25th December 2010

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all and your families.

Hope you have all had a great day and didn't over indulge too much.
If you did there is always tomorrow to start the diet!
Hope Santa brought you everything you wanted?

3 more sleeps ...

Have you been making a list,

checking it twice,

finding out who's naughty or nice,
coz Santa Claus is coming to town!

The humble paper bag!

I had a couple of End of Year function to go to and had to take a decorated paperbag. Got some use out of my slice machine and used the Fa La La Design card to create the snowflake, Noel and stocking. Used sticklers for some glitter effect and snowflake ribbon to finish off.

This paper bag holds a gift voucher and I used a Kaisercraft stamp for the front of the tag and EK Success punch for the trim on the bottom. Held together with Bakers Twine. Very inexpensive but effective way to use a paper bag.

Schools Out !!!

Is that a good thing or not, the arguments have already started!

End of the school year for my girls yesterday. End of an era for my eldest as she is off to intermediate next year. Her teacher finished at school as well and moves to Christchurch. Today she is getting married. I helped out quite a bit throughout the year and decided to give her a special leaving present. I made her a Gate-fold Mini Album.

Products used were

Papers: My Minds Eye Black Damask Flocked
Kaisercraft Lilac Avenue Violet , Label on front of album is from Bella - Amore Unity Tags

Cardstock: Forget-me-not, Cream Puff

Embellishments: Ivory Buds n Bows ribbon, Black Satin ribbon, Martha Stewart Punches, Maya Road Trinket Pins - Vintage Pearl, Green Tara White Roses and Kaisercraft Pearls.

All products are found over at Scrap Box NZ

Christmas Chip Board Shapes

Here are just a few of the Lasercut Chip Board shapes that can be used on card, layouts and gifts for Christmas. Paint, ink, glitter or use glimmermist on them. Some can be used as masks and then you still have the orginal chip board to use on another project. Some of my favourites to use on Christmas projects are:

There are a lot of other shapes from birdcages, antique keys, tractors and more - take a look!

Christmas Stamps

Hope your December has got off to a good start and as the countdown happens, you manage to succeed in making all your deadlines.

Something so true about the "silly season" - maybe it's my involvement in school now that both my daughters are there, but there seems to be so much happening and I'm checking the calendar everyday to see what is coming next.

Sort of Christmas all year for me at I undo boxes of stock at Scrap Box NZ. Some more Chipboard Lasercuts to top up the Swirl Christmas Trees, Antique Keys and Doves came in yesterday. Below are some neat new stamp sets - there are of course other Christmas stamps from Kaisercraft and Imaginsce in store.


I thought I'd show you some christmas stamps from a new range that Scrap Box NZ has recently added.

These two sets are from Fundamentals and would be great on cards and layouts. I think the seals in the top set would be great to finish off your envelope just before posting. What a great feeling to have all your cards done and posted in early December.

Be back later with some of the new lasercuts!

The Men of Pike

They came from near and far away
The men of Pike to work that day
The afternoon shift way down deep
Beneath the mountains oh so steep
A long way in but further out
The afternoon shift sets about
A job not flash but hard and trying
A job that holds the risk of dying

From seventeen to sixty two
They start their shift to see it through
For one his first, for all their last
How could they know there’d be a blast?
For all at once no siren whining
Suddenly the worst in mining
Dust and rubble fill the air
A loader driver thrown clear
Just one other finds the light
The rest are hidden from our sight

And so we learn as news is spread
The news that mining families dread
It’s up at Pike there’s an explosion
Faces drop and hearts are frozen
Who, how many, where and why ----
Will they make it ---- will they die

Fathers, husbands, brothers, sons
Coasters, Kiwis, Aussies, Poms
Mates and friends who we are seeking
Methane gas from coal seams leaking
Vents exploded, phones unheeded
Level heads and strength are needed
The world above unites as one
To bring the missing to the sun

Rescue teams are standing by
As holes are drilled and experts try
To find a way that’s safe and sound
To rescue those beneath the ground
Could robots work where men are mortal
To pierce the dangers of that portal
But alas all effort fails
The darkness of the mine prevails

A second blast of rock and thunder
Hope and prayers are rent asunder
A nation weeps and Coasters mourn
Pike falls silent, dark, forlorn
A hole remains within the ground
Devoid of joy, of life, of sound

Another hole within the heart
Of those forever set apart
From those they loved who went to toil
Digging coal beneath the soil
Those who gave their lives that day
To work a shift for honest pay
They wait at rest within their mine
The men of Pike, the Twenty Nine

Written by Sean Plunket
he used to be a journalist/announcer on National Radio.

Our thoughts and sympathy has been with all those involved and touched by this unthinkable disaster. Life is very precious.

Christmas Challenge No. 3 points

Wow, what do I say, these have really exceed my expectations and show the talent of the ladies involved. The points for challenge No. 3 have been awarded as:

Michelle Frisby - 4 points

Vicki Parker - 3 points

Vicky Mullen - 2 points

With the points been awarded that way I'm really pleased to congratulate

MICHELLE FRISBY

as the winner of the $40 voucher for Scrap Box NZ Christmas Challenge.

Michelle can you please email fiona@scrapboxnz.com to received your details of your voucher.

A huge thank you to Michelle, Vicki and Vicky for taking part. I was a little disappointed there wasn't more competition, but then again that may have made the judges decisions even harder than what it was. Thanks for your support!