It's beginning to feel like Christmas is on it's way ....

OK, who stole October??? One minute term 4 starts and the next, I'm starting to see Christmas stuff everywhere and making up my Christmas lists! The last few weeks seem to have flown by in a flurry of school activities , work and just life. With Melbourne Cup day being a public holiday here in Melbourne, we get a 4 day long weekend this weekend, so I have a chance to upload a few cards I made a couple of weeks ago.

This one uses the Stampin' Up! Letters to Santa DSP and Season of Joy stamp set. I used the matching marker colours (Marina Mist, Old Olive, Blushing Bride) on the image and added some adhesive pearls.

Pear Pizazz is also a great match for this DSP, and since I LOVE the new seam binding, I used that as my ribbon. On the Blushing Bride background card I have stamped the matching star (or is it a flower image?) in Versamark. I quite like how this one turned out and this is a great standby card layout for any rectangle image.

For this next one, I have used a couple of my favourite Stampin' Up! products at the moment, the Stampin' Up! Champagne Glitter Glass and the Lace Border Punch. Don't you think the glitter glass looks fabulous on the tree from Lovely as a Tree? I just embossed the tree in gold and then added the glitter glass afterwards using dabs of Crystal Effects.

The colours I have used in this one are Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla.

For this last one I have again used Stampin' Up! Letters to Santa DSP, and the stamp set is the matching Merry and Type stamp set. I have embossed the image in silver onto Riding Hood Red, and added rhinestone brads to the top of each ornament. The Lace Border Punch makes another appearance too!

Off now to finish preparing my prawns I am taking to a family BBQ for Derby Day tomorrow. I love the Spring Racing Carnival in Melbourne. So much fun even though I don't set foot on a racetrack! It's the only time of year I have a bet on the horses and the TAB love me as I usually pick the horse based on my favourite numbers or liking the name :)

Hoping to get some cards made and popping back before the end of the long weekend. Have a lovely weekend wherever you are and however you will be spending it.

Claire xx

Spring Garden Update .....

The boys and I have been pottering around among our patio pots today. We had some re-potting to do, and change over some flower pots that had seen better days. We also added a few new herbs. next weekend I might tackle some more veggie garden building.

Here's an update of what's happening on our patio. I love it when the pots are all happy and healthy, makes me happy :)

First up we added 3 more Pink Strawberry plants as Josh's were looking so great he wanted to add one more and Sam wanted some too. These hang off the balcony railing and hopefully will grow some strawberries! If not they have lovely pink flowers :) Here's one of Josh's:

 

and here's Sam with his newly planted ones:

 

I replanted the standard Fuschia that the boys gave me for Mothers day a few years ago (it's a tradition that they always give me a new plant for Mothers Day). This is now looking happy and healthy and we can look forward to some lovely new flowers.

 

I also spotted this new Fuschia in Bunnings yesterday called 'Susan Young' and thought it would be lovely in our big sandstone urn. As you can see it has some growing to do but the flowers are double and full and a lovely pale pink.

 

My Hydrangeas are also looking so healthy (I have 2 big pots of them on the balcony) and the flowers are starting to form. These look fantastic when they are in full flower.

 

We also added some new herbs. We already had Rosemary, Thyme and Oregano so we added some more Italian Parsley and some mint, both common mint (ready for summer Tabouli) and this amazing 'After Dinner Mint' which I had previously grown. It really smells like after dinner mint and is a great addition or garnish to berry or chocolate based desserts.

 

My sage also has some lovely flowers on at the moment. I love blue in the garden.

 

We also made up some happy flower pots, with these dwarf Dahlia's. They will be bright and happy when they flower.

 

We must try and find a stick or small picket to go on the back of this sign (Sam might get a bit tired holding it, lol). It has sentimental value as my sister made it for me years ago :)

 

I have a couple of hanging baskets of trailing geraniums which are bursting into flower. I have spotted some more places for baskets though, so they might be my next project after the veggies. Maybe some bright and happy petunias, but I also read about a tomato you can grow in a hanging basket so might give that a try too! I love the idea of the flowers and edible plants being all mixed up like the traditional kitchen garden. My Mum and sister Kate are actually driving through Tuscany and other areas of Italy at the moment. So jealous!

 

Finally, here are my little gardeners hard at work (one thinks it's summer, the other winter, lol). I love that they seem to enjoy gardening. They get excited when they see new flowers and seem keen to help with watering and looking after the plants too. Of course they love choosing new plants too (that's the fun bit!). This pot is soon going to be full of Impatiens which I like to grow each summer.

 

and here's Sam topping up the mint and getting dirty!

 

I hope this has inspired some of you to dig out the flower pots and gardening gloves and to grow a little happiness. I plan to share some recipes using fresh herbs over the coming months and would love to hear from other bloggers who blog about gardening or cooking with fresh ingredients. I'm on a mission to reduce the processed and added ingredients in our meals! For those who follow my blog for scrapbooking and stamping inspiration, promise there will be some of that in there too!

Have a happy week,

Claire xx