Kept off the streets

The reason I have been quiet lately and not blogged as I have been fairly busy with Collections work and been a bit naughty not keeping up blogging. I know I check plenty of blogs hoping to see updates and pics and when there is nothing I am disappointed, so here are some pics of some classes that I did recently. The pic above is of some art boxes that included many techniques, ageing and distressing and using various mediums like wire and fabric, metal tape to name a few. It was a fairly complex class and should take 3 - 3.5 hours to complete or longer depending on the student and conditions, like the more students in the class the longer it may take. There are also a few other variables as well like the level and skill of the students and we do get this when we are teaching, something that we accept when we take on the task of creating and designing a class. It's fun to design a class but then comes the time to put together kits! LOL!
Here is another little project that I taught recently, a small plaque for your studio/craft room to hang. Inspired by Audrey Underwood's amazing creation. Speaking of the little birds nest (small hint here), you'll notice that I have a shop on the right hand side of my blog. Well stay tuned there will be some product coming soon that you will be able to purchase right off the little shop! Sorry not telling whats coming, please be patient, I have a fixation at the moment with soap and my cosmetic stuff!!! (no I won't be selling that stuff in the shop!)

On another note:
I have been playing around with some oils and little serum bottles I bought recently and come up with a nice concoction to put on my ageing face after cleansing at night.
Here is what I have in the little bottle....

20 - 30ml jojoba - great for skin
10ml olive squalane - similar to natural sebum of human skin
4 drops vitamin E - always fantastic for the skin
few drops of east indian sandalwood EO - great for mature dry aging skin like mine!

It really smooths on nice and even though it feels like a really light oil, it doesn't take long to sink into your face and smooth out those lines and of course smells absolutely fantastic. I guess nothing is going to stop the lines but hey nothing wrong with slowing it down.

I also made some delicious fresh West Indian Lime and May Chang Lime Essential oil soap with a hint of oatmeal for light exfoliation for some of my citrus obsessed friends. I also have been carried away with diffusers as well. Mmm some of the metal tape thought the cuttle bug, distressed and wrapped neatly around the diffuser bottle looks very sweet. Hey its funny how my paper craft stuff gets mixed up in the soapy stuff! I guess you take the skills you learn everyday and incorporate it in everything else you do. Right now the twins are using their skills of sewing (they taught themselves to sew!) making saddle covers from micro fleece and jewellery to sell at a horse show to raise funds for a horsey camp. Now they have asked me to make pamper packs for the girls that are going like, lip balm, face masks, soap of course and some body lotion. I might even throw in some bug of balm for when they are riding but I would imagine that they probably accept flies and bugs as they don't mind getting their hands dirty and hanging out in weather and conditions that I couldn't. My idea of a nice time is by the pool in Bali sipping a nice coconut drink contemplating my next reflexology and massage!

Eeek! is that the time, oh well off to do some work now and get out the orders that are pending! Have a great day and I hope to post again soon than later, and thanks for looking! Julie

Cute Ponies

When the twins were small, they loved ponies, especially My Little Ponies. I found myself hunting them down on trips to the US to bring back ponies that weren't available here in Australia. I guess this video is a bit of fun - revenge of the ponies. I believe the girls still have a few hundred of them somewhere in the attic!

Hey girls better check on them they may be breeding in those boxes. You need to raise funds for your trip to New Zealand or your horse camp! (hint hint). Mum xxxx

Wow it’s been ages!

It has been a whirlwind month for me. Just busy busy! Getting orders filled for the Perth Trade and SIA have kept me off the streets for about 5 weeks now! That’s a good thing as I am happy about being busy and keeping things going here at Collections. Speaking of Collections I have a make and take demo night at Scrapbooks from the Heart in Canning Vale. I have made a sweet little wreath for you to display or perhaps give to your mum on mother’s day if you haven’t already got something nice to give to her. We will be using some new paper, chipboard circles, chipboard floral bouquet and some transparency. We will embellish with a small bird from the nesting bird range. I hope you can join me and fellow scrappers at Janae’s store tomorrow night. Give them a call on 9456 4515 and see if there are any spaces left. I will be taking some inspirational samples for you to see.

On another note, I spent last weekend in lovely chilly Melbourne - no offence it’s always freezing when I go over and I have to wait until I get home to thaw out! Okay I haven’t been over in full summer! Anyway I had a wonderful time at Scraptacular teaching 5 classes back to back (I did get one nights sleep in between). Julie Marshall and her team were so lovely and I was loving all the beautiful samples in the store, which have so much inspiration. When I get some time and Julie please send me the photos, I will post some here on Nirvana. Thanks to all the lovely girls who attended and you were all a pleasure to teach. Hey it was great to catch up with some friends as well at the same time. I did have a few hours on the Sunday before flying back to visit the Victoria Markets. I think I have been to Melbourne at least 20 times and never have had time to go on a Sunday as I have always worked Paperific and that is always on a Sunday. Well I loved the markets, didn’t do the retail merchandise but did the food hall. It was amazing! Loved all the stalls with mega rib eye steaks and those flavoured sausages, not to mention the seafood and my very favourite, French lamb chops trimmed down to bone and meat – no fat. You people in Melbourne are spoiled for meat and vege selection and really cheap prices! What have we got here?, well we had Peters icecream factory outlet now that is closing and you have that as well, so more good reasons to go back to Melbourne! There is not a lot to report only my hard drive failed last week and I lost a lot of photos and almost all of the last 6 months of designs. Luckily I did back up the latest designs (I completely forgot I did that!) and I was really happy to find that disk I burned. My IT guy said to me “you only have to back up once”! Well I will buy a terabyte portable drive and back up the LOT in one hit.

I did manage to squeeze in an hour of soap making on Sunday last. I made a delicious batch of Rosemary and Peppermint Essential oil cold pressed soap with lots of wonderful shea butter, olive and rice bran oils which create soft creamy lather. I am waiting on an order from Sydney to fulfil my need to make a really wonderful leave-in conditioner, which I happen to think are brilliant for your hair, especially if you have dry hair. I did get a chance earlier in the week to make some of those aroma diffusers – ones that you like to smell.. like rose for the bathroom and I made a lemongrass and west Indian lime essential oil one for the WC. Thanks Jen Jones for parting with some of those reeds, now all we need is some decorative bottles.

Thanks for looking.....Julie