Handmade Glass Pendants

I've added a small range of gorgeous glass pendants to the gift lines. These are handmade kiln fired glass that will give a lift to that summer outfit.

New Chipboard

I've been asked by a few people to let them know when this particular pack of chipboard is back in stock and I'm happy to say it is now. There's also a few new pieces from this supplier as well, the flower border for scrapbook pages looks great.

Unfortunately with the low Australian dollar some of the suppliers have been forced to lift their prices (some considerably) so when new stock comes in you might find a price difference. If you really want something don't wait, ask Santa for it.

This Sunday 14th December is the last PCYC craft market of the year and it should be a good one. I'll be there right near the front doors as you come into the building from the carpark. I've priced down some of the chipboard and stamps and probably a few other things by the time Sunday rolls around.

The supplier for Inque Boutique stamps have told me they won't be able to supply them in the future so if you're a fan of the $2 and $5.95 range now is the time to buy your favourites before they go.

See you Sunday.

Christmas Cats

I've made a few more cards, these couple are quite bright as well. It must be the way I'm feeling lately.

Gingerbread Men

Isn't it funny how we have certain food items at Christmas? I've made my fruit cake a couple of weeks ago but someone else will have to contribute the pudding as I've never tried to make one. It's one of those food memories from childhood that's associated with Mum (who made it look so easy) and even though I've helped her make one a few times my expertise was limited to flouring the pudding cloth and holding it while she tied it up.... oh and a bit of tasting the mixture when she wasn't looking. Fruit mince pies, stone fruit and real (homemade) shortbread are some of the other things that are good at this time of year.

We didn't have a lot of gingerbread growing up but I couldn't resist these cute little fella's when I saw them so they're available at Lorna Blue Studio for a short time.

Open Day

This coming Saturday two of my friends and I are having an open day to showcase our internet and studio based businesses.

Adele Collections has beautiful pearl and fashion jewellery as well as handbags, wallets and hair accessories.

Ambience Candles are a locally made, hand poured 100% soy wax product available in a range of gorgeous fragrances and sizes.

Lorna Blue Studio of course has the scrapbook, stamping and giftware range.

So on Saturday the 6th December between 9am and 4pm at 10 Forbes Court Avoca we will have our products out there for you to see. Feel free to drop by and bring your friends, you'll find the 3 businesses compliment each other to give a varied range of gifts.

We'll have credit card and EFTPOS facilities available and I'll have a sale table set up as well for anyone looking for a bargain.

Hope to see you there.

It's Christmas card time

I've finally started making some Christmas cards and I thought I would show you. With these I've done a combination of embossing and watercolour pencils. The bauble one is pretty bright and not what you would call traditional but I think it kinda works.

Well I did say I would tell you about the Rural Women's Gathering. It was held in Coonamble and over 450 women from all over NSW attended to attend talks, workshops and garden tours. From what I understand it's been going for around 15 years and it's an opportunity for rural women to get together to learn new skills (both for their worklife and hobbies) and network with other women and perhaps form friendships.

I have to admit I think the committee were a little overwhelmed by the volume of work needed to host an event with that many participants but it was a good experience overall.

The paperwork said that the accomodation in town was booked out but they would have "luxury tents" with an amenities block available. Well I haven't been camping (by choice) for a lot of years but I think I can tell the difference between luxury and not (this was definitely not). The camp bed was quite narrow and the mattress was 2cm thick, now I understand it would have been difficult to come up with the required amount of tents but they could have at least advised people to bring an air mattress or extra doona to sleep on if thats all they could access.

So now I come to the amenities block. In my mind I imagined something like a caravan park might have, but no, these amenities came trucked in on the back of a semi trailer which you then had to access by walking up a set of lightweight aluminium stairs. They were made out of a converted shipping container and they had 2 for showers (containing 8 showers in each) and 2 for toilets. The good thing with the showers was the water was hot but the bad thing was they were so small you had trouble protecting your modesty. You had to leave your clothes on a hook outside the shower stall, have a shower (trying to keep the shower curtain from wrapping itself around you) reach out to get your towel, dry off and then decide whether you wanted to attempt dressing yourself in a confined wet space or go out into the walkway and dress quickly while trying not to "flash" somebody. We had Sarah with us who is 21 and she tells me she's seen enough naked 60yr olds to last her a lifetime.

Now the toilets were delightful (sarcasm intended). They should have been OK but the trick was working out how to flush them. For those of you like myself who have never seen these type they have a lever (a bit like the peddle rubbish bins) that is attached to the base of the toilet that you depress with your heel, very firmly. However a lot of women evidently found this too difficult and you would find when you went to go it hadn't been flushed so we first of all tried to avoid using these toilets where possible but if need be we would flush the toilet and move onto the next one, our theory being that it would hopefully eliminate some of the smell.

I did feel sorry for some of the older women attending because I had to be careful when walking up or down the stairs and I'm fairly agile so for some it would have been difficult.

However, I met some lovely ladies and I had the opportunity to take some products and showcase my business so that was the good part of the weekend.

October ATC Swap

This months ATC swap theme was "Under the Sea" and the variety and talent of this group of ladies is fantastic. We were ask to do either 3 individual ATC's or one that could be folded up to the size of a single ATC. I chose to do a folded up version and the photo's show the front, back and the little sleeve I made for it to go into.

I've been away to the NSW Rural Women's Gathering at Coonamble and I'll tell you about it the next time.

New Cards

Don't you love it when you sit down to play around with some scraps of paper and a few ideas and they turn out better than you thought. Here are two cards that I've done recently. I've used the Darkroom Door stamps available from Lorna Blue Studio on one and some scrapbooking paper on the other.

Pencil Art

People have the most amazing imaginations. Have a look at this website to see more weird, wacky and wonderful creations made out of coloured pencils.

More on ATC's

I didn't realise it had been so long since I'd posted. Anyway I thought I would explain a little more about ATC's for those people who haven't heard of them.

Although miniature works of art created on cards have been around for centuries, the modern day concept of ATC's was conceptualized by artist m. v"anci stirnemann in 1996. In May 1997, stirnemann held a gallery showing of 1,200 cards at the INK. art & text bookstore in Zurich, Switzerland, for which he collaborated with artists Cat Schick and Gido Dietrich. Those attending the show were told that if they wanted to acquire a card that was on display they should bring one of their own creations to trade for it. A movement was then born that denounced the tradition of critiquing and appraising art, and embraced the process of one artist connecting with another.

One attendee at the first trading session was Canadian Don Mabie (Chuck Stake). Mabie was so impressed by the concept of artists sharing with one another in this way that he brought the idea home with him to Calgary and held the first North American trading session at The New Gallery in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The First International Biennial of Artist Trading Cards included 80 artists from ten different countries and took place in September 2000.

In person trading sessions quickly spread from The New Gallery across Canada and the United States,and interest continues to spread across the globe. While it is always conducive to the trading culture to trade cards in person there are also multiple opportinities for trading over the internet through various groups.

Artist Trading Cards or ATC's as they are commonly referred to, encompass all types of media. The format for this art form is of a small nature: 2.5" x 3.5" (6cm x (cm), the size of a playing card. The number one steadfast rule of ATC's is they should never be sold. Selling diminishes the true sense of sharing and community among artists. Trading is just that - sharing your art with others for no other reason than wanting to gift a piece of yourself to another.

# This information was found in the book Artist Trading Card Workshop by Bernie Berlin.

# The ATC posted is one by Vicky Phelps for the monthly swap titled "When I grow up".

ATC Swap

Vicky, a friend of mine has introduced me to an ATC swap group that she belongs to and every month one of the group hosts it and decides what the theme will be.

In july it was RED and in August it was "When I grow up I want to be". I thought I would show you the two that I did. My August one reads "When I grow up I want to be Samantha from Bewitched". It was one of my favourite shows, I think you were either a Bewitched fan or a I Dream of Jeannie fan

Spring is Sprung

Well I don't know about you but I can definitely feel a touch of warmth in the air. This morning I had a BBWN breakfast meeting to go to (they expect you to turn up if you're the President) so I was out of bed at 5.30am. Last month I had to talk myself into relinquishing the blankets and did a quick sprint to the warm shower but not this morning.

Don't you love Spring?

Craft Show

Well I've just spent 3 days at the Wide Bay and Fraser Coast Outdoor Leisure Expo plus a day to set up and I have to say I was very tired by the end of it. First of all when I booked and paid for a site the organisers were saying it was a leisure show with a stitches and craft show attached so I thought that's a great opportunity but then about a month away they started calling it a craft show and then they downgraded it in the advertising to a mini craft show (not that they rang me to tell me this, I just saw it on the TV). So to say I was disappointed with the amount of craft exhibitors is an understatement. Plus I've never been to the Maryborough showground before and the craft pavilion where they had us is one of the oldest so we had exposed beams, concrete floors and very little lighting (Malcom said it was rustic, I said I felt like we were in the poultry pavilion) whereas the other two had lovely floors and lights. When they asked me on Sunday afternoon if I'd come back next year I asked them if they would give me a big discount and of course they said I'd have to talk to someone else. Anyway it gave me an idea of how long it takes me to set up and what I would do different next time. I did talk to a lot of people and they were all very friendly so that was good.

Cake

I've just been to a card making class where we did four projects and one of them was this patty cake holder. Nicole baked 50 and then iced them in four different colours to match up with whatever stamp we chose for the front.

You'll notice I say patty cake not cup cake because growing up that's what we called them and I was a little annoyed a few weeks ago when I automatically said cup cake. Some times we can do without the americanised version of our language. Anyway the timing for the cake was perfect because tomorrows my birthday. Mind you Dad's wished me Happy Birthday twice now and I'm fully expecting another call tomorrow. He's been away traveling in his caravan and doesn't have his birthday book so he rang me on the 10th thinking it was then, but it wasn't so we had a chat. Then he rang yesterday full of good humour and birthday wishes but I had to say it's not until Sunday so we had a bit of a laugh about 3rd time lucky and so I'll wait for another call.

The cake however has run out of time as I'm about to make a coffee and eat cake.

It's a Cat's life.

I'm having a busy, busy time lately. Much of it has to do with getting myself organised for The Stitches Craft & Hobby Show in Maryborough on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of August. It's in conjunction with The Wide Bay & Fraser Coast Home Show & Outdoor Adventure Expo (what a mouthful) which is being held at the showgrounds. It's very easy to get to if your heading south from Bundaberg it's on the right hand side of the highway near Sexy Coffee or if you're heading north reverse it. Oh.... you want to know about Sexy Coffee... it's a very good place to stop for a bite to eat and no they don't serve you topless or have an under the counter menu. Just good food, coffee and a huge sign with a pair of crossed legs on it. Don't let that put you off if you want somewhere to eat. I hear Pudding Lane will also be at the expo, that sounds like my kind of stall. After all Christmas isn't that far away and we're having cool days so what better reason to eat pudding (better buy 2).

So in approx 10 days I will be at the showgrounds with my stock, doing demonstrations and hopefully meeting lots of lovely people. If you're out and about come and have a look and a chat.

Last Sunday I went to the PCYC craft markets (held on the 2nd Sunday of the month) which I do most months so if you'd like to see something before you purchase it that's a good place to find me. Although it's a good idea to email me at helen@lornabluestudio.com.au and let me know what you'd like to look at because I can't fit all my stock on the tables so some of it gets left at home. From there I went to the I Scrap Therefore I Am Sunday Scrap and had a great afternoon. Cassie and Petrina had asked if I would do some packs up and we had a sketch challenge. The atmosphere was great with lots of talking and laughing. It's a bit nerve racking trying to put together a pack as everyone's taste is different but they seemed to go over OK.

Today I spent doing some last minute orders for the show and was assisted by my cat Maggie. She very kindly pushed her way onto my lap, shed all over me, tried to walk on the keyboard and then when I wouldn't oblige by leaving what I was doing to feed and fawn all over her she went off in a huff and fell asleep. Such a hard life.

A bit of news for the family: I had lunch with Aunty Dot and Uncle John yesterday. They called in for a few hours before heading south again.

A Funny Story

I've been away for a week down to the Sunshine Coast to do a few business related things and catch up with some friends and I have to tell you a story my friend Myrna told me. First of all Myrna is a lovely lady who is very young at heart, is always doing things for other people and I'm so happy to have her as a friend. She's also 70 yrs old (young). Just recently she was out with two of her daughters and one of the girls mother in-law shopping at Kawana Waters. They had finished and went to the car to head home. While the girls put the shopping in the boot Myrna was just standing waiting with her handbag held in hand just loosely by her side and the next thing you know a young guy ran past and grabbed it out of her hand. It took her a minute to realise what was going on as I think most of us would.

Now here's the funny part, once she realised she set off in chase after the guy - yelling "thief - he stole my bag - bastard - he's got my bag". When the two daughters realised they started after him as well yelling as as loud as they could. A man who had just gotten into his car heard them and got out to offer assistence. With that the young guy dropped the bag and kept running, Myrna's not sure if it was the sight of the 3 of them running after him yelling loudly or the gentleman who got out to help but she got her handbag back. It doesn't matter really. She did have a sore shoulder for a few days and it's made her a bit more wary when she goes out. I agree with her he is a bastard for doing that, imagine if she had been knocked to the ground.

I also had the opportunity to attend a market day at the Decorative Folk Artists of Qld Annual Paint In weekend. It was held down at the Crowne Plaza Caloundra and I met some lovely ladies who were having a fantastic time - the theme this year was Jungle so lots of vines and wild animals. I had a great day soaking up the atmosphere and got to sell some products as well.

Busy Week

Well I don't know where that week went but it doesn't feel like I achieved much. I did however manage to go and watch my nephew play hockey which was really nice as he doesn't live here so I don't see him much (or his brother). The championships were on (at least I think thats what it was - I really should know - bad aunty) anyway whatever it was I was only interested in Jesse. The gentleman next to me however decided I needed a running commentary, he was being nice but really I had no idea what he was talking about.

Now I have been tagged by the lovely Kylie over at 4theloveofscrapping.blogspot.com and I'm supposed to answer some questions and then tag 4 other people and I promise next post I will. It's just that this blog thing is very new to me and although I read quite a few I haven't commented on a lot of them so it feels a little strange. But I'm willing to play.

My other news is that I've been elected President of the Bundaberg Business Womens Network so that's all very exciting. I've been the Treasurer for the last two years and so now I get to hand that job on and take on another.

Scrapping Sunday

I belong to a scrapbooking group called I Scrap Therefore I Am that meets in the church hall once a month on a Sunday afternoon. It's a very informal club that was started by Petrina and Cassie (blog links to the right) and it's a great way to get together and scrap. We all bring a plate so there's always plenty of delicious food and it's great to see what other people are up to and if your stuck on finishing a layout someone will provide some inspiration or suggestions. Once a year there's a retreat and we also do the Girls Night In for a breast cancer fundraiser. This is a page I was working on at the last meeting, it was almost finished but I decided when I went home to add some chipboard flowers that I "opaled". Opals is a thick embossing enamel from a company in Tasmania, it has lots of applications and it's great that it's an Australian product. The other layout has photo's from the Girls Night In fundraiser obviously the theme was pink.

Gladioli

Most Sundays we take ourselves off to the local markets to shop for fruit and vege's. We're very lucky here because the area has a lot of small crops so it's very easy to get variety and value. The last couple of weeks we've been buying beautiful cauliflowers that I've made into soup and the strawberries are lovely. Custard apples have started to appear as well and they have a velvety texture when you cut them open. I really like the interaction with the stall holders it's much nicer than the sterile environment of a supermarket.

Flowers are also available and on Sunday we bought two bunches of gladioli for $6, you can't beat that. I love cut flowers. Both my grandparents enjoyed having flowers around. Nana lived in Sydney and bought hers although she did have green fingers and maintained a small garden. She was prone to gathering cuttings while you were out walking, talk about embarrassing your grandkids. Mum's parents lived on a farm and Grandpa would grow long rows of flowers that he would rotate every couple of years. Sweet pea's and gladioli are the two that I remember most. $6 is pretty cheap for beautifying your house and maybe making some memories for your own kids.

New Stock in at Lorna Blue Studio

Well I've had a couple of more deliveries of stock for Lorna Blue Studio and it's all been photographed and added to the website.

More jewellery has arrived so if you're looking for something to dress up that outfit go over to the gorgeous gifts category and have a look. There's something timeless about pearls and you'll find two sizes in the single strands and a number of other variations. A girl can't have too much jewellery can she?

Wow, I know it's ridiculous to get excited about stamps but the Lil Stamps range is such good value. Just $2.00 each, no that's not a mistake. They are unmounted rubber stamps that have the design printed on the back so you can see where to place them. Even if you're not a stamper they have a journaling one that would be fantastic on your scrapbook page. I have to buy these as an assorted box and there's only 4 of each design, so first in best dressed as they say.

The other stamps that came in are the Savoir Faire range. Again an unmounted rubber stamp with the design printed on the back at the fantastic price of $5.95. They are scattered throughout the different categories so feel free to browse.

Bearly There

We have a really good art gallery or I should call it by the correct term of art centre in town and recently they decided that they wanted to do an exhibition of teddy bears in September. I know this because I saw the advertisement asking for people to lend their bears and so I contacted them to say I have a few and would they like to see some photos? Evidently my bears pass muster because now I have to fill in the paperwork for each bear (who knew) and be prepared to hand them over for about a month. I'll have to give them a talking to about behaving themselves although they're normally very placid.

I wouldn't describe myself as a collector but I do have some. One of my nieces was very taken with bears and soft toys and I was at a craft show about ten years ago and they had teddy bear kits so I bought one and made it up for her. Of course then I got a bit hooked, bought a few more kits, assorted materials (coloured mohair is beautiful), magazines, went to a couple of workshops and bear shows. People are just so talented and it amazes me how many different bear makers there are. Everyone has their own style and the ones that make the tiny bears are fantastic. When your interested in craft it gives you an appreciation of the time and effort that goes in making something and so I did buy a few bears that I particularly liked. These days the bears alternate between the cupboard and the spare bed so it will be a bit of an adventure for them to go out to the gallery. I've left the bear making days behind me but I will show you one I made and the one bear I have left from my childhood (Dad gave him to me when I was one day old) that managed to survive being dragged around and laid on.

Sex and the City

Do I have your attention now? Last week a friend and I went to see the movie Sex and the City and for someone who has only seen probably half a dozen episodes of the TV series I managed to enjoy it a lot. Even though it wasn't one of the programs I watched regularly it felt quite familiar, I suppose because of all the write ups and advertising I would have seen when it was on air.

It's just one of those easy to watch, humorous in places, sad in others, chick flik type of movie that draws you in and makes you glad you have girlfriends to hang out with.

I also saw the Indiana Jones movie and it was another good one. I have to say Harrison Ford did a great job of convincing you he wasn't too old to be leaping around the screen and of course they now have a son of Indi so I assume at some stage they'll make another one. Oh.... sorry to mention that if you hadn't seen it and were planning to, just forget I said anything.

Moving right along now I'll just show you two of the cards I made using the butterfly unmounted rubber stamps I got the other week. The green card looks a bit orange but the colour in real life is more pink.

So here we all are

Well I'm here so I guess that's a start. As this is my first post I'm a bit nervous & unsure but I hope it will settle into a space where I can post a bit of whatever creative endeavours I'm up to, some info about whats new at Lorna Blue Studio and a little social chit chat.

Unfortunately I didn't get to the Papercraft show in Brisbane last weekend as there were too many other things I needed to do so that was a bit disappointing but I guess there's always next year. Last week I received a box of products for my on-line store Lorna Blue Studio and it contained quite a lot of stamps both unmounted and wood mounted so I thought I should make some cards. I'd ordered a few for myself and was really happy to see some male oriented ones as it's sometimes hard to get a stamp that you think they'll like. Next time I'll show you a few I'm done using the unmounted sheet of butterfly stamps.