a great week. Don't forget that challenge #2 is up over at Scrap Box as well as the results of challenge #1--->HERE