Mega Blog Candy

Donna's has sent out her last weekly blog candy, but that is no reason to cry. Check out this mega candy on the Bearly Mine Crafts blog. It so totally delicious that be warned you are going to need more than a napkin to catch the saliva that forms when you check out it sweet, sweet tastiness.

PS. If you reside in the UK Donna has another fantastic candy. Boo hoo for us colonials, but great if you're from the motherland.

FOSTV Challenge 39

As I've been feeling lacklustre of late I've been blog hopping and surfing looking at all the gorgeous craft blogs out there, looking for inspiration and hoping that some might magically come through the keyboard to my hands.  While hopping I was lucky enough to win a gorgeous set of stamps (Tree Greetings) on the Mark Finest Papers and Stamps August Blog hop.  In this set are some gorgeous palm trees. It made me think of Dad sailing up the Queensland coast with friends.  They asked him to come away with them for a while to take him out of the empty house and hopefully put a smile on his face, show him its ok to be happy.  I made the following card for the FOSTV Challenge 39 which is to put a tag or ticket on your card.  I hope this trip is the ticket to some happiness for Dad, he's been doing it hard this year.

The tag has distress ink back ground and the Mark's Finest Papers and Stamps palm trees have been coloured with copics. The background paper is from Stamp-it Australia - a gorgeous water colour image called Pelicans. Boy oh Boy do I have trouble with cutting up lovely patterned paper, I nearly cried.  That is probably why every drawer in my craftroom is chock-a-block full of papers. I think I need some counselling or I wont be able to move for paper. The ticket is from a cuttlebug cut and emboss die - vintage collage and coloured with distress ink.  The other embellishments are some ric rac and some kaisercraft pearls.

I'd also like to enter this card into the following challenge

The Poodles Parlour - Tag you're it challange

Make the best of every day

I been feeling pretty flat lately and really haven't been up to crafting very much.  It has been a pretty joyless couple of months. My mum died back in July after suffering with pancreatic cancer for 6 months, she was only 63.  She came out of pallative care so she could spend the last week of her life at home.  I think this is the hardest thing you can do - to watch someone you love just fade away.  In additon a friend suffered a terrible stroke which has left her with some partial paralaysis, but she's happy to be alive. Also young girl that I worked with had a terrible accident which has left her with severe burns. It will be a long road to recovery for her. There has also been a change in government here and there has been a lot of retrenchments from the state public service (in which I work), many people I know no longer have a job.  It has been depressing times.

You never know what the next day will hold - enjoy today - hug your family and friends, tell them they are loved, cuddle your pet, indulge in your hobby or passion and be thankful.