The REAL meaning of Christmas…

Hi everyone!

I KNOW that I haven’t been blogging recently, but that’s just fine with me… I’m enjoying doing some things that are just way more important – like spending quality time with my friends & family… without feeling guilty because I should be at home prepping for a class or workshop!   I may or may not continue to blog next year, but for right now, I’m enjoying the start of what I’m hoping will be a fabulous long Summer.    I wanted to leave you with something that struck a real chord with me last year when I was super busy doing my stamping, and feeling like I was really not pulling my weight as a Mum/Friend/Wife terribly well.  This is well worth reading – and thinking about.

Wishing you all a WONDERFUL Christmas, and a safe & enjoyable 2010. 

Michelle

1 Corinthians 13 Christmas Style
©By Sharon Jaynes

If I decorate my house perfectly with lovely plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights, and shiny glass balls, but do not show love to my family - I'm just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals, and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family - I'm just another cook.
If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family - it profits me nothing.
If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties, and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.
Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn't envy another home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of your way.
Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can't.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
Love never fails.  Video games will break; pearl necklaces will be lost; golf clubs will rust.  But giving the gift of love will endure.

A Christmas Card & another recipe!

Happy Friday everyone!

There’s such a wonderful feeling about Fridays I think… the start of a couple of days off where we get to relax a little and do some fun things together.  YAY!!   Tonight I’m taking a group of ladies for some card-making at our church.  We only have about 15-20 minutes to make one card, so I am really hoping that I don’t go over time!   Here’s the card I came up with for the class

 

This will also be one of the cards I’m making at my Christmas Class next week – yes next Thursday, not the 12th as I’ve stated on my previous post… Sorry!  Phone me if you’d like to come along – details are on the side of my blog.

I’m really getting into this home baking (eating it as much as anyone!), so here’s another recipe for you to try out.  I’m always finding that our boys won’t eat the weet-bix crumbs, and I end up throwing them out.  Now, I’ve found a way to use them in a delicious recipe in the microwave. 

Terri-Lee’s Microwave Chocolate Crunch

125g buter, 1 cup self-raising flour, 2 Tbsp cocoa
1 cup weeb-bix crumbs, 1 cup coconut, 3/4 cup sugar

Melt butter & mix in remaining ingredients.   Cook on high for 6-7 minutes.  Ice & cut while still warm.   This crunchy slice is really crunchy, so make sure you don’t overcook it.

Have a fabulous Friday – I’m off for lunch with friends!

Michelle

NO PRESSURE Christmas Classes for you!

Good morning everyone!

As I have had so many lovely people asking about Christmas Card Classes, I have decided that I’ll hold two classes next month. The details are below.

If these dates don’t suit then please give me a call, as I am also available for classes on other dates, so if you would like to get together a small group (or a larger one!) then I’m happy to come to you at a time that suits us both. Details for this NO PRESSURE Christmas Class are the same as below, with a minimum of six people attending. I’m happy to come to your place, (there may be a small charge for mileage depending on where you live), or I can host it at mine.

DETAILS :

Thursday 12th November and Wednesday 25th November 7.30pm.
We will make 9 cards – 3 each of 3 designs.
Cost $20 per person
Phone me on 06 7533736 / 027 3711420 or email o2bstampin@hotmail.com to register.

Oh, you may be wondering about the NO PRESSURE part of these classes… I know some people are intimidated by pushy sales-people at events such as these trying to sell them a whole heap of things that they never end up using – well, I’ll guarantee you that this won’t happen at my classes! I’m no longer selling any stamping products (except cardstock by the piece if you need some) so there will be no need to worry that you’ll end up walking out with a huge bill! $20 is all you’ll need to bring.

Here’s one of my Christmas Cards that was inspired by the lovely Sarah Klass. Thanks Sarah – I just love your style!

Enjoy your day – it’s pouring here, so I cancelled everything for the day, and am enjoying a day at home.

Michelle

DELISH COOKIES :
Oh, I’ve been baking lots recently (funny that!), and have a wonderful recipe to share with you all – keep reading if you’re interested in a great biscuit recipe that makes a whole heap of biscuits, and even a Non-Biscuit-Baker like me can make successfully!

These cookies are called the $250 Urban Legend Chocolate Chip Cookies – this IS a legend, with no truth what-so-ever behind the emails that are circulated on a regular basis, but the cookie recipe is delicious anyway, and the story kinda makes the cookies taste ever so slightly better, I’m sure!!

1 cup butter
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups oatmeal or muesli
350g chocolate chips
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla

Blend the oatmeal (I used old muesli that no-one would eat, as it had gone a little stale, and it was perfect) in a food processor until it is a powder. Cream the butter and both lots of sugar. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Roll into balls and cook at 190 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Deeeelish while still warm, but still a fabulous cookie for days after – if they last that long!

The ingredients listed are halved from the original recipe, as this makes heaps anyway. These cookies freeze well.

Enjoy, and don’t eat them all yourself before the kids come home from school…

Here is the Urban Legend in full detail

Creative Kids Class Tomorrow

Good morning!  

It’s so great that it’s warmed up a little again – it’s been absolutely FREEZING here for a few days.  It seems that Spring has run, and Winter is nearly coming back again!   Stink – school holidays are more fun when you can be out and about doing things!  Anyway, if you children are a little bored, then bring (or send) them along to my Creative Kids class tomorrow.  I have two sessions – the first is from 10am-12noon, and the second is from 1pm-3pm.  Children can come to both or one of the sessions.  If they are coming to both, then they are welcome to stay with me for the lunch break as well.

If children are staying by themselves, then I would suggest age 7 and up, or if you would like to come and stay with them and help them with the projects, then I’m happy to take any school age child.

Here is one of the projects we made last week.  It was a fun project to do, and even the adults all took templates to make one at home!  I have to thank CHERIE, my fabulous friend, who  made one of these for me last Christmas, and I managed to gently pull it apart and take a template from it to make.  Thanks so much Cherie – you’re just wonderul!!

Each session we make different projects, and usually we make at least 3 projects per session, depending on difficulty! 

Give me a call or email if you would like your child to come along.

Have a great day!

Michelle

Faux Alligator Purse & Matching Card

HelllllooooO!!  I’m here.  Finally.   WE Stamp has finished today, so the late night stamping is now a thing of the past.  For now!    I want to share with you some of the projects that I created for WE Stamp – these are all now available for you to purchase as a individual PDF Tutorial for just NZ$5 per project.   I’ll be uploading them over the next week, but if you can’t wait, just send me an email, and I’ll send you my bank account details so you can get it asap!  

It’s not too late to join WE Stamp – all of our projects will remain on the blog for downloading or printing until the end of November, so you’ve still got lots of time.   Just click on the WE Stamp blinkee on my sidebar to go to the blog and join up.  Today I shared a Faux Alligator Purse, and when I was photographing it, I realised that it matched perfectly with one of my favourite cards, so I’ve put them together as a lovely gift set.

This was such a fun purse to make – I’ve never done this technique before, and was amazed that it worked first time for me – that’s a first!

Well, the good news is that I now have a “To Do List” that has only 3 things left on it.   AMAZING!!   I always struggle with my list, and it frustrates me, as I seem to add to it more than crossing it off.  My office is now 99% in order (I may just post the “before & after” pictures!) and I’m loving being in my office once again.  There’s nothing worse than sitting down to create only to have to shove all the other things off your work area because you are too scared to file anything away in case you never see it again… YKWIM???  

Tell me your BEST de-cluttering tip as a comment on this post, and I’ll pick a random commenter and send you one of my PDF’s (of your choice) for free, just to celebrate being so much more in control of my life again!  

Happy Monday!

Michelle

A card that’s a little different.

Hi everyone!   WOW – school holidays have started today.   I’m just hoping for some lovely weather to get out and enjoy it with the boys, but at least we all get to stop the rushing around – YAY!

Speaking of School Holidays, I have a school holiday programme happening at my home both Thursday’s of the holidays.  The details are :
Thursday 1st October and/or Thursday 8th October
10.00am – 12noon and/or 1.00pm – 3.00pm
Cost $15.00 per session, or come to all sessions and pay just $50.  Children are welcome to stay with me during the lunch hour at no additional cost.   The programme would be best suited to children age 8 and over.  BYO Drink bottle, snack, scissors & lunch if staying all day.

We’ll be making three projects each session (each session will be different projects), and lots of lovely Christmas Cards & Christmas Gift ideas as well.  Phone or email me to register.  Limited to 8 per session.

I have been stamping a lot this week, (and spring cleaning the house…), but mostly for WE Stamp projects.  Here is one of my mini-projects that I have done this week.  I have no idea what it’s called! 
As usual, my photography was done late at night, so the colours aren’t quite true, but you’ll get the idea!   Our current round of WE Stamp is all go, with projects each day until the 5th October, especially focusing on some gift ideas and Christmassy things to get you thinking along those lines.   You can still join up – the cost is NZ$20 for the whole round, and you don’t have to rush through the projects, as you get about 8 weeks before we remove them from the blog!
 

And here is another sample for some more inspiration.

 
Happy Stamping!

Michelle

WE Stamp Wednesday #8

Hello everyone!   It’s been a lovely, crazy, busy week for me, and I just feel like I’ve been on holiday for a while.  Just lovely!   I’ve enjoyed the sunshine, walking (and losing) the dog and of course lots of lunches & coffees again this week.  I must admit to have a few MORE lunch dates than usual this past week, as it was my birthday on Sunday, and I started celebrating on Wednesday with lunch out with some wonderful girlfriends, then kept going like that until Sunday.   I was brought coffee and chocolate in bed on Sunday morning by people who obviously know me VERY well – that was breakfast!   YUM!    My fabulous family gave me a great dinner that was almost a surprise for me on Saturday night, then I a child-free birthday lunch on Sunday with my DH.   WOW – possibly the best birthday week I’ve ever had!   So now back to reality I think!  
Now, it’s Wednesday already, and of course over at the WE Stamp blog we have a new sketch challenge to take part in.  Feel free to pop over and upload a card you make with this sketch, even if you aren’t a member! 

I have yet to come up with my card for this sketch – that may have to wait until tomorrow I’m afraid!   Hope it’s lovely where you are today – it’s raining here, but we’re heading out for a birthday dinner at our friend’s who have an outdoor pizza oven.    AND they are going to make DESSERT PIZZAS!!!   MMMMm mmmmmm!

Happy Stamping

Michelle

WE Stamp Wednesday Sketch Challenge #6

Hi everyone!   I know it’s not Wednesday, so I’m either very early, or very late for the WE Stamp Wednesday challenge … you know that it’s the latter, right??  Never mind – I’ve done it, and I must admit that this sketch has been a real favourite of mine.  This is what I created today while the rain was pouring down.

Feel free to take part – you don’t need to be a member of WE Stamp, you can just play along for fun!   Our next round of WE Stamp begins on Tuesday 15th September – wooohooo!!   It seems like a long time since it finished, and I’m really looking forward to sharing some more projects with you.  So for less that NZ$1 per day, you will get 21 ideas and projects to motivate and inspire you.  This time around we will be looking at some gift ideas for Christmas, so you can get all sorted before the mad rush begins in December!

I’ve just got to show you what my darling middle son (only a MIDDLE child would do this, right??!) did last week.  The boys were all told to go clean their rooms up, and Mason’s room is always a mess.  He tries on too many clothes, then doesn’t put them away, and always finds lots of things to do rather than tidy up.  Last weekend though I thought I’d made a breakthrough when he lasted for 30 minutes in his room – WOW!   I looked outside for a moment, only to see this…

followed by this…

Little monkey – he was having a ball sunbathing outside while everyone else tidied up!   Today, I took the bull by the horns, and got two boxes, filled them up with everything that wasn’t put away, and told him he has until bedtime tonight to put them all away, otherwise I’ll take the two boxes full of stuff for the garage sale.  I think it made a little bit of impact, but time will tell.

Hope you’re having a fabulous weekend

Happy Stamping!

Michelle

FINAL CLEAROUT – DEMO SUPPLIES & LAST STAMP SETS

Now, I guess that got your attention huh?? I’m down to the last few stamp sets to sell from my huge sale – you’ve got some fabulous bargains over the past 3 weeks, and I’m really glad that these stamp sets have gone to some lovely homes – Happy Stamping with them!
Now I just need find homes for the last few things – let me know if you want any of these.

BOTANICAL BLOOMS – NEW $10
BUD BASICS – NEW $40
CONGRATS – NEW $10
EXPRESSIVE FLEXIBLE PHRASES – NEW $45
FRIENDSHIP BLOOMS – NEW $25
GREETINGS EIGHT – EX COND $40

KISSES REGULAR WHEEL – NEW $7

CHUNKY SPRINKLES BLUE – NEW $6
CHUNKY SPRINKLES GREEN – NEW $6
CHUNKY SPRINKLES WHITE – USED ONCE $5
CHUNKY SPRINKLES PINK – NEW $6
EARTH ELEMENTS BUTTONS - $4
THE TEARING EDGE RULER – EX COND $20
5/16” NEUTRAL BRADS – 1/2 PACK $7
5/8” NEUTRAL BRADS – 1/2 PACK $6
CORDUROY BASIC GRAY BUTTONS – 1/2 PACK $10
COLOUR COACH – GOOD COND $10

And now for some stamping! Here’s my card for the WE Stamp Wednesday challenge.


and here’s the sketch it’s based on

Pop over and have a go – I really enjoyed this one, and it was really quick!

Michelle

WE Stamp Wednesday Sketch Challenge #4

Good evening everyone.

While I’m sitting here at the computer, I thought I’d get a head start on Wednesday, and post my WE Stamp Wednesday challenge card here – the reject one!   WHAT a night.  Wrong stamp set to fit into the oval as it should be, then words wouldn’t stamp right, then ovals were all bumpy…  and on it went.  I finally put this card aside in disgust and made a whole new one, that’s just slightly better.  It’ll be over on the WE Stamp blog first thing Wednesday for you to see that I did actually improve – I think!

 

See – wrong way around, and just not right!   Hope your night has gone better than mine. 

Happy Stamping.

Michelle