Stamps Ahead

Look what was in my mail today - a handmade card from Tracey in Missouri, USA. Thank you so much. I hope that my readers enjoy looking at it as much as I do.

Images: (c)1990-2010 Stampin'Up! (r) Artwork: Margaret L Crawford I have been catching up on some scrapbooking this weekend. Here is a layout of my sister opening my birthday gift to her in January. In a previous post showed you the card I made for her and I have used a lot of the elements from that card on this page. My gift (a new book from Rachel Ashwell, of Shabby Chic fame) that I purchased from Crabtree & Evelyn, hence ribbon. There was a lot of white space on the right hand photo, so this was a good spot to put the flowers and a tiny bit of journalling.

"In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future." Alex Haley. This a page dedicated to three strong women in our family - Nana Reid (Mum's mother), Mum, Grandma Crawford (Dad's mother). The photo was taken at my parent's wedding in June, 1948 and Mum is wearing her going away outfit (yes not so long ago the just wedded changed into going away clothes that they wore as they left the ceremony on to the honeymoon). Mum made her dress and it featured pin tucks, covered buttons with fabric loops and magnificent tailoring. My scrapbooking usually focus's on the photo/s but this page just called out for some old fashioned embellishments. The background CS is black but photographed blue in today's overcast weather. The lace on the side, the buckle with tag and sticker from an old thread roll are all original. I love the Graphic 45 paper to the left with the pictures of women in their 'best' clothes. A lace heart, flowers ...

Images:(c) 1990-2010 Stampin' Up!(r) Artwork: Margaret L Crawford Here is another card I created - I have used two Stampin' Up! sets that were not available in Australia - the flower stamps were available in 1998!!. They are great little images, of several flowers, that I have watercoloured using my markers.

Friends in Grafton are raising funds for their son who is a missionary in Kiev, Ukraine. They will be having a Mother's Day stall and I have been making some cards and goodies for them to sell. This is one card I made, I had a great time rummaging through my stash and putting together this card. The image is on canvas and I purchased it many, many years ago, some lace and a rhinestone brad in her hair complete the card. The greeting inside says simply "Love".

I am just back from a week in Queensland - I stayed at Tangalooma resort on Moreton Island (out of Brisbane). There were some magnificent sunsets each evening and here is a sampling of some of them. Enjoy as much as I did.