It is actually me posting on my blog, LOL!

So what have I been doing since my last post way back in May, I hear you ask???  Well, if you remember we were house hunting for a bigger house and renovating the unit were we used to live.  Notice I used the term ‘used’ – that’s because we found a new house – YIPPEE.  We moved to beautiful Upwey in August.  We have nearly finished renovating the unit – hopefully that will be ready to put on the market next weekend.

So you’d like me to tell you about our new house – well, OK.  It is much, much bigger than our 2 bedroom unit that we were squashed into.  But one of the best things about the house is that I now have my very own stamp room or ’studio’ as I’ve decided to call it.  Here’s a couple of photos, it’s not quite finished yet but I love it none the less

So you’re looking at my current workspace, with room for 2.  I’ve got room to add another 2 tables, which will give a total of 4 workstations in this area.  There is also another area about 2 m x 4 m that will be my class area.  The 2nd photo is of my cupboards , which are directly behind my work area, the smaller one is my ‘contraband cupboard’ and has all my PaperTrey, BG and other assorted items of fancy.  The bigger cupboard currently has my SU stamps, DSP and other assorted accessories.  Eventually I will add another cupboard beside it to house other stuff that is currently in A4 sized stackable drawers.  On the floor are a couple of Ikea chest of drawers which I am painting and once finished will sit on my desk and house adhesives, bone folders, scissors etc.

I also wanted to tell you about another new development – I have a new Stampin’ Up! website – www.joeades.stampinup.net   This is where you will find current Stampin’ Up! specials (check it out now to find out the November specials), my class calendar (once I update it – I’m aiming for classes to start around end of November).  You can even join my team online!  Whilst I’m not stopping my blog completely, the DBWS will have the most up to date SU! info (because SU! update it for me, lol)

Now before this becomes a 1,000 page epic, I will leave you with a photo I took a week or so ago from our balcony.  Hope you like it!

I’ve sat here for about 5 minutes now trying to think of a witty title for this post – just not happening.  Anyway, this week’s card for the sketch challenge at 2 Sketches 4 You.  I really enjoy the challenges that Kazan and Laura set  – I don’t know what it is about them, but for some reason they take my work to the next level (well, in my opinion anyway, LOL).

This week’s sketch was by Laura and after looking through my stuff, I decided to make it a Father’s Day card for Jarrod.  Since it’s only 3 weeks away and the next 2 weekends I’m playing chauffer to Harry for the birthday party season, it’s one thing crossed of my never ending list of things to do!

 The finished card is 14 cm x 14 cm Very Vanilla.  The papers are from the Basic Grey Archaic 6×6 Paper Pad.  The sentiment has been stamped in Chocolate Chip Classic ink on SU twill using Rough Edges Mini Alpha.  The stars were punched using SU Star punches and the brads are Antique Brass.  The stars have been adhered to the card using dimensionals.

While this is a really simple card it took a while to make.  The first time I stamped on the twill I had got all the way to the ‘e’ when I accidently stamped it SIDEWAYS – OMG, absolutely NO way to fix that, except to start again.  I’m really pleased with the way it turned out.

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Rough Edges Alphabet

Cardstock:  Very Vanilla, Basic Grey Archaic 6×6″ Paper Pad

Ink:  Chocolate Chip

Accessories:  Star Punch, Large Star Punch, Twill Tape, Antique Brass Brads, Dimensionals, SAMJ

Hope you’re all having a great weekend - thanks for looking!

Gotta be quick.  I’ll be back to edit this post with all the details once I have linked to Kristina’s blog.   I’ve lost track of the time but I know I’m cutting it close.

OK, I’m back.  Time again for another colour inspiration piece from Kristina.  Here is this week’s inspiration piece.  Aren’t the colours just gorgeous.

I had wanted to use my Wanted DSP for this challenge, but when I got home from work, I realised that the Close to Cocoa didn’t really go all that well.   And since I was going to use the Wanted papers,  I had also thought that I could use some Western stamps that I got from Paper Candy many moons ago that I hadn’t inked up yet.  So, the CTC not matching kinda threw a spanner in the works.  After a bit of messing about, this is what I decided to go with, cause I just couldn’t get past using the Bronc!  The Star brads are from the BEAUTIFUL Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware that will be available in the Spring Mini, which starts on August 1, 2008. (Yes, my pre-order arrived on Thursday, yay – look out for some more sneak peaks!)

Thanks for looking and hope you have a great weekend.  Keep warm (or cool it it’s hot where you are!)

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Bronc & Ride ‘em Cowboy sentiment – Paper Candy (don’t think their available anymore)

Ink:  Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Really Rust, Certainly Celery

Cardstock:  Whisper White, Chocolate Chip

Accessories:  Star brads from Styled Silver HPS (available 01/08/08), dimensionals

Now that we’re back to Friday Night Football, I’m back to stamping.  I got my order of brand, spanking new Stampin’ Up! stuff on Thursday, so it was an ideal time to play.  This is what I came up with. 

Well, this actually took a 2 nights, I didn’t like the first version I did, so I pulled it all apart and started again.  I finally used the ‘Time Well Spent’ a Level 3 Hostess Set that we received prior to Christmas as a Thank You from SU!.  Terrible that it took so long to put it to use!

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Time Well Spent, Level 3 Hostess Set

Cardstock:  W/White, Gable Green

Ink:  Black Staz On, Gable Green, Pixie Pink, Lovely Lilac & Tempting Turquoise Stampin’ Write Markers

Accessories:  Tempting Turquoise Grosgrain Ribbon, Crystal Effects, 2 Way Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter

And this is what I made with my NEW stuff.  I’ve also realised that I need some MORE new stuff, such as the 12×12 Textured Neutrals Assorted so I can get myself some of the Basic Gray cardstock.  I would have liked to add a mat of Basic Gray around the stamped image and between the punched circle and scallop layer.

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Simple Delights Simply Sent Kit, Sentiment from Papertray, PaperTrey Inc

Cardstock:  Soft Sky, W/White

Ink:  Soft Sky, Basic Gray

Accessories:  Basic Gray Taffeta ribbon, Scalloped Punch, 1-3/8 RD punch, dimensionals

This card is on it’s way to a fellow demonstrator, Tracy who is/was holed up in hospital.  Hope you’re feeling better soon Tracy. 

I have to change the date of my planned Catalogue Launch Party. Originally, I had it scheduled for April 12, however, orders from SU! (well, my orders in particular) are still in picking! Bit of a bummer (I’m getting impatient). I’ve decided to reschedule to April 26, 2008. I haven’t sent the invitations out yet (I was waiting to see if my orders shipped over the weekend), but I will be sending them out tonight.

Sorry about the change but it’s not much good having a Catalogue Launch Party with out any new goodies to show you, is there

Well, I’ve been tagged! I was tagged by Gail who thought I would kill her because my blog hadn’t been updated for ages! Little did she know that I have finally got back to blogging over the few days.

A: The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B: Each player answers the questions about themselves.
C: At the end of the post, the player then tags 3 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

It’s easy to do – just cut and paste from the blog you’ve been tagged from. So…

10 years ago: (1998) WOW, that’s so long ago! Hmmm, let’s see. I was probably getting my pony ready for a show. This time 10 years ago it would have been the weekend for Berwick Aggi and I’m pretty sure that’s what I would have been doing. (I really can’t remember)

5 Things on my to-do-list today:
Go to bank & bank my last pay cheque from my old job! (completed!)
Go & get meat from Butchers (Jarrod’s dad is a butcher so I go to the shop where he works – didn’t actually get that done – oops)
Go & pick up text books for the Diploma I have started (completed, but it took way longer than it should of which is why I didn’t get anything else done!)
Get hay for my pony (nope, missed out on that one too!)
Make card & get gift for one of the mums from my 1st Mum’s group who just had her 2nd (oh so cute & little – I can’t remember Harry being that little)

What I would do if I was suddenly a billionaire: Buy house on beach front with acerage so pony would be in backyard. Get a new pony (for me!) as I really miss showing (not sure where the time for that would come from though!). Buy one of everything from the Papertrey Ink range. Buy at least 1 pair of Manolo Blahnik heels and 1 Collette Dinnigan dress and something pretty & shiny from Tiffany’s. Invest some wisely so when I spend the rest I still have something in reserve! (Not too materialistic I hope).

Three of my bad habits: A little bit of a control freak (I like & want butter in my mashed potatoes thanks!), procrastination and I drink way too much Coke (I just can’t stop!).

Three places I have lived:
Noble Park, VIC
Scoresby, VIC
Ferntree Gully, VIC

5 Jobs I have had:
Check out chick at Kmart Brandon Park (so I could buy my 1st horse)
Office Junior
Secretary
Accounts/Payroll
Office Manager

5 things people dont know about me:

1. I’m an only child.

2. I did calisthenics for 15+ years. I used to be really flexible!

3. I would love to be able to sing and play piano. I often though about taking lessons, however I think the singing is a bit of a lost cause.

4. I’m studying to acheive my Diploma of Accounting. I’m doing it online. I want a bit of paper that I can wave in front of someone when needed.

5. My best score for my HSC (for you young ‘uns that’s VCE to you) was in Biology that I only picked up for that year! First exam was fun – it was multiple choice and I really didn’t read the instructions all that carefully – it’s multiple choice you know, how hard can it be????? Yes well, I failed because I picked the right answer and not the incorrect one as you need (needed???) to do for Biology! OOPS

I tag: Anna, Naomi and Melissa

Thanks for tagging me Gail, & thanks for reading.

Thought I’d better make a quick post, I’ve gotten some emails checking to see if everything is OK as it’s been a while since I last updated. Until tonight, I didn’t realise it had actually been SO LONG. OOPS.

So, yes I’m fine, I’ve just been super swamped with this job search thing. I cannot believe how much time I’ve wasted going to interviews with agencies about an advertised job, only to be given some sort of spiel about something completely different, and of course, not suitable!

Another annoying thing about looking for new employment is the number of people who do not acknowledge your application and then 3 – 4 weeks later call you out of the blue wanting to arrange an interview. You know, if you haven’t got back to me in a week or 2, I’ve probably deleted your job from my saved list because I’ve figured you’re not interested.

We also had Harrison baptised on Sunday just gone, so I’ve spent a bit of time getting everything organised for that. Harrison’s godmother lives interstate, and she came down early so we spent a couple of days hanging out – read that as driving me to an interview in the city so we got to spend some time together and we spent Friday shopping to get Harrison a baptism outfit. I wish she still lived here, she’s at least 6 hrs away – I miss her!

I’ve not done anything remotely crafty since my last post, I was hoping my Spring Mini mini Preorder would arrive today, but no. It better be here by the weekend or I’m in trouble. I’ve a workshop on Sunday and some of my ideas are based on those products in that BOX! I think I’ll be putting in another pre-order next week for some more stuff!

I’d just like to wish everyone a very happy Easter. If you’re travelling, please drive safely & have a good time whilst you’re away. I’ll catch up with you all on Tuesday (hopefully my new stamps will have arrived by then – fingers crossed)

OK, so this is a photo of our Christmas tree. I was inspired by Ali Edwards. To get this look, I set the camera to the Fireworks setting – I just love how it turned out.