A quick postcard style card

         A quick postcard style card..

Tried out my newly purchased pre-loved rubber stamp

Antique Floral Postcard 

made by

River City Rubber Works

This is the back of the card

For the front I used quite a few of my newly purchased goodies

Martha Stewart border punch

I just love it!!!

Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Four

Marianne Silhouette Die LR0140

Cuttlebug Vintage (4 Dies in the pack)

Fiskars embossing corner punch

I made this tonight in just one hour.

Must be a record for me!

I am so happy with my new 'toys' and pleased with the completed card.

The yellow colour is out of my comfort zone but the I know my friend will love it. 

Hope you like it too, let me know what you think?

I'd love to hear.

Have a good day and thanks for looking at my card.

Cornucopia and hopefully new beginnings

This is a sweet little gift I made for a friend a while ago.

It was a lot of fun to make, in fact I have made a few of them now and have given them all as gifts.

One day I will have to make one for myself.

Hope you all have a great day and get a chance to make something.

Today I want to try out some new

Spellbinders Nestabilities

I recently bought on ebay and maybe just maybe I will get a card or two made....

very optimistic of me.

My back is no better.

I am still taking very strong pain killers and valium for the muscle spasms.

Why oh why was I such an idiot to be up on a stool and get off safely only to overbalance and fall completely backwards????

This occurred 10 weeks post-op and 6 weeks ago, when I was starting to feel quite a bit better and wanted to change something in my sewing room after I was inspired

by

Where Bloggers Create 2011

It makes me so cranky and sad to think I may have ruined my operation.

I'm sure you all know what it's like....all the time thinking of creating and making your home, garden, sewing room, whatever more appealing and just so.

I have not been for a decent walk since the fall and it's all very upsetting to me.

Just before I fell I was walking up to nearly 3 km in half an hour.

Now I am flat out walking around the house.

EWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

Oh well what's done is done.

I just have to hope that this is a temporary set back and things will right themselves eventually. 

All the thoughts I had lying in hospital for the 10 days post-op are now maybe just dreams.....

Thoughts of maybe I can be comfortable in a car as a passenger. maybe I will be able to go to the shops without pain, maybe just maybe I'll actually be able to drive a car again after 16 yrs. Maybe I'll be able to hold my soon to be born grandchild.....

Lots of maybes..... but also lots of hope.

Oh well in the end I know GOD has me in the palm of his hand and what will be will be.

Maybe my life will never be as I want it to be, but it's hard seeing other people just go about their business without restrictions due to immobility and pain.

And I did have a normal active life until 1994 and even for quite a few yrs could vaccum and clean etc then sewing became a problem and everything seemed to slip away until last October 2010 when I was rendered un-able to hardly much of anything.

My parents are like 20 yr olds compared to me, so I did not inherit this bad spine from them.

I know there are plenty of others in the world way worse than me but this disability takes it toll mentally and my husband, kids, parents and friends are all very supportive and helpful.

I would just like to take that worry away from them and get on with life.

I thank GOD that throughout all of this my sense of humour is always uppermost.

I love a good joke, crack plenty and love to hear them, so that is a major blessing especially in the face of the unknown outcome of my back operation and subsequent fall.

I'll leave you with this sentiment.....

Expect the dawn of a new beginning

in the

dark nights of life

Lloyd John Ogilvie

Happy 27th Birthday Dear Daughter and Father's Day in Australia

My daughter celebrating her 27th Birthday one day early.

No doubt she will be spoilt by her DH when she arrives home today.

He might even make her a cake as well.

My one and only DD has been staying with us for the last week.

She wanted to visit us and then travel to our home town for a few days and catch up with relatives and friends but the dreaded morning sickness really took hold and she spent the entire time with us, feeling sick.

Not a good way to enjoy a holiday but she did get a lot of rest which is great as she never lets any grass grow under her feet and a good self imposed rest is probably just what she needed.

Here in Australia, yesterday was Father's Day.

 My parents travelled one and half hours to my place on The Darling Downs, mainly to see my daughter as she was not able to get to see them so we spent a lovely day together.

They had not seen her pregnancy bump before either.

We have always lived no more than 30 mins apart and in the last two years my DD and SIL

moved to Gympie

and

DH and I moved to The Darling Downs so it is rare for all of us to get together anymore.

Anyhow DD set off for her home this morning bright and early because her morning sickness is really more like afternoon sickness.

Therefore feeling fresher and chirpier in the morning was the wisest time to set off for an approximately 3 hr trip to Gympie.

DF & I, Father's Day 2011

DH, DD and me.

Sadly our son lives 6 hrs away and was not with us for DD's birthday, I think for the 1st time ever.

Dear Daughter (& her 17 week old baby bump) with her Dad  

&

me with my Dad. 

My DM, DD & me

We spent quite a lot of time walking around the garden.

Mum and Dad love gardening and always enjoy looking around at our new plants,

 especially here on The Darling Downs

as the seasons are so pronounced 

that we have had to learn to adapt to the very different gardening conditions,

especially what plants will survive the successive harsh frosts we endure in winter.

Gazanias, salvias, petunias, sweet peas, diosma, coastal rosemary

and

 primulas are just starting to either bud up or flower.

Spring has sprung!!

The 1st of September is the first day of Spring in Australia.

Rusted garden ornaments are from my parents and some even from my grandparents.

My parents lived on a beef farm until 6 years ago

and

there was always plenty of garden art to be had.

DF calls it junk....how hilarious!

It's win win for me and him.

Bought this at the plant sale on Saturday....a faux tap plant stand.

The petunia and dianthus were free as we bought a lot of plants,

for every $50 spent we received 2 plants.

Ornaental garden wheelbarrow made by DH years ago

and rusted wheel courtesy of my cousin

who used to work at the local dump....how exciting for me!!!!

I got lots of treasures from him over the years.

Bought this beautiful little lavender on Saturday at a garden sale at Kingsthorpe.

It's so sweet I put the bird cage over it as I did not want to risk it being dug up by my dog or a stray cat that has been hanging around.....

SO

   anyhow....

Dear Daughter

Happy 27th Birthday

for

today

5th September 2011. 

Love you lots

xoxoxoxoxox

God Bless You Always!

I have some lovely new and pre-loved goodies!

Some of the 

ebay purchases arrived by post & the wait always seems so long... 
Some other bits and pieces were purchased on my 1st outing
purely for pleasure for the 1st time in 4 months.
DD & I went to a cute shopping precinct at Highfields called
Abbie Lane
and another one just across the road called
Village on the Green.
It was my 1st shopping outing for 4 months or more and the 1st one with DD for nearly a year as we now live 3 hrs apart.

Can't wait to try these retired stamps...especially the postcard one, it's exactly what I have been looking for, for ages...so authentiquely vintage looking.....
Also the beautiful Martha Stewart
border punch and some pretty brads.

Cute little die cuts...just love them... I quickly tried them out this arvo.

Some beautiful JustRite Stamps and Spellbinders diecuts

Finally got a good stash of Distress Inks thanks to ebay.

First thing I've sewn in nine months

RED LETTER DAY!!!

I HAVE FINALLY SEWN SOMETHING!!

This little

Four Owls Baby Quilt

(designed by me...EllenaElizabethMakes) 

is the 1st thing I have sewn in 9 months.

Because of back pain and then my back operation in May and then falling over backwards in July

I have not been able to sew at all......

To all who know me well this is un-heard of.

Throughout my entire life I have usually sewn most days.

So my DD who is 17 weeks pregnant and who lives 2 1/2 hrs drive away has come for a visit.

This is great news, as we do not see each other much now.

Until July 2009 she lived with us until she was married.

Anyhow she wanted me to help her make a little quilt for the baby. She is no sewer...does not enjoy it. She knew I could not do it as I am still re-couperating from my operation and subsequent fall.

Anyhow as it turned out I was able to sew the whole thing, cut out the squares with my olfa cutter etc..

All things I have not done for 9 months.

 My daughter got really sick with morning sickness and spent the last 2 days giving herself over to the vulgarity of full on morning sickness.

So I ended up making the little quilt in a surprisingly unexpected turn of events.

I am still taking Valium and very strong pain killers but got through it.

Praise the LORD!!

DD drew and cut the owls out and did sew a little tiny bit.....

However did not handle the Janome 6600P at all, it really is a cow of a thing to use...not user friendly at all and certainly not for an inexperienced sewer. So it was put away and old faithful 1475 Pfaff CD was set up and it proved to be the best option.

Not bad for a 21 yr old machine ( my Mum bought it for me in 1990).

Let me at this point give this terrific machine a postive rap!

It has never failed me. It is still modern and innovative.

It is just a stunningly designed and styled sewing machine.

I could have saved $2000 and not bothered buying the Janome 3 yrs ago, but oh well, what's done is done.

Here is DD just after I completed the little quilt resting in bed after being sick all day.

Just thought it would make a cute picture to show her little baby one day.....

I love to know the history of things that have been made for me by others and vice versa, 

and this little quilt already has quite a story to go with it.

Happy Sewing Everyone!

Garden update and a little painted box

         Laying the gravel paths.

    

We pruned our mulberry tree last weekend

and

DH tried to weave a garden arch

and 

gave it a good try

but

in the end

it

did not work out.  

:(

He then layed the gravel for the lavender walk path

Our winter plum tree pruned and waiting to burst into leaf

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The above photos show the only 'crafty' project I have attempted in the last week

and

even had to give this up due to horrendous back pain...

it's so frustrating,

 but

what's done is done.

The CT scan showed nothing of interest.

The new disc and screws all seem to be in place.

I had a most terrible weekend though, could only really lie down.

 Dosed myself up on valium and painkillers for the trip into Toowoomba today to see the Surgeon who comes up from Brisbane once a month.

He said to keep taking the valium and digesic as required

 and

he ordered

a

Bone Scan

to

check for any microscopic breaks

or

changes.

Four weeks ago last Friday I fell over and everything changed for the worse....

I had been recovering

SO

well.

I was walking everyday..something unheard of before the TLIF surgery.

In fact just before I fell I walked 3km in 32 mins,

I was so happy

and

proud

of

my

achievement.

The surgeon was really impressed

and 

commented that that was almost jogging speed. 

Anyhow the valium helps a lot....it stops the worst of the pain

and

the muscle spasms

and allowed me to cope

with

the

30km car trip

to

Toowoomba.

Hope you all have a great week and make something inspired!!

A Blue Butterfly Card on Wednesday

Blue Butterfly Birthday Card

I made this very quickly today, for a friend's birthday tomorrow.

I just hope that the Australia Post Express option of next day delivery is successful....

I am still experiencing a lot of pain due to back operation 12 weeks and subsequent

fall 2 weeks ago so i made this card as quickly as possible.

I find sitting very uncomfortable, so was up and down like a yo-yo to take the pressure off my back. Took me about 3 hrs, which included lunch and exercises. 

Anyhow just the fact that i actually made something creative is very up-lifting.

After 9 months since I have sewn and weeks since I have made a card I feel so happy.

You know what it's like...this constant need to create?

I know I'm not alone in feeling like this. 

So after I decided to bite the bullet and make the card, the next thought was to keep it simple.

As usual no layout to follow, just my own concept so this invariably adds time

as I always make my cards up as I go. 

Blue decided on immediately as it's Jenny's favourite colour.

Then a quick punched, stamped and embossed butterfly.

A quick Cuttlebug circle diecut.

Some border puched strips butted up together through the centre and

a black and white spot ribbon to cover the join.

Four corners of card stamped with flourish in light blue.

Birthday sentiment stamped and embossed.

Butterfly painted with irridescent solution and attached with a pretty blue pearl and silver brad.

Pearl bling added to each corner flourish.

Border punched edges inked and touched up with pearl metallic chalk.

The inside friend sentiment is new and I really like it.

I think it will get quite a bit of use.