Wednesday wonderings, 14 April 2021!

 G'day everyone

Yes, here I am, slowly getting back to a few days of 'average'.  I had my first counselling session on Monday night and I have to say I did come out with what felt like a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.  I have some strategies in place, it won't happen over night but practice and persistence will start to bring me back into my usual happy, if not slightly slower, fun self. I have another session in a few weeks time as well.

Never underestimate the power of admiting that you forget to breath properly. It was so obvious to my counsellor that I didn't breath properly.  I was reminded that my Samsung Fit watch has a breathing app on it. I'd forgotten.  

                                    

I was also advised that yes, there has been a lot of trauma over the years in my life and I have had every right to feel totally overwhelmed. When we talked through the many things I've gone through and not just lately but years and years of putting myself last and not admitting that grief isn't something that you can put time limits on, well, it was a revelation.

Knowing all the things I have done to get myself through events that could quite possibly have floored other people, has made me the fighter that I am. It was positive affirmation that I'd been running on empty for so long it's no wonder I fell in a crumpled heap in the last few months.  My ability to bounce back had taken a battering for so long, it was no wonder I was floundering.

I've so many things I want to still do but have to pace myself these days. I'm writing lists again and ticking things off. I'm not to cram my days with as much as I can. Even if I have a day where I just sorted out washing and got dinner on before hubby got home from work, those are worthwhile achievements.  I'm no longer the pocket rocket I use to be.  

Being 4ft 8" or probably shorter now I'm in my early 60's, has had many challenges over the years and my poor body just isn't able to do some things I use to do like climb ladders & build furniture!  Heck, I'm amazed that I have attempted so many things the averaged height person takes for granted.  Over time, pushing my short stature has worn parts of me out and I have had to admit it.  One of them being my little/big heart, which ever way you want to think of it.  Another being my eyes, yes, finally I have my new glasses. Nice they are, don't you thing?

It was also pointed out that "I wear my heart on my sleeve" and that it's not such a bad thing, I have empathy, lots of it. However, other people, not so kind nor caring other people, see it and take advantage.  This is something I also have to work on.  Yes, I've learned to say no. Now I need to learn that saying no doesn't mean I don't care, it means no, just no!!!

This was not easy to write/type out but I feel this has been quite uplifting to do.  I am starting to create/craft again so I will leave you with a photo I took of card created using a new Stampin' Up! stamp set, Pansy Patch, and a couple of the new In Colours coming in the new annual catalogue on 4th May 2021!  Fresh Freesia,   Polished Pink,  Evening Evergreen,   Soft Succulent, and  Pale Papaya

So til next time, remember

Happy stamping, colouring & creating!

Tutu Tuesday, 6th April 2021

Well hello there everyone! Happy Tutu Tuesday!

It's been a while since I've blogged. This isn't going to be full of creativity, just words. I'm awaiting new glasses and I've not been dealing with life in general very well lately.  The last month or so has seen me hit a hard wall emotionally and I've stepped back from the whole world so to speak for a while.  But you know what has been said about me, so you can't keep me off line or quiet for too long.  

I know we all have our problems in this world and I've been dealt my fair share over the years.  Last July, when I came home from hospital and had to change my life for the better ie, my diet, my crafting obsession (let's face it, I'm addicted to paper crafting) and a yoyo of highs and lows emotionally, something had to give and it's been my mental state. 

I've been told I wear my heart on my sleeve and has it never been more apparent to me than this last 3 or so months.  I had to hit rock bottom and admit, I need help to work past the emotions that have held me ransom for years.  Somewhere in the chaos of my mind I've been advised that I've been dealing and handling things quite well but when I burst in to tears because I can't even tie a bow easily like I usually do, it's very distressing and obvious, that I am not at all handling things like the average every day.  Yes at the moment, I'll take average over the chaos! 

I am unable to concentrate for a few seconds and am flitting from one thing to another around the house and not getting anything really accomplished, well, enough has been enough.  My long suffering husband has tried to help but he's had to cope through my many bouts of depression for 30yrs.  Lots of things have come to light that I've never told even him, my best friend of nearly 32yrs!!!

I thank the Lord for my church, the wonderful people I have met through KAC (Kellyville Anglican Church) and have been guided to a counselling service that I pray will help me put my ghosts to bed and my past in the past and learn new coping mechanisms for the future.   Not to forget my past but to move on from it and remember all the wonderful not the sad and bad!

So that's it for now.  So glad I'm a fast touch typist or I'd never have been able to type this out so quickly without looking at the keyboard or the screen for too long.    Let me leave you with a life skills tip to pass to your kids, LEARN TO TYPE properly. It's something that can taken everywhere through life in this modern digital age.  Best skill ever. I can type as someone is dictating to me.  So thankful for that at the moment when my eyes hurt so bad.  

I'll be back soon, with some great paper crafting 

projects & new images.

til next time, 

remember, happy stamping, colouring & creating!!

FF@5'o'clock, 19March2021

 Hey ho readers

There's been a slow break in transmissions lately as I've not been very well.  Family things have to take priority as well as my health.  I've had no concentration to even create much either.  

I'll leave you with some cute photos and maybe you'd like to see a video taken this week of the mess our front and back gardens have been reduced to.  It never rains it pours here at the Hovel. Sigh, it's literally not stopped raining since they started to remove the trees/bushes for the trench to be dug.

1st a video

https://www.dropbox.com/s/l4c14j2nghccj82/20210317_104526.mp4?dl=0 

This link above will allow you to see, I've made it viewable so you don't need to have a Dropbox account.

Next, little Miss Pip, a rare moment when she didn't know I was photographing her

 

 Next, my view from the couch lately...

 

Next, my neglected craft/creative desk

So that's all for now, remember,

happy stamping, colouring & creating!

Fabulous Friday @ 5'o'clock, 5March2021!

 Oh my goodness, Friday again!

This week I am sharing several creations using backgrounds I have hand stamped and coloured. I've used the Forever Fern stamp set and the new blending brushes to blend in colours which co-ordinate with the base coloured card stocks. I've made a quick video of how I blend with these fabulous new brushes (new in the current mini catalogue, page 70)

These are the three different colour combinations I've done on A4 white card stock.  I trimmed each sheet down to 4 card fronts which have been layered onto basic black card stock then onto to their co-ordinating folded colour card bases.  Before I've mounted the background onto the black I have used my blending brushes around the outer edges of the patterned pieces.  

I've made a short video which you can see below to show you how easy it is to use the new Stampin Blending Brushes. I feel they are a must have in your Stampin Tools!

 

 

( https://youtu.be/ZMI54h_xCsQ )

 

And here are photos of the cards I've created once cut & edges blended...

 

 

 

Thank you for popping by, do leave me some 'love' in the comments so I know you've been.

 

Til next time, remember

happy stamping, colouring & creating! 

 

 

Thursday Thoughts, 25Feb2021!

 Hi folks,

edited: sorry, I'm a day out of whack, thought it was Friday.  Oh derr!

This is a 'Thursday Thoughts post!....

Bit of a different blog post for you today.  Remember a few years back I did a post about colour, Pantone© and how Stampin' Up! is sometimes 2 years ahead in their planning?

Well very soon there will be a new Stampin'Up! annual catalogue coming out.  With that catalogue there is usually 5 new in-colours added to the colour family and the last lot of in-colours, 2019 to 2021, are retired.  This should be the same this year which means the 5 in-colours of Rococo Rose, Terracotta Tile, Pretty Peacock, Seaside Spray & Purple Posey will be retired.

I love going to the Pantone© website to see what's new coming and I have done recently a post about this year's in-colours from them being a grey and a bright yellow.  Last week I received an email from Pantone© talking about the London & New York fashion week events and they had some fabulous colour swatches in the newsletter.  I have saved those photos and have written on each swatch the colours that correspond as close as possible to our Stampin'Up! colours. Take a look...

Please not this is not my photo and is copyrighted to Pantone©

How close to these Pantone© colours match with Stampin' Up!.  Love them all!  I'd love to speculate about what our new 2021 to 2023 in colours will be but it's just too hard but I will put it out there that, well given their in-colour announcement, could we be getting a new yellow and new shade of gray??  Time will tell.

I'll leave you with this information for now too.  SAL-A-BRATION is coming to a close on the 28th of the month.  You only have 3 days left to place an order in my store to earn some of the beautiful free products in this years flyer.  For each $90au you can choose one free product.  Should your order be $180au or more there are products for free that can only be earned once you reach that amount.  Don't miss out.  The Darling Donkeys stamp set and the the patterned paper packs have been flying out the doors!! Check out this youtube clip Stampin'Up! have put together to explain what's available.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UNhAdXvfjY

Don't forget too, if you want to sign up under me to be a demonstrator, there are free paper packs to be added to your starter kit. That's 5 packs, 200, yes TWO HUNDRED sheets of beautiful 6x6' designer series papers! And your starter kit?  Well you choose what you want to have in it.  That's $169au for $235au worth of products of your choice!  Have a listen to George explain in this clip above.  Want to join? I am a no fuss no pressure demonstrator. Some may want to join just for the minimum 20% discount on all your purchases, some may want to make a go of Stampin' Up! as a small business of their own.

Remember you would be your own boss as an Independent demonstrator, what's not to love about being your own boss!  You can sign up at this link below:

https://ida.stampinup.com/?demoid=4018575

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Want to shop with me?  Here's my online store link!

 https://wirgie101.stampinup.net/

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til next time, remember,

happy stamping, colouring & creating!

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Fabulous Fridays @ 5'o'clock'ish, 19Feb2021!

 Greetings all

This week I'm sharing with you a gorgeous kit that is available in the current mini catalogue on page 6.  It's called Hello Dear Friend and oh my, it is so totally pretty!

Below are photos of my cards already put together.  You will have in this kit enough supplies to create 12 beautiful cards with matching envelopes, the stamp set, an acrylic block, 1" ink spot stamp pad in Misty Moonlight. Die cut layers both printed and blank to stamp your sentiments onto. All with copper foil edging, vellum die cuts printed with copper foil as well as copper cord, glue dots and dimensionals.  

Here is the lovely box it comes in which you can customize/decorate or use for storage.

 

The following photos are of the full colour instruction sheet that is in the kit. Very easy to follow instructions.  There's 4 different designs you will be able to put together along with the stamp set and acrylic block, you will have to continue to create many more items in the future.

 

 

I think you will agree, this kit is ever so gorgeous.

 

Any questions about this or other kits currently available? Do not hesitate to leave a comment or contact me, I am here to help!  Want to go shopping?  Here is a direct link to this Hello Dear Friend in my online store!

http://www.stampinup.com.au/products/hello-dear-friend-card-kit-(english)?demoid=4018575

'Til next time, remember

happy stamping, colouring crafting & creating!