A Christmas Faerie!!

I have a pretty quiet week this week, as far as DT committments go, so I wanted to join in with some other challenges and make a start on christmas cards and presents plus I have 20 candles to decorate for our xmas table this year!!
So I've left this till the very last minute but I made this card for the Emerald Faeries Garden challenge which is Christmas Green and ends in about 4 hours!!

Sorry about the crooked photo but it was so wet and windy here today that getting a decent photo was a real challenge and one that I failed at I think..LOL!! As you can see it's a very CAS card! I  really just wanted  Isabella to be the star of this card so I just embossed some white card stock and added some kindyglitz for a bit of sparkle. I then just coloured Isabella in with  Tria marker's and used some H2O's on her wings and the present. I sat her on a circle sentiment (sorry have no idea where I got these from but if you know please tell me so I can thank the creator). I also cut the butterfly from Isabella's hand and added a present then hung her form the card on some ribbon. To finish off the card I added the rhinestones!! I really love the way this card turned out and I think I'm going to make all the teachers cards like  this.. :)

I am entering this card into the following challenges:
* Emerald Faerie Garden Challenges - Christmas Green
* Simon says Stamp - Anything Goes
* Fab n Funky - Anything Goes
* Diva's By Design - Anything Goes
* Going Grey with Scrap Creations - Christmas
* Craft Your Passion Challenges - Tis the Season
* Bizzy Becs November Challenge - Circles
* Totally Papercrafts - Christmas

Last post as GDT at The Crafty Pad

Today is my last day posting as a GDT for The Crafty Pad, so I would like to say a very big "Thank You" to Debbie and all the wonderful DT for having me for the past month! I've had fun creating with all The Crafty Pad images!!
So this week our challenge is Recipe of three's - so you have to use three papers, three brads or buttons and 3 ribbons!! I read this after I made my card so I haven't used those three things but I still followed the 3 theme!! (OOps, sorry Debbie) :) We are being sponsored by Crafty Sentiments

I used two The Crafty Pad images - Holly Mouse Hanging Stocking and Santa HOHOHO and thought outside the square and decided to cut the Ho Ho Ho up and use it as three separate images to make a banner!!

 The other things I used three of are three papers From Kaisercraft (the background paper, the tree and the ornaments on the tree) and three stars!! I coloured in the images with Tria markers and used some glitter and glitter pens. And that's it pretty much!

Thank you again to Debbie and the girls for having me for the past month!!!

Now head on over to The Crafty Pad to see what the rest of the DT have created!!!

Elisabeth Bell's World Sketch Challenge!!

Only a month till Christmas and I am still nowhere near ready! I still have presents to buy, cards to make, candles to decorate and the list goes on!! Let's not think about that just yet though as it's time for a new challenge over at Elisabeth Bell's World Blog. And this month we have a gorgeous sketch by the wonderfully talented Lynda!!

Isn't this a wonderful sketch to play along with!! I thought it was and this is my take on it...

This is my new Elisabeth Bell stamp - Daisy which you can get from Elphine House right here in Australia!! I coloured Daisy in with Tria Markers, then added some kindyglitz to the middle of the flowers and on the dots on her jeans!! I used Prima's Jack and Jill papers, added some lace, ribbon, rhinestones  and flowers, then finished it off with this sentiment I found in my very first stamp set I ever bought! (can't remember the name of the company though!!) And I think you can see that I distressed around everything with walnut stain distress ink.

So now it's your turn to create something with this fabulous sketch! There are some fabulous prizes up for grabs including a GDT spot for the January EBW challenge. Don't forget that you MUST use  an Elisabeth Bell image from any of the many companies she designs for including her very own digital collection which can be found here and be sure to link back to that company!! Head on over to the EBW challenge blog for all the rules and more details on the prizes and to check out what the talented DT have created!!

PCJ Challenge #24 - Anything Goes!!

If you would like to read about my weightloss journey then take a look HERE!
If you are looking for the Digi Bell's BLog Hop then go HERE!
Hello and welcome to what has been a glorious day here in Melbourne!! Hope wherever you are, you are enjoying the weather or at least keeping warm!
So today brings with it a new challenge at PCJ and it's an easy one - Anything Goes!! I love these challenges cos I can just let my creative juices flow without thinking of a particular theme I have to add to it!!!
         We are being sponsored by Digital Delights by Louby Lou and she is very generously giving the winner 3 digital stamps!!

I absolutely love the card I made for this challenge and have been waiting to share it with you so here it is...

            Isn't this card just adorable!! This is Heidy, a new stamp by Sylvia Zet!! I just love her images!! And when I saw this one I just had to have her!! I followed the sketch over at Sketch Saturday and I knew exactly what papers I wanted to use - Kaisercrafts Christmas Carnival!! I just love the non-traditional colours for xmas cards and I have been making more and more of them!! I coloured the image in with Tria Markers and I added rock candy stickles for the snow. I put the card together and added the snowflakes, buttons and rhinestones and ribbon and the PTI sentiment!!!

I am entering this into the following challenges:
* Sketch Saturday - Sketch
* Annabelle Stamps Blog - Buttons and Bows

* Wags n Whiskers - Christmas

* Little Red Wagon - Christmas Theme

* Scrapbook Sisters - Christmas Time

* Sisterhood of Crafters Challenge - Polka Dots
* Southern Girls Challenge - Bingo

It's an easy challenge this week so join in the fun.... Head on over to the PCJ blog to see what the other girls have created!!

12 weeks to a new me!!! Long post but would love for you to take the time to read about my Journey!!

I have been overweight since I had my oldest son nearly 7 years ago and after my ex husband told me I was fat about 4 years ago I decided to do something about it!!! I was 97kgs at my heaviest, so I just started walking. I'd put Liam in the pram and walk everywhere!! I cut out a lot of the junk I was eating and I lost about 10kilos...  After my ex left I decided I really wanted to lose the weight so over the last 31/2 years  I've tried all sorts of diets ,shakes etc!! My weight has continually yo - yo'd but I became content with the way I looked at 84 kilos. In March of this year I decided to start doing something for me with Liam starting at school and Logan at 4year old kinder so when I saw flyers where the boys have swimming lessons for aquarobics I decided  I would give it a go. I wasn't overly comfortable getting in a pool in my bathers in front of strangers but after a friend, sharon, said she was going to go along to, I felt a little more confident!!! Suzanne eased us into it but worked us hard but after that first session I was hooked and when  a second class was started I decided to join that too!! I had never done any form of paid exercise before as I have always been paranoid of what peole thought of me but  I didn't care when I was in the pool!! Suzanne made the classes fun, worked us hard, was encouraging and gave nutritional advice that inspired me to really want to lose weight and become healthy!!  I slowly lost 6 kilos and started feeling confident that I could get my weight down... With Suzanne guiding me I felt it was possible!! Then about 14 weeks ago Suzanne approached me and asked if I would be interested in doing a 12 week Health and Fitness challenge. It would involve 2 PT sessions a week, keeping a food diary, doing exercises everyday that she assigned and in return I had to promote her business through talking to people, writing testimonials on facebook and on her ad pages on true local and google maps and I would blog about it here(which I was a bit slack at) :) Of course I said yes straight away. Before starting I had to fill out a health questionnaire, write down my goals and start keeping a food diary!! On the 31st August I had my first PT session - before we got into the exercise side of things - Suzanne took all my measurements and worked out what weight I was working towards!! So at the start I weighed in at 77.4kgs and this is what I looked like:

I don't think I was really unhappy with the way I looked, but I must say have always hated having family photos because I have always been the biggest!! I was content I think but really lacked the energy to do anything with my boys!!! So to move this right along, for the past 12 weeks I have had 2 PT sessions a week (minus two weeks where I did no exercise due to illness) with Suzanne, doing various types of exercise including cardio, weights, gymstick and boxing (my favourite). Occasionally we would go to the park for a different workout and to let the boys play and for a few sessions I had a friend join in with the sessions!! Suzanne pushed me hard, encouraged me, made me believe I could do more than I thought I could, gave loads of advice both nutrtionally and about exercise, always had answers to my sometimes stupid questions and if she didn't know the answer she would find out. After weeks 4 and 8 Suzanne took measurements again!! I could feel and see the weight coming off and the benefits of that, having more energy, my boys becoming more active and involved in my sessions when they were here, the way I looked at food, the way I spoke to people about my transformation etc!! And of course the sizes of my clothes going down (At my biggest I was a size 18). That was exciting!! So last Friday was my final way in and the end of my challenge with Suzanne. I was all dressed ready for my session  (3/4 active wear pants and a t-shirt) and Suzanne walked in with her progress notes dressed up, looking lovely and informed me that there would be no training!! So we did my final measurements and you can see the results for yourself -

How different do I look?? I actually like looking at myself in the mirror!!! I have managed to get down to 65.8 kilos... My goal weight was 62 so I have a few kilos to go but I am really happy with what I have achieved so far!!! A loss of 11.6 Kilos in 12 weeks!! I am now in size small and size 12 clothes and am comfortable wearing tight fitting clothes. I have been loving all the compliments and talking about how I got here. And I love the fact that I now have knowledge about food and nutrition and exercise that i can pass on to others!! Suzanne has been absoutely amazing and I know without a doubt that if it wasn't for her guidance, support, encouragement (there were times I got really down due to measurements rising instead of falling and being sick) and her general belief in me I certainly wouldn't look this good today!!! 
So my challenge now is to lose the last 3.8kgs and then to maintain my weight which I think is definitely possible with all the knowledge I have now!! I am more conscious about what food I buy and eat and encourage my kids to eat healthier too!! I am exercising everyday and hate it if I don't. I love watching my boys now too... sometimeswhen we are going to school the boys will run, then stop and do pushups, then run again etc!! And sometimes I catch them teaching other kids exercises they have seen Suzanne teach me!! It really makes me smile!!!
So thank you Suzanne for your motivation and your belief in me. I will be eternally grateful for what you have done for not only me but my boys as well!!!!!

Thanks for staying with me and reading to the end! I will keep you updated on my progress as I continue on to my goal weight!!

The Crafty Pad - GDT - Festive Cheer Challenge!!

Another week gone which means another week closer to Christmas. Today at The Crafty Pad we want to see Festive Cheer creations - so we would like to see your creations with red, green and gold or silver on them. We are being sponsored by Joanna Sheen.

I used this cute Rudolph Christmas mug for my card and kept it quite simple yet again!! I used some Kaisercraft paper, added some flowers and ribbon and a few gold  meatl embellsihments, coloured in the image with tria markers, used gold glitter pen on the reindeer antlers and I've put rhinestones all over the mug!! I then just added some pins to finish it off!!!

Why don't you go check out what the rest of the DT have done!! There are some gorgeous creations to be seen!!



Creative Genius!!!

Boy are you in for a treat today!! Yep it's November which means time for a Digi Bell Hop and a new Elisabeth Bell Digi and you are going to absolutely love it.
This adorable digi is called "Creative Genius" and has been made for Michelle whose birthday is this month.

Told you she was adorable!! You could use this image for so many things, just let your imagination run wild!!

So if you have arrived here from Sebrina's Blog where I'm sure you were wowed by her beautiful creation you are definitely in the right place but if you are just wondering around blog land checking things out why not join in the hop and start at the beginning at the Digi Bell's Blog!!

I couldn't wait to colour this image and I thought because it was an image about being crafty I decided to use bright colours just like I like to use.

I used the Sweet Stop Sketch to get me started as I always seem to do these days! I then chose my papers - Little Yellow Bicycle and coloured "Creative Genius" in with Tria markers to match them. I then added kindyglitz and used a glitter pen to add some more sparkle.

I then added all my embellishments - ribbon, flowers, buttons and charm!!!

Well I think I've kept you long enough but if you would like a chance to win this adorable digi image then why not continue on with the hop and be sure to leave comments at each stop! Or you could join in the challenge this month which is "Anything Goes". Easy right? Well of course it is, so get out your Elisabeth Bell stamps and join in the fun but be sure to link to the place where your EB stamp is from!! If you just can't wait to get this image then head on over to Elisabeth Bell's Digi Collection and buy it right now. Believe me, it won't be the only digi you get!!

Your next stop on the hop is Renkata. She will dazzle you with her creation!! If you get lost at any stage then head on back to the Digi Bell's Blog where you will find a full list of the hop line up!